From his perch on the U.S. House Science, Space and Technology Committee, U.S. Rep. Bill Posey, R-Fla., teamed up with U.S. Rep. Derek Kilmer, D-Wash., to introduce a bill last week to increase opportunities for the private sector to explore and mine asteroids. The two congressmen unveiled the “American Space Technology for Exploring Resource Opportunities in Deep Space (ASTEROIDS) Act of 2014” on Thursday.

“Asteroids are excellent potential sources of highly valuable resources and minerals,” said Posey. “Our knowledge of asteroids – their number, location, and composition – has been increasing at a tremendous rate and space technology has advanced to the point where the private sector is now able to begin planning such expeditions. Our legislation will help promote private exploration and protect commercial rights as these endeavors move forward and I thank Rep. Kilmer for working with me to help advance this industry.”

“We may be many years away from successfully mining an asteroid, but the research to turn this from science fiction into reality is being done today,” said Kilmer. “Businesses in Washington state and elsewhere are investing in this opportunity, but in order to grow and create more jobs they need greater certainty. That’s why I’m excited to introduce this bill with Rep. Posey so we can help the United States access new supplies of critical rare metals while serving as a launch pad for a growing industry.”

My father served honorably in World War II earning VA benefits that I have spent two years trying to obtain for my mother, his survivor. Without the intervention of Congressman Bill Posey’s staff, I do not believe she would be receiving these benefits today.

The VA made a gross mistake that delayed approval of aid and attendance benefits. I have spent hours on the phone and sent numerous faxes to the VA without success. Congressman Posey’s staff was able to cut through the red tape.

It is sad that veterans and their families must resort to legislative intervention to get the job done. How many elderly and their families have read the first rejection letter and never receive the benefits the soldier fought for? Any congressman or senator’s office can assist a veteran and their family in navigating the hurdles the VA throws your way.

I was fortunate Congressman Posey’s staff holds regular meetings at the Titusville library, where constituents can get help. I can’t begin to repay them for their kindness.

I would like to thank Congressman Bill Posey, R-Rockledge, for his recent work on NASA legislation.

The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed a NASA reauthorization bill. Talks with the Senate could mean this bill could guide NASA for several years to come.

Despite the budget challenges in Washington, Congressman Posey has worked to secure record levels of funding for our commercial crew program, which is based at Kennedy Space Center and holds promise for our return to human spaceflight from the Space Coast. That means jobs in our community and gets us a step closer to ending our dependence on Russia to take our astronauts to the space station.

Also, Posey has been effective in safeguarding funds for KSC’s ground systems for the Space Launch System (SLS), the vehicle to take us beyond Earth orbit to the moon and Mars. This funding could have been siphoned off, but Posey led the efforts to protect this important funding.

Finally, this latest NASA bill includes provisions Posey fought for to force NASA to take greater steps to protect our nation’s NASA space technology from international espionage. We must stop the Chinese and others from stealing our advanced space technology.

Lester Block
Melbourne

WASHINGTON, DC – Today Congressman Bill Posey (R-Rockledge) helped usher through the House of Representatives bipartisan legislation (S.1254) to reauthorize and enhance research into the causes of algae blooms and hypoxia events which are harmful to natural habitats like the Indian River Lagoon located along Florida’s East Coast. Posey partnered with Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR) to amend the bill on June 5th in the House Science Committee to better enhance the coordination research across federal, state and local agencies to avoid duplication and ensure better accountability of resources.

“This bipartisan, bicameral legislation will reauthorize robust funding for important research leading us to a better understanding of the causes, effects and steps we can take to prevent and address harmful algal blooms and hypoxia events,” said Congressman Posey. “The overall health and water quality of our Indian River Lagoon and all of our nation’s waters will be improved with this important legislation.”

Specifically, the bill will reauthorize $20.5 million per year through 2018 for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to distribute as grants to local governments and organizations to conduct research into algae blooms and hypoxia events.

Recent algal blooms have had an adverse impact on the Indian River Lagoon’s health which is evident in the loss of more than 47,000 acres of sea grass since the spring of 2011. The lagoon has also experienced a number of unexplained fish kills, along with manatee, dolphin and pelican deaths.

“This bill gives researchers another tool to help us better understand, anticipate, control, and mitigate harmful algal blooms like those we have seen in the Indian River Lagoon and in communities across the country,” said Posey.

Here is a way to help our troops deployed overseas at no cost to U.S. taxpayers.

The U.S. military is authorized to use empty cargo space to transport goods supplied by nonprofit organizations to foreign nationals but not to deployed U.S. military personnel. Kim and Garren Cone of AVET Project, Inc. have been instrumental in bringing this quirk in the law to the attention of our legislators.

