Kosmas, Boyd take a pass on health care as Democrats squeak by

U.S. Reps. Suzanne Kosmas and Allen Boyd were the dissenting votes among the Florida delegation on health care.

Otherwise, every Democrat voted in favor and every Republican against. The final vote was 220-215 (with 39 Democrats opposed) underscoring the difficulty ahead for Democrats and President Obama as the debate moves to the Senate.

Tampa Democrat Kathy Castor, who played a role in expanding medical school residencies for Florida and better consumer protections against Medicare Advantage marketing, said it was historic, "along the lines of Social Security and Medicare. This is the next step, the one that has been missing for decades."

From Florida, sharply different views of the GOP health care plan

With debate winding down in the U.S. House, the GOP today offered its own health care plan (summary here) that focuses on reducing costs rather than extending coverage to most Americans.

U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Palm Harbor, lauded it as a "common sense approach" and asserted that focusing on lowering premiums would make coverage more accessible. He touted an emphasis on tort reform, or what the GOP calls "junk lawsuits," and said the plan left Medicare Advantage funding untouched and does not impose new taxes. "These are consensus issues," he said.

But U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Weston, said the plan amounted to the "health insurance company protection act." In a statement, she blasted various aspects of the proposal including the lack of safeguards against companies that deny coverage to people with preexisting conditions. "It’s time for Republicans to get the message: Americans want real reform," she said. "Instead of handing out favors to big insurance companies, Republicans should work with President Obama and Democrats in Congress to pass the health insurance reform our country needs.”

Gus Bilirakis scores one on ACORN

FEMA today halted a $1 million grant to the embattled community organizing group ACORN, representing a victory of sorts for U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Palm Harbor.

“ACORN has demonstrated it is not worthy of the public’s trust, and I am pleased that FEMA has agreed with me and others in Congress who believe we should not be funding this corrupt enterprise," said Bilirakis, who last month sent a letter to FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate about the grant.

The money was for fire prevention programs in New Orleans.

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Rep. Gus Bilirakis bashes ACORN

Rep. Gus Bilirakis headed to Afghanistan

U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Palm Harbor, will spend the first week of August in Afghanistan and Iraq as part of a congressional tour. "We can't forget about our men and women over there," he said. "We can't take our eyes off that."

Bilirakis, a member of the Foreign Affairs and Veterans' Affairs committees, said he will meet with troops and military leaders and then visit a military hospital in Germany before returning home. He has been to Iraq before but never Afghanistan. "It's really good to see with your own eyes what's going on," he said.

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Obama's Fla. congressional district wins

CQ has a very cool interactive map of Barack Obama's performance in Congressional districts across the country. It's a handy guide to at least potentially competitive Congressional seats in Florida. Consider:

In CD 9, Obama lost by 5 percent and Gus Bilirakis won by 26 percent. In CD 10, Obama won by 5 percent, and CW Bill Young won by 21percent. In CD 12, Obama lost by 1 percent and Adam Putnam won by 15 percent. In CD 13 Obama lost by 5 percent, Vern Bucnanan won by 18. In CD 15, Obama lost by 3, Bill Posey won by 11.  In CD 2, Allen Boyd won by 24 percent and Obama lost by 9. In CD 24, Obama lost by 2 and Suzanne Kosmas won by 16. In CD 18, Obama won by 2, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen won by 16. In CD 21, Lincoln Diaz-Balart won by 16 percent, Obama lost by  2 percent. In CD 22, Ron Klein won by 9 percent, Obama won by 4 percent. In CD 25, Mario Diaz-Balart won by 6 percent, Obama lost by 1percent; CD 8, Obama won by 5 percent, and Alan Grayson won by 4 percent.

Adam Smith, Times Political Editor

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Jeb, Mack, Feeney and more for Dennis Ross

Republican Dennis Ross -- one of the few Republican legislators to challenge Charlie Crist's approach to property insurance -- formally kicked off his campaign for Adam Putnam's congressional seat today and rolled out a bunch of endorsements: former congressman Andy Ireland; Tom Feeney; Allan Bense; U.S. Reps. Connie Mack, Ginny Brown-Waite, Gus Bilirakis and Jeff Miller; Republican national committeeman Paul Senft; Polk GOP activist Jean Burt; Polk GOP chairman Gene Roberts; the Rev. Lynne Breidenbach; and Linda Ivell, president of the Florida Federated Republican Women. The biggest name? Jeb Bush, who said in a statement:

“I am pleased to endorse my friend, Dennis Ross, for Congress. In a time when far too many politicians go along to get along, Dennis is not afraid to take a stand or make tough decisions, regardless of the consequences. Dennis will remain true to our conservative principles in Washington, just as he has in Tallahassee. His record as a reformer is needed now more than ever. I encourage all of the voters of District 12 -– Republican, Democrat, or Independent -– to send Dennis to Congress.”

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Climbing the ladder

U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis of Palm Harbor has been named the top Republican, or ranking member, on the Homeland Security Committee’s Subcommittee on Management, Investigations, and Oversight.

Bilirakis, who was just re-elected to his second term, is the only member from Florida on the Homeland Security Committee. As ranking member of the investigations committee, he'll help oversee and explore the Homeland Security Department's antiterrorism and disaster response programs.

Meanwhile, U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, D-Tampa, was joining President Obama today at the White House for the signing of one of her pet bills, the expansion of the State Children's Health Insurance Program, which is aimed at the working poor.

The bill, which President Bush vetoed last year, will expand the number of kids eligible from 7 million to 11 million; in Florida, that means about 290,000 of the estimated 800,000 children without health insurance will now qualify, according to House leaders. About 323,000 Florida kids already qualify for SCHIP.

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Silver Alert, take 2

U.S. Rep. Gus Bilirakis, R-Tarpon Springs, has refiled a bill aimed at helping states establish systems for seniors who go missing.

The National Silver Alert bill enjoys deep bipartisan support in Congress and easily passed the U.S. House last year, but the Senate was unable to clear it before the session ended in December. It directs the Justice Department provide grants and support for states that want to create something of an Amber Alert for senior citizens. (Florida recently started one).

Voting in Tampa Bay? Know Your Candidates

Just in time for the start of early voting on Monday, the St. Petersburg Times' Know Your Candidates Web site is up and running. Click here to review federal, state and local races and ballot questions in Pinellas, Hillsborough, Pasco and Hernando counties. A print version of the information will be in Wednesday's Times.

--Joni James, Times state editor