U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan (R-Longboat Key) lost the race for the powerful House Ways and Means Committee chairmanship to Rep. Jason Smith of Missouri.
No member of the Florida congressional delegation will chair a full committee in the 118th Congress. Florida has second largest Republican delegation in the House.
Buchanan supported Rep. Kevin McCarthy for House Speaker but Gaetz and. other Florida Republicans held out.
Another concern is a discussion that one of the deals cut by Gaetz. with McCarthy is to cap fiscal year 2024 discretionary spending across government at 2022 levels, This would mean a potential $75 billion cut to national defense – which isn’t good for Northwest Florida will all its military bases.
Ryan. Wiggins warned of repercussions yesterday.
