Florida Republicans defend their votes for national spending bill
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Eight Republicans from Florida’s congressional delegation voted in favor of H.R. 5860, the continuing resolution that was passed on Saturday to prevent a government shutdown.
Florida Republican Reps. Gus Bilirakis, Vern Buchanan, Mario Díaz-Balart, Neal Dunn, Carlos Gimenez, Laurel Lee, John Rutherford and Maria Elvira Salazar joined 327 other members of Congress to support the spending bill.
The legislation was pushed through during the final hours of opportunity before what could have been a federal government shutdown.
“Today, I chose to support our military, contractors, and families already grappling with sky-high inflation as a result of Bidenomics,” Dunn said in a press release.
“While a continuing resolution was not the solution I hoped for, it does include disaster funding that’s critical for Florida’s Second Congressional District,” he added. “I will work with House Republicans towards a fully-funded government in the next 45 days.”
A spokesperson for Dunn told Florida’s Voice that the congressman believes he voted for what was best in his district and that other Republicans who voted opposite him, did the same.
The legislation specifically provides temporary funds to the government so that Congress has time to vote on long-term spending bills for the upcoming fiscal year.
“Voters sent us to Washington to do our jobs and govern,” Rutherford said. “Keeping the government open and operational is the bare minimum of our responsibilities.”
“Today, I voted to pass a bipartisan 45-day stopgap funding bill that prevents a wasteful shutdown, pays our troops, maintains operations of the federal airspace, extends authorization of the National Flood Insurance Program, and funds important federal disaster relief for victims of the Hawaii fires and Florida hurricanes,” he added.
Several members of congress opposed the legislation, including Florida Republican Reps. Matt Gaetz and Kat Cammack.
Gaetz went so far as to introduce a motion to vacate the speakership, threatening Rep. Kevin McCarthy’s, R-Calif., power over the U.S. House of Representatives.
“All of Speaker McCarthy’s failure theater resulted in him teaming up with Democrats to pass a continuing resolution that funds Ukraine, funds Jack Smith’s election interference against President Trump, abandons E-Verify, and does nothing to put the interests of the American people first,” a statement from Gaetz’s office read.
Other Florida Republican Reps. who voted no on the resolution include Aaron Bean, Scott Franklin, Brian Mast, Cory Mills, Bill Posey, Greg Steube, Mike Waltz and Daniel Webster.
Lee not only defended her vote for the continuing resolution, but she also produced a statement defending McCarthy’s speakership.
”As Republicans in Congress, it is critical that we stand in support of Speaker McCarthy,” she said. “Our only chance of advancing a more conservative agenda is for us to be united.”
“Attempts to remove the Speaker will only empower Democrats and their liberal agenda,” she added. “The Speaker is a strong leader who never gives up and knows what it takes to get our country back on track.”
