Senator LeMieux's Weekly Update

 

September 16, 2009 Thank You for Your Support Last week, I officially took the oath of office for the U.S. Senate. Serving 18 million Floridians in this capacity is the honor of a lifetime and a great responsibility I take very seriously. My wife Meike and I appreciate the hundreds of well wishes we've already received. Thank you for your support and words of encouragement and know that I intend to be the hardest working U.S. senator while I am in office. Be it health care, the national debt, or the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, I am here to represent your views and I look forward to hearing from you. Upholding Free Speech and the 2nd Amendment Minutes after my swearing-in ceremony, I had the privilege of casting my first vote. The question was whether to confirm Cass R. Sunstein to be the head of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs. While Mr. Sunstein is a very accomplished individual, I cast my vote against this nominee because his views are not in line with the values of Florida's families. Mr. Sunstein's opposition to an individual's right to bear arms as guaranteed under the 2nd Amendment make him an inappropriate pick to lead an important federal office. Blocking ACORN Funding This week, the United States Senate considered striking funding for ACORN, the not-for-profit group making headlines in the news lately, Monday, I voted to block any Federal dollars from going to ACORN because of their questionable activities including at least 30 cases of suspected voter fraud. With our mounting national debt, we can't afford to spend taxpayer money on organizations operating on the edges of the law. The Debt, the Deficit, and Health Care Reform In the coming months, Congress will deal with a great number of issues critically important to the future of our nation. One of the largest issues pending before Congress is how to reform our system of health care. I support affordability and access to quality health care. Right now, the costs are too high and too many people are without health insurance; but the solution can't be worse than the problem. As this debate continues, I strongly encourage you to contact me with your thoughts on the health care situation, and let me know what you believe needs to be done.