U.S. Rep. Bill Posey, R-Rockledge, sponsored the Deployed Troops Support Act (H.R. 1756), which allows the military to utilize space available to transport, at no cost, goods supplied by nonprofit organizations to members of the armed forces serving overseas.

The bill passed the House with bipartisan support and is awaiting action by the Senate.

I urge every citizen to contact our U.S. senators and tell them to make sure this bill becomes a law. Nothing boosts the morale of our deployed troops more than knowing the people back home appreciate their service. Let’s get this common-sense legislation passed and show our deployed troops that they have our support.

Kenneth Rhoden
Merritt Island

U.S. Rep. Bill Posey, R-Fla., urged the House Financial Services Subcommittee on Housing and Insurance to reform Dodd-Frank.

According to Posey’s team:

Among its numerous controversial provisions and regulations, the Dodd-Frank Act gave the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), a depository regulator, expansive new “Orderly Liquidation Authority” to bail out large Wall Street institutions that Washington regulators deem too-big-to-fail. As written in Dodd-Frank, however, the FDIC could assess insurance companies and their customers for the new bailout fund, even though they are ineligible for a similar bailout and insurance policyholders already are protected by state-level backstops. State solvency funding for property and casualty, as well as life insurance already exists, so this Dodd-Frank provision amounts to double taxation.

Posey’s legislation explicitly excludes these life, auto and homeowners insurance policies from the FDIC’s Orderly Liquidation Authority, ensuring that federal regulators cannot assess insurance policyholders as a source of cash for bailing out a failed Wall Street firm. Both bills have bipartisan support and preserve the longstanding practice of regulating insurance at the state level.

Posey looked to end what he calls a “hidden tax” and explained his bill on Tuesday.

“The provisions slipped into the Dodd-Frank bill authorize federal regulators to essentially impose what amounts to a hidden ‘tax’ on your homeowners, auto or life insurance to contribute to a fund to bail out a large bank in New York that makes a bad bet,” said Posey. “That’s just wrong because it could undermine the solvency of these insurance policies, so I introduced bipartisan legislation to repeal the authority for this hidden tax and protect individuals from having to pay it.”

Thumbs up: To U.S. Rep. Bill Posey, R-Rockledge, for passing bipartisan legislation to bestow Congress’ highest civilian honors on an all-Puerto Rican U.S. Army regiment known as the “Borinqueneers.” The segregated 65th Infantry Regiment was created by Congress in 1898 and served the nation in World War I, World War II and the Korean War, enduring fierce battles. Now, it will receive the Congressional Gold Medal. Posey said the Borinqueneers “have earned their place in history as American heroes.”

A Tribute to Organ Donation

ABOVE VIDEO: This tribute video for this year’s “Footprints in the Sand” kidney walk is a photo slideshow that contains images taken by Tom Moler/TTM Photography at the National Kidney Foundation’s 2012 Kidney Walk which was held at the Cocoa Beach Pier, Florida. The music is by Bill Hahn who organized the event. Bill is also a kidney transplant recipient and has just published an inspirational book entitled The Silver Lining.

BREVARD COUNTY • COCOA BEACH, FLORIDA – Congressman Bill Posey (R-Rockledge) will kickoff the 3rd Annual Cocoa Beach “Foot Prints in the Sand” Kidney Beach Walk presented by the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) of Florida as a tribute to organ donation.

Congressman Bill Posey

“It’s an honor to again take part in this year’s kidney walk,” said Congressman Bill Posey who is a member of the Congressional Kidney Caucus.

“One of the many challenges that organ transplant recipients face is the high cost of immunosuppressive medications which help the body to adjust to new donor organs. Currently, Medicare covers the cost of kidney transplant surgeries but only temporarily covers the cost of the medications which are needed to prevent rejection. After three years, coverage is cancelled. That just defies common sense, and I’ve cosponsored legislation to fix this problem (H.R. 1428), which will ultimately save lives and Medicare resources.”

The walk will take place on Saturday, May 10, at the Cocoa Beach Pier in Cocoa Beach Florida.

The day’s activities will begin at 10 a.m. with a “Circle of Life” paddle- out, followed by a Zumba class on the beach to warm-up for the 5K “Footprints in the Sand” non-competitive kidney walk. The day will conclude with a “Sand Castles of Hope” contest for kids of all ages.

“The National Kidney Foundation of Florida currently puts on seven walks across the state of Florida. The Cocoa Beach Kidney Walk is our only beach walk. It gives us an opportunity to educate people on the importance of organ donation and to thank any living donors and their families,” said Savanna Pitard, Regional Development Manager for the National Kidney Foundation.

“Every month the National Kidney Foundation gives away $14,000 through our direct aid program to those who are having a hard time paying bills, affording transportation to take them to dialysis, or buying groceries. The Kidney Foundation is also able to put on free kidney screenings for at risk individuals with the money raised at the walks. This year I am helping to coordinate the Third Annual Cocoa Beach Kidney Walk as well as walking in memory of a long time friend, Rich Salick.”

