Vern Buchanan

AI Fraud Accountability Act

in committee

Protecting Animals in Military Training Act

in committee

MINKS are Superspreaders Act

in committee

“Mr. BUCHANAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise to recognize a group of veterans for their military and community service. Our veterans have sacrificed much in the defense of our Nation. Many of them retired their uniforms but continue their service by helping others in their community. Four years ago, I established the 16th District Congressional Veteran Commendation to recognize the heroic wartime sacrifices and admirable peacetime community involvement of my constituents. These are exceptional Americans. I appreciate the opportunity to honor them for their service to the Nation and community. An independent panel reviewed several nominations and chose the following nineteen veterans for their wartime and post-military service. I include in the Record their names: Nelson Betancourt of Valrico who served in the U.S. Army outside of war time. Benny Blackshire of Sun City Center who served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. Jeffery Camp of Parrish who served in the U.S. Army and Army National Guard during the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars. Jack Carter of Lakewood Ranch who served in the U.S. Marine Corps during the Vietnam and Gulf Wars. Charles Conover, Jr. of Sun City Center who served in the U.S. Army outside of war time. Ronald Cousineau of Sun City Center who served in the U.S. Air Force outside of war time. Emily Farkas of Brandon who served in the U.S. Air Force during the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars. Ferris Garrett, Jr. of Sun City Center who served in the U.S. Air Force during the Vietnam War. William Greer of Wimauma who served in the U.S. Air Force outside of war time. Brian Hammer of Sun City Center who served in the U.S. Army during the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars. Nathaniel Hawthorne of Sun City Center who served in the U.S. Navy during the Iraq War. Roberta Jordan of Riverview who served in the U.S. Army outside of war time. Robert Lucas, II of Sun City Center who served in the U.S. Army outside of war time. Danny Melton of Riverview who served in the U.S. Marine Corps outside of war time. MaryAnn Rowe of Sun City Center who served in the Michigan Army National Guard during the Iraq War. Richard Steinestel of Valrico who served in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War. Roland Tiso, Jr. of Valrico who served in the U.S. Army durIng the Iraq and Afghanistan Wars. Paul Wheat, Jr. of Sun City Center who served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. Edward Wudarsky, Jr. of Sun City Center who served in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. [[Page E1140]] ____________________”

