OrangeParkJournal.com

Sen. Mel Martinez (R-Florida) addressed the legislature in Tallahassee yesterday. Here’s what he had to say:

Tallahassee, FL - U.S. Senator Mel Martinez (R-FL) today addressed the entire Florida State House of Representatives on issues including the economy and the mortgage crisis, the environment, health insurance, and the need to work collaboratively on a national catastrophe fund.

“As Florida’s elected officials, we share a common purpose in responding to the needs of our citizens,” said Martinez. “Floridians have a building number of concerns including the quality of our environment and the financial security of our families. These problems are compounded by the slowdown in the national economy and the ongoing mortgage crisis. In Florida and around the nation, housing inventories are up and home sales are down; specific government actions are necessary if we are to avoid a prolonged economic downturn.”

Martinez noted several initiatives Congress and the Administration are working on or have already approved to address both the economy and the housing crisis. Economic stimulus tax rebates will start arriving in Florida this May and the Administration is working to provide capital liquidity in the mortgage market so that families will have more opportunity to either purchase a home or refinance an existing loan.

“Florida’s health care crisis has several origins but remains mainly rooted in cost. Four million Floridians don’t have insurance because they can’t afford it and at the same time Medicare fraud is running rampant in South Florida. We have to work on solutions that shift the uninsured to insured and those engaging into fraud into jail,” Martinez said. “Another great need for Florida concerns the massive and historic Everglades restoration. I’ve worked closely with Senator Bill Nelson to ensure we secure the federal funding we need to restore this resource to a condition that can be enjoyed by future generations. Everglades restoration is key, not only for the ecosystem, but for ensuring we have access to quality drinking water for now and the future.”

The U.S. Senate this year approved an initiative by Senator Martinez to substantially increase the penalties for Medicare fraud. Martinez has also introduced a measure to provide a tax credit to persons without health insurance so that they can immediately purchase a health care plan. Earlier this year, the President’s Budget included funding for $255 million in Everglades-related assistance in fiscal year 2009, and $185 million in actual restoration efforts.

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