The National Kidney Foundation, Inc. (NKF) is a major voluntary health organization in the United States, headquartered in New York City with over 30 local offices across the country. Its mission is to prevent kidney and urinary tract diseases, improve the health and well-being of individuals and families affected by these diseases, and increase the availability of all organs for transplantation.

“The Cocoa Beach ‘Foot Prints in the Sand’ kidney walk is a revival for the many of us who have been given a second chance,” said Bill Hahn, Walk Chairman and kidney transplant recipient.

“It’s a special event that brings together friends living in our community with organ donors and recipients to meet on the beach to share stories about the gift of life. I hope folks will join us to walk the walk, make your mark, and save a life.”

The organization’s activities focus on awareness, prevention and treatment. Initiatives include public and professional education, kidney health screenings, research, and patient services.

Congressman Bill Posey (R-Rockledge) will kick-off the 3rd Annual Cocoa Beach “Foot Prints in the Sand” Kidney Beach Walk presented by the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) of Florida as a tribute to organ donation. Above, participants in the first Foot Prints in the Sand Kidney Walk include Koa Cuyno, Amy Saperstien, Congressman Posey, Shoretip Cuyno, Patrick Cuyno, Stephanie Hutchison and Richard Salick and Bill Hahn. (Image for SpaceCoastDaily.com)

“This year will be my third year walking and fundraising for The NKF ‘Footprints in the Sand’ kidney walk,” said Jenny Wolverton of Cocoa Beach. “I walk in memory of my mother, who died over 20 years ago from complications arising from her kidney transplant and all my other family members who have been diagnosed with this disease, including my sister and myself. It’s a wonderful day spent on the beach with family and friends all there to do a little good, raise community awareness and support each other.”

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This week is spring break for the University of Central Florida and other schools, increasing tourist activity in the Orlando region. Beneath the legitimate business of attractions and hotels, lies the darker economy of human trafficking.

In legal terms, human trafficking is the use of force, fraud or coercion to trap a person in prostitution or other work. In colloquial terms, it’s slavery.

Millions of Victims

The International Labor Organization estimates the world currently has about 21 million human trafficking victims. Florida is third-worst in the U.S. for the crimes, according to the National Human Trafficking Resource Center. It tabulates tip line data and finds, in just the first half of last year, Florida saw over 800 trafficking reports.

A 12-year-old Girl is Smuggled and Trafficked

Behind the statistics are people like Central Florida resident Kathy, who won’t give her last name. Born in Honduras, she believes, a neighbor sold her sister and her to traffickers who smuggled them into the U.S. Kathy was 12 years-old. Her sister was eight. “He used to tell us to dress a certain way, to not talk,” Kathy says. “And now, I can go back and say, ‘yes, I was drugged,’ you know? Because I don’t remember some of the days, but, at that point, I didn’t know.”

When Kathy and her sister reached Texas, things got worse. Three men locked them in a small room with about 18 other people. They had to shower in front of men. “They had my mom’s phone number, and they used to call her, telling her, ‘you need to give us money for these girls, or we’re going to send them to Mexico.’ They were telling her that they were going to send us over there for prostitution and stuff. And, my little sister was eight years-old. And, I was 12.”

Kathy thinks that room might have been a sales hub. She says occupants would sometimes leave – and not return.

After about two months of captivity, Kathy and her sister were freed in a law enforcement raid. She moved to Florida, and, though homeless, she graduated high school and got into college. She even won two top, national honors from Girl Scouts for community service.

Kathy thinks most people in that room were victims of labor trafficking. The men promised them good jobs – but instead exploited and even enslaved them. Data suggests about a quarter to a third of Florida victims fall into that category.

A Pimp’s Daughter Turns to Survival Sex

Most victims in the state suffer sex trafficking, like Octavis. She spoke at Human Trafficking Awareness Day at Lake Eola Park this winter.

She talked about growing up the daughter of a pimp. She became a prostitute to survive, saying, “Prostitution is triggered from a person being frequently raped.”

Octavis said she also worked as a recruiter, witnessing first-hand how pimps use violence, drugs and manipulation to control children in the sex trade. Most start between ages 11 and 14. “I persuaded them to join a business that sounded pleasurable at first but that became your worst nightmare if you ever decided to leave,” she recounts.

Why Florida Has a Human Trafficking Problem

Such stories are all too common in Florida, and Tomas Lares thinks he knows why. He leads the Great Orlando Human Trafficking Task Force, a coalition of governmental and nonprofit groups addressing the problem. Lares says, “We’re kind of a perfect storm too with the agricultural community, the hospitality community, the tourism, the transients. It’s a real hot spot, too, whenever there is large conventions, sporting events, for traffickers to exploit victims.”

