Blog: The Webster Wire: How Could We Make It More affordable to Put Food on the Table and Fuel in the Tank?

Statement

Dear Friend,

This past Sunday marked a celebration of new beginnings for two of our neighbors in Winter Garden. We welcomed the Tillman family to their newly refurbished home courtesy of Habitat for Humanity and the contributions of volunteers throughout the community. Habitat for Humanity also broke ground at the site of the Morss family's future home in Winter Garden. Looking out for one another and lending a hand to those in need rather than waiting on government to provide a solution is the formula for stronger communities. It is exciting to see this in practice in Winter Garden and in many other neighborhoods across Central Florida.

I spent time on Monday meeting with and listening to small business owners who recently opened up shop in Central Florida. Their investments are crucial for putting our local economy back on track, and I wanted to hear their perspective about what can be done to encourage would-be entrepreneurs to follow in their footsteps. Many small businesses continue to express concern that implementation of Obamacare will raise healthcare costs to unsustainable levels, which could force them to cut their employees back to a 29 hour work week, cap the number of employees they hire, or worse, require them to lay off employees. Obamacare is a train wreck for small businesses, and it will mean fewer jobs and less take home pay for Central Floridians -- unless we act. I am committed to clearing the way for true reform that provides the healthcare that we need, from the doctor we choose, and at a price we can afford.

Against the backdrop of a Middle East in turmoil and civil war, I sat down with Central Florida advocates for strengthening the strategic partnership between the United States and our ally Israel. We discussed
recent developments in the region and two legislative initiatives that I have cosponsored to address emerging threats to stability in the region: the Nuclear Iran Prevention Act of 2013 (H.R. 850) and the United States-Israel Strategic Partnership Act of 2013 (H.R. 938). Together, these bills further tighten sanctions on Iran, crack down on human rights violators, and expand U.S.-Israel cooperation in a variety of arenas, including security, intelligence and commerce. While we pray and work for peace and stability in the Middle East, we must recognize that Israel is an indispensible ally against the organizations and states determined to terrorize innocent people and weaken our national security.

This week, I also hosted the student government associations of the University of Florida and the Florida State University. At the top of the list of students' concerns was the looming deadline for Congress to act on a student loan fix before interest rates double on July 1. Both associations expressed a view I share: preparing for the expense of higher education is difficult enough without student loan interest rates shifting based on the whims of Washington. It is time to take politics out of the calculation with a market-based, permanent solution and thereby eliminate uncertainty and confusion for borrowers.

Earlier this month with my support, the House of Representatives has passed such a solution, which mirrors a proposal President Obama put forth earlier this year. Yet, the Senate has twice failed to pass a plan of their own and chose to leave Washington without acting to stop student loan rates from doubling. It is my hope that Senate Democrats will stop obstructing this smarter solution that strengthens federal student lending and protects students from the July 1 rate hike.

Your servant,
Daniel Webster
Member of Congress

Constituent Corner:

A constituent contacted our office because the Social Security Administration (SSA) continued deducting from his monthly retirement payments even though he was no longer working. Our office inquired into the matter with the SSA, and within the same month, the agency had corrected the constituent's record and notified our office that the constituent would receive a retroactive payment in a timely manner. If you ever need assistance cutting through the red tape at a federal agency, contact my office at one of the numbers below. We are here to serve you.

Share Your View:

Do you agree that Congress should penalize the IRS for targeting innocent Americans based on their political beliefs?

Your view: Response to last week's survey question (Do you agree that making our U.S. border secure is the first requirement for immigration reform?) No -- 19%, Yes -- 80%

Legislative Update:

What if we could make it easier for you to put food on the table and fuel in the tank, and create long-term jobs in the process? What if the same action would help get our economy back on track, reduce the deficit and make your summer vacation more affordable?

The solution is simple: allow American workers to unlock our abundant energy resources. More American-made energy means driving to work, taking the kids to practice and tackling errands without the pain at the pump. It means lowering the costs of delivering the food stocked on the shelves of our local grocery stores, which translates directly to smaller grocery bills at checkout.

Reducing gas and grocery prices and growing the economy are the reasons why I supported two solutions this week to expand American-made energy.

President Obama's "all-of-the-above and nothing-from-below" energy agenda has only hurt hardworking families and delayed our economic recovery. It is time to say "yes" to American energy.

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