Blog: The Webster Wire: I Heard You

Statement

Dear Friend,

During this past week, I had the privilege of listening to residents' feedback throughout Lake, Orange and Polk Counties. Some of the many public events included:

-"Conversation with your Congressman" in Leesburg
-"Coffee with your Congressman" in Polk City
-Kids Safe Program with the Groveland Police
-Polk County Tiger Bay Club
-Emeritus Family Carnival at Emeritus assisted living facility in Ocoee
-La Primera Iglesia Bautisa Church in Mascotte with Pastor Felix Ramirez
-National Night Out Against Crime event with first responders in Clermont
-Dukes Lakes Home Owners Association with Mascotte Police Chief Rolando Banasco
-Playing and coaching in a celebrity softball game in Clermont to raise money for New Beginnings, a Not-For-Profit organization in South Lake County helping the homeless. Read about the game in the South Lake Tablet.

In order to best represent you in Congress, I want to listen to your views on issues that are important to you, your family, and our community. I am committed to continue meeting you where you live, work, and play. If you did not get to attend any of this week's events, check out The Ledger's story about my town hall at the Bartow Civic Center, the Winter Haven News Chief's report on my "Coffee with your Congressman" event in Polk City, or the Daily Commercial's report on my listening session in Leesburg. Glenn Marston, an editor with The Ledger, also authored an Op-Ed highlighting my proposals to make congress work and change the culture in Washington.

There are no greater sacrifices than those made by the service members in our nation's Armed Forces. These brave men and women willingly put themselves in harm's way to defend the freedoms and beliefs for which America stands. It is imperative that we display our gratitude for the veterans of our armed services, especially our wounded warriors and fallen heroes. In Polk County, residents showed their appreciation for Polk County veterans who have been awarded the Purple Heart medal by becoming a Purple Heart County and dedicating a Purple Heart monument at Veterans Memorial Park in Lakeland. I was honored to help unveil the monument, present a flag flown over the U.S. Capitol to The Military Order of the Purple Heart, deliver the keynote address at the dedication ceremony, and join over 400 members of the Polk County community in honoring local veterans for their sacrifices.

Whether we are talking about our livestock, dairy, commodity or specialty crop production, Central Florida's ranchers and farmers play a vital role in local job creation and economic growth. This past week, I visited with Michel Sallin and his family who own and operate the Cherry Lake Tree Farm in Groveland. I also visited the Jahna family's ranch in Polk City, which supports livestock, citrus production and mineral resource development. Although the needs in these locations are diverse, the common theme during both visits was the importance of sound, long-term policies that allow producers to plan for the future, responsibly manage risks, and provide choice and affordability to consumers.

This week, I also had the opportunity to meet with many members of Central Florida's small business community:

-Breakfast with the Eustis Chamber of Commerce
-Bay Pharmacy in Eustis, a third generation small business owned by George Warren, that has served our community for 50 years
-DeLite's Bakery, a new business recently opened by DeLite Kelly
-U.S. Pak-N-Ship, owned by Louise Thompson
-Striking Effects Promotions, owned and operated by Eustis Mayor Kress Muenzmay

During these visits, I spoke with numerous entrepreneurs to discuss the importance of a strong local business community, as well as the challenges they face in the current economic climate. When I return to Washington, I will continue fighting to remove barriers to small business success by advocating for comprehensive tax reform, smart regulatory reform, and an affordable, patient-centered health care policy.

As students prepare to head back to school, I had the pleasure of joining Central Florida McDonalds, Magic 107.7, Fox 35, Fun Spot, Pirate's Cove, and I-Drive partners for their Boy Scout "Stuff the Bus" School Supplies Drive. It was an honor to meet the dedicated participants in this program, and be a part of the effort to put school supplies in the hands of needy students.

Your servant,
Daniel Webster
Member of Congress

Constituent Corner:

A constituent whose tax refund had been held up as a result of identity theft contacted our office for assistance. We submitted an inquiry to the Taxpayer Advocate Service on the constituent's behalf and within a month he received the $6,000 tax refund he was due. If you ever need assistance cutting through the red tape at a federal agency, contact our office at one of the numbers below. We are here to serve you.

Share Your View:

Last week, the Obama Administration announced the federal government would circumvent the president's own health care law in order to continue contributing to congressional health insurance plans. The recent Office of Personnel Management rule on congressional health benefits underscores what we all know: Obamacare is failing all Americans.
I am opposed to this special rule, and have never accepted the congressional health care benefits.

Do you agree with the Obama Administration's decision to exempt Members of Congress and staff from provisions of Obamacare?

Legislative Update:

As difficult economic times persist, families are continuing to struggle to save enough money to make a down payment on a home. For this reason, I introduced the Creating Homeownership Opportunities Act with a bipartisan group of my colleagues on August 1. This legislation would allow dollars to be set aside tax free for the purchase of a first home.

With this tax relief, the Creating Homeownership Opportunities Act will make homeownership for Central Floridians more attainable, and lessen their debt burden.

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