Wasserman Schultz: House Democrats will continue protest today on gun laws

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Sun-Sentinel Editorial by Debbie Wasserman Schultz

Last Wednesday, House Democrats took to the floor of the House to stand in solidarity with millions of Americans whose lives have been torn apart by gun violence. But this time, it was different. We didn’t just stand to offer meaningful thoughts and hopeful prayers — we staged a 24-hour sit-in to demand a vote on common-sense gun laws.

In the words of voting and civil rights heroine Fannie Lou Hammer, we are “sick and tired of being sick and tired.”

Tired of trying to put into words the reason why this happened again, and why we failed to prevent it.

Tired of observing a moment of silence and stopping there, as if stillness and silence are the only powers at our command against the epidemic of gun violence.

Tired of the hurt, which aches in a place deeper than flesh and blood and bone.

Tired in our souls because one mass slaughter is already too much to bear, and yet we have suffered this hurt as a nation again and again.

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Hillary Clinton campaign in Florida says it’s on same page as Bernie Sanders backers

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Sun-Sentinel
Anthony Man

Attempting to overcome lingering tension with supporters of defeated presidential candidate Bernie Sanders, the Hillary Clinton campaign in Florida sought Tuesday to depict Democrats as one big, happy, unified group.

As proof, the Clinton camp arranged for Cynthia Busch, chairwoman of the Broward Democratic Party, and Frank Ortis, mayor of Pembroke Pines, to appear before a small group of party volunteers, interns and staffers at the county party headquarters in Plantation.

Ortis is a Democratic National Convention delegate pledged to Clinton. Busch is a Sanders delegate to the party convention next month in Philadelphia.

“It’s going to be very important this year, more than ever, that regardless of who we may have supported in the primary that we are out there talking about our presumptive nominee, about Hillary Clinton, about all of her strengths,” Busch said. “I’m confident we’re going to get her elected.”

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Senator Steve Geller Statement on Florida DEP Proposal to Increase Allowable Toxins in State Waters

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Senator Steve Geller

Senator Steve Geller

The Florida Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is currently reviewing the level of certain chemicals that can be discharged into Florida’s waters. It is proposing that the levels of over ½ of these be increased, including several known carcinogens. One of these chemicals is benzene, used in fracking. Many people believe that one of the main reasons for this re-evaluation is to increase benzene limits, to make fracking easier in Florida. The DEP is using a “Monte Carlo” method for calculating the acceptable standards which is not used by any other state or by the Federal Government. These changes will be voted on by the Florida Environmental Regulation Commission, a Governor Scott appointed body that hasn’t met in about two years. Of the seven Commission seats, two are vacant – the positions representing Local Governments and the Environmental Community. It is not acceptable to increase levels of known poisons and carcinogens that can be discharged into Florida’s waters using determination methods not used in any other state. Floridians need to organize and let our leaders in the Legislature and Cabinet know that we are opposed to this little-publicized attempt to harm Florida’s waters and potentially poison Floridians.

A shorter excerpt of this statement first appeared in the Sun-Sentinel on June, 26, 2016.