- A group of eight Democratic Florida lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives is trying to overcome Gov. Ron DeSantis’ veto of two federal block grants totaling $29 million, which led to the cancellation of an additional $346 million in federal funding block grants for the state.
- The coalition wrote a joint letter to U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm to inquire about the possibility of administering energy rebates in Florida through either a federal program directly overseen by the government or through programs managed at the county and city levels.
- The vetoed grants were intended to support upgrading rural wastewater motors, improving pumping infrastructure, and establishing planning and accountability infrastructure for energy efficiency programs.
- DeSantis’ veto decision has prompted calls to redirect these funds to other states willing to utilize them.
A Democrat consortium of eight Florida lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives is seeking to bypass Gov. Ron DeSantis’ veto of two federal block grants worth $29 million that culminated in the cancellation of an additional $346 million in federal funding block grants.
The joint letter, penned to U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, inquires about the potential administration in Florida of energy rebates funded under President Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and the Investment in Jobs Act (IIJA) despite DeSantis’ veto.
The letter proposes that the rebates be made available to Floridians through either a federal program directly overseen by the government or through programs managed at the county and city levels.
The entreaty was signed off on by Reps. Jared Moskowitz, Darren Soto, Maxwell Alejandro Frost, Frederica Wilson, Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Lois Frankel, and Kathy Castor.
“These rebates stand to assist families in need who are looking to upgrade their homes with more energy-efficient appliances, accelerating the nation’s transition towards clean energy,” reads the letter.” To safeguard Floridians’ access to this vital assistance, we hope that the Department will consider administering these rebates either through a direct federally managed program or through locally managed programs, supplementing state and territory-administered initiatives.”
DeSantis’ vetoes, which were first reported on by The Capitolist in June, resulted in Florida withdrawing from a program aimed at providing rebates to Florida consumers for energy-efficient household appliances. The specific nullifications in question, Line item 1463A and Line item 1463B in the state’s 2023 veto list, involved federal block grants that wouldn’t have required any additional state-level expenditures.
Line item 1463A, a $24 million grant, aimed to upgrade rural wastewater motors and improve pumping infrastructure in smaller Florida counties while Line item 1463B, a $5 million grant under the Federal Inflation Reduction Act, was intended to establish planning and accountability infrastructure for a larger federal program to enhance energy efficiency nationwide. DeSantis’s veto of Line item 1463B resulted in Florida’s disqualification from receiving two larger federal block grants worth $173 million each.
“Gov. DeSantis rejected nearly $346M in rebates — we must find a way for Floridians to benefit from these cost-savings,” wrote Soto on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.
Meanwhile, New Hampshire Senator Jack Reed is petitioning to claim the rejected funds, urging the U.S. Department of Energy to redirect the dollars to Rhode Island and other states that will commit to utilizing its allocation.
“If Gov. DeSantis wants to bury his head in the sand … and turn down $354 million for Florida, other states should pick up the slack and put that money to work the way Congress intended.”
Reed’s actions have a precedent. In 2011, former Gov. Rick Scott rejected federal funding for rail infrastructure upgrades from the Obama Administration, resulting in those funds being redirected to California.
What these reporters don’t tell you are the “Stick” details when they are castigating a Governor who is refusing “free” Fed money. Smart State governors, where they can, refuse to accept “carrot” offers of financial assistance from the Feds because there is always a Federal “STICK” at a later date that puts State Budgets in a squeeze when the Fed financial “gift” EXPIRES AFTER the citizenry is firmly reliant on the service provided. At that point the State has to make the hard decision to either put in a State Tax or increase existing tax levels to be able to make up for the loss of the federal funding for a now very popular service people do not want to give up and don’t want to pay for either. No existing State administration wants to shoot themselves in the foot for a short term pat on the back that will insure their elected officials will lose reelection when the Federal Subsidy expires. Common sense tells Smart Governors to educate the electorate as to why they are refusing the Fed Subsidy AND if the electorate really wants the service they need to petition their State Legislators to budget in the STATE funds to pay for it. The Democrats never tell the public the full story. They deceive the public by only telling full on lies and half truths.
“The specific nullifications in question, Line item 1463A and Line item 1463B in the state’s 2023 veto list, involved federal block grants that wouldn’t have required any additional state-level expenditures.”
The other funds were rebates for purchasing energy efficient appliances, not ongoing programs. The purchases would have put more money in the state’s pocket through sales tax and would have benefited those making the purchases.
Are these expenditures necessary and justified for a nation with a $32 TRILLION debt?
DemRats are a cancer. Lets get rid of it Florida.
The only rats are you and Gov Deefascist and his fellow travelers. Liars and pathetic neo confederates all.