Tim Mahoney: Why We Elect Democrats

Dear Florida Democrats,

The other day I was reading the Sarasota Herald Tribune online and saw this quote:

"I'm so glad to see somebody do something."
- Margie McGuire of Rotonda, Florida (Herald-Tribune)

Now, I've never met Margie, but I can tell that we have some things in common.

I can tell that she cares about her fellow Floridians. And, from the article, I learned that she's not afraid to stand up for veterans' concerns like I did when I was in Congress.

That's why she took time out of her busy life to participate in a town hall meeting in Port Charlotte, which had been organized by Democratic Congressman Tim Mahoney (FL-16).

Congressman Mahoney met with veterans and veterans' representatives to talk about issues that concern them, specifically healthcare. Many were concerned about the delay in receiving benefits, penalties for various reasons, and long waits for treatment.

Congressman Mahoney is committed to helping veterans, and has already been working with the new Democratic Congress to "do something," like Margie said.

Recently the U.S. House passed legislation fully funding the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) by providing an additional $5.3 billion this year. This money will help ease backlogs on processing cases, address maintenance delays at VA facilities, and will allow the VA to generally provide better services to all of those who have honorably served our country.

Despite Republican opposition, Mahoney and other Democrats supported and passed the largest increase in funding for veterans in history, which will help cover the VA's increasing patient load and the cost of forthcoming recommendations to improve health care facilities and treatment for service members and veterans.

It's a great start, but Congressman Mahoney promises he won't stop there. He's taking the concerns from that Port Charlotte meeting directly to Washington, DC.

He also recently created a Veterans Advisory Council to provide a direct line of communication between him and veterans throughout his district. The council is comprised of veterans from all eight counties in Florida's expansive 16^th Congressional District and includes Floridians who served in World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Iraq War, and Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.

Last night, I talked with Congressman Mahoney, and he filled me in on a lot of the projects he's working on for Florida. And, boy is he busy!

Traveling to and from Washington and traversing South Florida from coast to coast, Congressman Mahoney has been working extremely hard for the people of our state.              

He and Congressman Ron Klein of Florida's 22^nd District have been leading the charge on homeowners' insurance reform in Congress.  They serve on the Financial Services Committee, which oversees insurance, where they helped secure the public commitment of Congressman Barney Frank, the chairman of the committee, to work with them to develop a national solution to the insurance crisis.

As a former businessman, Congressman Mahoney understands that Florida's 1,837,800 small businesses are an economic engine for our communities. He helped pass the Small Business Tax Relief Act of 2007, providing America's small businesses with needed tax relief. This important piece of legislation is much more than a tax cut for America's small businesses - it is an investment in our nation's workers.

On the environmental front, Congressman Mahoney is working to make sure the federal government lives up to its commitment to restore the Everglades, fighting to ensure that crucial restoration projects are funded in the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA).

Should WRDA not pass this year, Mahoney is prepared with separate plans for ecosystem restoration projects to restore native habitat, reduce phosphorus and nitrogen load, and remove approximately 7.7 million cubic yards of ‘muck' from the Indian River Lagoon and to implement an ecosystem restoration plan in the Picayune Strand to help increase freshwater flows to natural areas. Both projects are critical to the success of the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan.

Veterans Healthcare. Insurance Reform. Small businesses. The Everglades. Eight counties and countless miles traveled. All this in less than four months. Congressman Mahoney is doing a truly amazing job.

He is a case study in why we elect Democrats. Democrats get things done. 

If you can, please contribute to the Florida Democratic Party's efforts to expand our majority in Congress and keep Do-Nothing Republicans from getting back into power.

We plan on targeting multiple Republican-held districts and helping defend Congressman Mahoney from a disgusting Karl Rove-designed Republican onslaught that has already begun. The Party needs your help to win.

And finally, please write a letter to the editor of your local paper or call your local talk radio stations to tell them about the great work Congressman Mahoney has been doing.

I hope you enjoyed this update. More from me again soon.

Sincerely,

ongresswoman Karen L. Thurman
Chair, Florida Democratic Party