Sgt. Patrick Guckian agrees. He leads the sex trafficking unit for Orlando’s Metropolitan Bureau of Investigation and says there’s a misconception that prostitutes want to do what they do. People often don’t understand how pimps control them. He notes, “When you talk about the 13-, 14-, 15-year-old girl forced into the commercial sex industry, it is human trafficking because legally, morally and ethically these girls they can’t choose to be bought or sold for sex.”

Laws to Help

Guckian praises recent laws that make it easier to prosecute traffickers.

Behind them are politicians like U.S. Representative Bill Posey, who hosted a human trafficking symposium in his Melbourne-area district. He says legislators need a dose of awareness too. “It’s not been on the radar until recent years. It really hasn’t been,” Posey says. “And, when we looked at the border, we looked at the drug trafficking. We looked at the arms trafficking, you know. We didn’t really focus this much on the human trafficking.”

To help tackle the issue, experts say companies could audit contractors to weed out labor exploitation.

How You Can Help

*LEARN the indicators of human trafficking. The Polaris Project, a leading anti-trafficking group in the U.S., has compiled them here at polarisproject.org/human-trafficking/recognizing-the-signs.

*BE AWARE of suspicious behavior, like those in the link above. Central Florida has had problems with pimps, recognizable when controlling a group of females with matching tattoos. Another trafficking conviction in the region involved children selling door-to-door during school hours.

*REPORT potential trafficking situations by calling the the National Human Trafficking Resource Center hotline at 1-888-373-7888. Online and text submissions are available through the link above.

*GET HELP if you’re a victim using the information above. Asked what awareness she wants for the community, Kathy addresses potential victims, saying, “People can sometimes promise you stuff. And, yes, they can promise you a job and a better life, but that’s not what you’re gonna get.”

The Washington Post reported last week how hundreds of lawmakers donated more than $490,000 either to charity or back to the U.S. Treasury to help pay down the federal deficit in the weeks after the 16-day federal government shutdown in October. After The Post published its report, about a dozen more members responded with details of their payments.

Over the weekend, two more lawmakers not originally listed confirmed that they also made donations.

Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) sent donations of an undisclosed sum to First Baptist Church, in Spartanburg; SAFE Homes Rape Crisis; and the Children’s Advocacy Center in Spartanburg, Cherokee and Union counties, a spokesman said Sunday. And Rep. Chris Gibson (R-N.Y.) donated $5,400 to a Catholic Charities food pantry, a spokeswoman said.

The House chief administrative officer late Friday also released its fourth-quarter Statement of Disbursements, a quarterly accounting of the House’s quarterly expenses and revenue. The document lists lawmakers who decided to send portions of their salary or House office budget to the Treasury during that period.

The document confirms donations from several lawmakers who told The Post that they sent money to the Treasury: Reps. Jim Costa (D-Calif.), Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii), Phil Gingrey (R-Ga.), Ralph M. Hall (R-Tex.), Frank A. LoBiondo (R-N.J.), Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.), Bill Posey (R-Fla.), Jason Smith (R-Mo.) and Niki Tsongas (D-Mass.). (See their donations here.)

But the document also lists names not included in The Post’s original tally. First, it reports that Gabbard donated $4,547.27 to the Treasury. Her office had declined to report the amount. Here are the other names:

Rep. Spencer Bachus (R-Ala.): $414.39
Rep. Steven Pearce (R-N.M.): $6,283.99
Rep. Tim Walz (D-Minn.): $2,196
Rep. Christopher P. Gibson (R-N.Y.): $17,140.40
Rep. Scott Rigell (R-Va.): $6,525.00

A spokesman for Pearce confirmed that his donation was in response to the shutdown. Walz donates the balance of a congressional pay raise that began in 2009. He also donated money to Minnesota food banks after the shutdown. Gibson’s donation to the Treasury also is unrelated to the shutdown. He is a U.S. military veteran and donates the cost of his military pension back to the Treasury, an amount totaling about $50,000 annually, a spokeswoman said. Rigell, one of the wealthier members of Congress, regularly donates portions of his salary to the Treasury. He also donated $6,485 to the Wounded Warrior Project after the shutdown.

A spokesman for Bachus didn’t immediately return requests for comment.
Three House lawmakers who told The Post that they sent money to the Treasury, Rep. Suzan DelBene (D-Wash.), Jared Polis (D-Colo.) and Brad Schneider (D-Ill.), were not listed on the Statement of Disbursements. That’s because they wrote personal checks to the Treasury instead of sending the money through the House CAO, according to copies of receipts provided by their offices to The Post.

Unlike the House, the Senate does not release a document similar to the Statement of Disbursements. Three senators — Christopher A. Coons (D-Del.), Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.) and Ronald H. Johnson (R-Wis.) — told The Post that they donated money to the Treasury.