Media

Today, U.S. Representatives Darren Soto (D-FL), Jenniffer González-Colón (R-PR), and Tulsi Gabbard (HI-02) introduced the Restoring Resilient Reefs Act of 2019, bipartisan and bicameral legislation that would reauthorize and modernize the Coral Reef Conservation Act of 2000. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Rick Scott (R-FL), and Mazie Hirono (D-HI) filed companion bill in the U.S. Senate this week. The Coral Reef Conservation Act, which expired 15 years ago, was designed to promote the conservation of our nation's reefs.

Today, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 549, the Venezuela TPS Act of 2019, authored by Reps. Darren Soto (FL-09) and Mario Diaz-Balart (FL-25), with support from every House Democrat and 39 Republicans. The legislation designates Venezuela for Temporary Protected Status (TPS), protecting approximately 200,000 Venezuelan nationals in the United States from deportation.

Today, Representatives Darren Soto (FL-09) and Mario Diaz-Balart (FL-25) issued the following statements after the U.S. House of Representatives failed to pass H.R.549, the Venezuela TPS Act, legislation that would grant Venezuelan nationals with Temporary Protected Status (TPS):

A bipartisan group of ten Members of Congress traveled to Switzerland, France, Israel, West Bank, Qater, Cyprus and Greece on a bipartisan Congressional Delegation led by United States Representative Ted Deutch. This is a report authored by U.S. Representatives Darren Soto (FL-09), Scott Peters (CA-52), and Gus Bilirakis (FL-12), of findings related to energy matters coming under the jurisdiction of th House Energy and Commerce Committee.

Today, the U.S. House Committee on Energy and Commerce approved Congressman Darren Soto's bipartisan legislation to provide equal access of federal resources for Medicaid to all American citizens living in the five U.S. territories: Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and Northern Mariana Islands. The Territories Health Care Improvement Act, included as part of H.R. 2328, now heads to the full House of Representatives for a vote, one step closer to becoming law.

Today, Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), joined by Reps. Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.), Darren Soto (D-Fla.), Vicente Gonzalez (D-Tex.), and Veronica Escobar (D-Tex.), introduced the Protecting Immigrant Gold Star and Military Families Act, following reports that the Trump administration is scaling back the Parole in Place program, which protects undocumented military family members from deportation.

U.S. Congressman Darren Soto (FL-09), who introduced the Venezuela TPS Act of 2019 (H.R. 549), released the statement below following announcements from the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) that it will not designate Venezuela for Temporary Protected Status:

Today, the U.S House of Representatives passed four amendments introduced by Rep. Darren Soto in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which authorizes funds and sets policy for defense-related activities for Fiscal Year 2020. Rep. Soto's legislation increases healthcare access for American troops and supports technological advances impacting Central Florida.