from the desk of Representative Byron Donalds

Taking Action to Put Floridians First

During the 119th Congress, I am proudly leading dozens of commonsense legislative solutions to directly assist and benefit residents of our Southwest Florida community and our great Sunshine State:

H.R. 5177 – “The Weigh Station Enforcement to Intercept and Guard Highways (WEIGH) Act”: Led by Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) in the U.S. House of Representatives with the endorsement of Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Wilton Simpson, this bill codifies and enforces President Trump’s Executive Order requiring commonsense rules of the road for American truck drivers. Specifically, it empowers the Department of Transportation (DOT) to utilize weigh stations along interstate highways to enforce President Trump’s April 28th Executive Order entitled “Enforcing Commonsense Rules of the Road for America’s Truck Drivers.” H.R. 5177 directs DOT to ensure states enforce English language proficiency requirements and review CDLs for irregularities during checks at weigh stations. States that fail to comply with weigh station enforcement protocols set by the Secretary of Transportation will risk revocation of their CDL program authority and federal highway dollars.

HR 4944 – “The Flood Insurance Relief Act”: Led by Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) in the U.S. House of Representatives with a U.S. Senate companion bill led by Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) and Sen. Ashley Moody (R-FL), this bill combats the rising cost of flood insurance and provides much-needed tax relief for both NFIP and private insurance policyholders. Specifically, it creates a non-refundable tax deduction for flood insurance premiums paid during the year from taxable income. The deduction would apply to premiums, federal policy fees, and surcharges associated with the NFIP and qualifying private flood insurance. The deduction applies only to premiums tied to property owned by the taxpayer.

H.R. 2422 – “The Consolidating Aerospace Programs Efficiently at (CAPE) Canaveral Act: Led by Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) in the U.S. House of Representatives with a U.S. Senate companion bill led by Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) and Sen. Ashley Moody (RFL), this bill moves NASA Headquarters from Washington, D.C. to the Sunshine State. Specifically, it requires the transfer of NASA Headquarters to Brevard County, Florida within one year of enactment. Florida is home to Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, which are primary launch sites for NASA missions. Having NASA Headquarters nearby will streamline operations, reduce travel costs, and improve coordination.

“The Cape Canaveral Space Launch Complex 37 Revamp Initiative”: Led by Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) in the U.S. House of Representatives with the bicameral support of Sen. Ashley Moody (R-FL), this initiative seeks to revive the operational readiness of Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 37 (SLC-37) to ensure continued American space dominance. SLC37 is one of the few launch pads on the Eastern Range that has historically been used for heavy lift launches, but today, it sits idle due to outdated infrastructure. The United States Air Force has agreed to demolish SLC-37’s outdated infrastructure, however, approval for the construction of next-generation heavy lift launch capabilities is still under review due to red-tape–which is what has necessitated the bicameral effort.

H.R. 2308 – “The FEMA Independence Act of 2025”: Led by Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) in the U.S. House of Representatives and co-led by Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL), this bipartisan bill to overhauls FEMA into an action agency. Specifically, it removes FEMA from the bureaucratic labyrinth of DHS and re-designates the agency to report directly to the President of the United State, with a Senate-confirmed director. This bill has been added into the larger H.R. 4669 – “FEMA Reauthorization Act.”

H.R. 1786 – “The Harmful Algal Bloom Disaster Relief Act”: Led by Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) in the U.S. House of Representatives and co-led by Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz (D-FL), this bipartisan bill makes communities affected by catastrophic Harmful Algal Blooms eligible for FEMA “Major Disaster” relief funding. Specifically, it amends the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act to include algal blooms in the definition of a major disaster.

H.R. 1676 – “The Make SWAPs Efficient Act of 2025”: Led by Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) in the U.S. House of Representatives and co-led by Rep. Jared Moskowitz (D-FL), this bipartisan bill ensures government efficiency in conservation. State Wildlife Action Plans (SWAPs) are developed and submitted by states to the FWS to identify non-game species of greatest conservation need, so they don’t become threatened or endangered. Currently, there is no deadline for FWS to approve a complete SWAP once submitted by a state, and in most cases, approval can take over 18 months. 45 states have SWAPs due this year alone. Specifically, this bill directs the Secretary of the Interior to approve a state’s SWAP within 180 days. If the Department of Interior does not approve the SWAP within 180 days, the SWAP is “deemed approved.”