Florida is waiting on Congress to pass an economic stimulus package to fund schools, heath care and road construction. ...more

January 21, 2009

Braving frigid temperatures, an exuberant crowd of hundreds of thousands packed the National Mall on Tuesday to celebrate the inauguration of Barack Hussein Obama as America's first black president. He grasps the reins of power in a high-noon ceremony amid grave economic worries and high expectations. ...more

January 20, 2009

Welcome to Washington, soon to be "Mr. President." I know you've been here before for a short time as senator, but this is different. This is The Big Time, the world stage and you are the leading man. ...more

January 17, 2009

The Seffner Chamber of Commerce has something in common with the new administration that will assemble Tuesday in Washington: a push for change. ...more

January 14, 2009

The following is a letter I sent to Congress in regard to Guantanamo Bay and the use of torture. Please support S. 147 and close Guantanamo Bay detention facility and restrict interrogation to the techniques in the Army Field Manual, as well as the other proposed changes, because it goes against what America stands for. ...more

January 14, 2009

President-elect Barack Obama is preparing to issue an executive order his first week in office - and perhaps his first day - to close the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, according to two presidential transition team advisers. ...more

January 12, 2009

The 22nd Amendment of the Constitution proposed by the Republican Congress and ratified in 1951. The amendment limits a person to two full elected terms as president. ...more

January 9, 2009

A group of Brandon and Valrico residents met Dec. 20 at the Bloomingdale Regional Library for a public meeting to discuss health care reform. ...more

January 7, 2009

The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence sued the Bush administration Tuesday in hopes of stopping a new policy that would allow people to carry concealed, loaded guns in most national parks and wildlife refuges. ...more

December 30, 2008

Despite unprecedented pessimism about personal finances, consumer confidence among Floridians rose in December, reflecting optimism about new presidential leadership, a University of Florida study found. ...more

December 30, 2008