2025-12-03 · Veterans

“Mr. BUCHANAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize fire, rescue and EMS personnel who have provided distinguished service to the people of Florida's 16th Congressional District. First responders, fire departments and emergency medical service teams are summoned on short notice to serve their respective communities. Often, they arrive at scenes of great adversity and trauma, to which they reliably bring strength and composure. These brave men and women spend hundreds of hours in training so that they are prepared when they get ``the call.'' Thirteen years ago, I established the 16th District Congressional Fire and Rescue and EMS Awards to honor officers, departments, and units for outstanding achievement. On behalf of the people of Florida's 16th District, it is my privilege to congratulate and include in the Record the following honorees, who were selected this year by an independent committee comprised of a cross section of current and retired fire and rescue personnel living in the district: Associate Service Award: Adam Nover of Manatee County Department of Public Safety. Dedication and Professionalism Award: Firefighter Rob Day of East Manatee Fire Rescue, Firefighter/Paramedic--Company Fire Captain Ralph Mascaro of Hillsborough County Fire Rescue, and the Sun City Center Emergency Squad. Preservation of Life Award: Firefighter/Paramedic Jacob Campbell, Fire Captain Clifford Davis, Firefighter/Paramedic Anna Inman, and Firefighter Maurice Swan of Hillsborough County Fire Rescue, Charge Paramedic Peterson Gustave, District Chief William Thayer, and District Chief Beth Tucciarone of Manatee County EMS. Unit Citation Award: Engineer Joshua Eriksen, Engineer Zachary Gilbert, Firefighter Bo Gurskis, Lieutenant Jared Manning, Engineer Louis Chiocchio, Firefighter George Norris, Captain Jonathan Turpin, Battalion Chief Barry Cornelison, Lieutenant Matthew McCabe, Engineer Brandon Beals, Firefighter Ricardo Rivera, Firefighter Luke Marvin, Lieutenant Scott Viehman, Lieutenant Thomas Ferrett, Lieutenant Robert Hinton, Firefighter Shawn Heinlein, Engineer Michael King, Firefighter Christopher Mundell, Firefighter Isaiah Cress, Lieutenant Lionel Harrison, Firefighter Jordan DeSear, Firefighter Brendan Lewellen, and Firefighter Aaron Wright of the Bradenton Fire Department, Firefighter Jacob Dillard (2), Lieutenant Daniel Dunkum (2), Battalion Chief Craig Madsen, Captain Steven Baker, Engineer Ben Stasurak, Engineer Bret Kanapaux, Firefighter Chad Strauser (2), Firefighter Maciej Borawski, Deputy Chief Paul Wren, Battalion Chief Casey Lambert, Lieutenant Mike Hamilton, Engineer Derek Parker, Firefighter Jared Hoopingarner, Lieutenant Timothy Bedell, Firefighter Tony Mroz, Firefighter Nicholas Miller, Lieutenant Steve Ryckman, Firefighter Kyle Lamson (2), Firefighter Jason Burnside, and Engineer Jesse Reasoner of East Manatee Fire Rescue, District Chief Beth Tucciarone, Paramedic James Bryant, EMT Rachel Swim (2), Charge Paramedic Michael Gorman, EMT Zachary Tocco, District Chief William Thayer, Specialty Charge Paramedic Sasha DeAngelis, Charge Paramedic Caitlyn Roskovich, EMT Simon Klimov, Specialty Charge Paramedic Kevin Guido, Charge Paramedic Anthony Tino, EMT Germaine Bolanos, EMT Robert Anderson, District Chief Troy Dufrane, and District Chief Keith Lock of Manatee County EMS, Lieutenant Casey Schue, Engineer Wade Hoopingarner, Engineer Joe Jago, and Firefighter Anzzonni Hause of Parrish Fire Rescue, Captain Andrew Clark, Firefighter Charlie Childress, and Engineer Justin White of North River Fire District, Telecommunicator Derek Turner, Telecommunicator Adam Bruner, ECC Supervisor Tracey Haas, and Telecommunicator Brady Trott of Manatee County Emergency Communication Center, Pilot Stu O'Shannon, Flight Nurse Alisha Burnett, Flight Paramedic Chuck Nelson, Flight Paramedic Orientee Luis Vazquez, Pilot Mark Boudreau, Flight Nurse Rob Freas and Flight Paramedic Kelly Curren of Tampa General Hospital Aeromed, Firefighter Jerrod Apple, Firefighter Tyler Snyder, Captain James Leigh, Firefighter Dane Miller, Firefighter Christopher O'Kelly, Fire Marshall Rodney Kwiatkowski, Training Chief Mark Tuttle, Battalion Chief Ryan Moore, Battalion Chief Derek Bill, Captain Tyler MacDonald, Firefighter William Bowen, Firefighter Clayton Lease, Firefighter David Miller, Firefighter Zack Misiura, Firefighter Aaron Reese, Lieutenant Inspector Keith Miller, Inspector Josh Adkins, Inspector Lisa Brooks, and Inspector Nicholas Riffe of West Manatee Fire Rescue District, Captain Marshall Greene, Lieutenant David Snyder, Lieutenant Luke Hitchins, Lieutenant JC Rapier, Lieutenant Jose Garcia Santos, Lieutenant Michael Patterson, Lifeguard Jack Bratcher, Lifeguard Josh McCarthy, Lifeguard Nate Hilbrands, Lifeguard Shannon Cielinski, Lifeguard Marek Drastich, Lifeguard Mark Mol, Lifeguard Patrick Curran, Lifeguard Kaylin Weiskopf, Lifeguard Allie Updike, Lifeguard Owen Munday, Lifeguard AJ Nelson, and Lifeguard Isabelle Pellegrin of M”

2025-12-03 · Government Reform

“Mr. BUCHANAN. Mr. Speaker, today I pay tribute to Jan Setnor, MSN, CRNA, Col. (Ret), USAFR, NC. Ms. Setnor will soon complete her year as national president of the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA). I am proud that Ms. Setnor was elected as the 2024 to 2025 president of this prestigious healthcare organization. Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) are advanced practice registered nurses who administer more than 50 million anesthetics to patients each year. They work in every setting in which anesthesia is delivered including hospital surgical suites, obstetrical delivery rooms, ambulatory surgical centers, and the offices of dentists, podiatrists, and specialty surgeons. They also provide acute and chronic pain management services to patients in need of such care. CRNAs provide anesthesia for all types of surgical cases and are the sole anesthesia providers in many rural hospitals. CRNAs have full practice authority in the Army, Navy, and Air Force and are the predominant provider of anesthesia on forward surgical teams and in combat support hospitals. As an AANA member since 1996, Ms. Setnor has contributed greatly to the healthcare community nationwide. She has held numerous state and national nurse anesthesiology leadership positions, including previous service on the AANA Board of Directors as President-Elect, Vice- President and, Director (as well as two terms as president of the Virginia Association of Nurse Anesthetists (VANA)). Her extensive involvement with the AANA includes roles as the Association of Veterans Affairs Nurse Anesthetists AANA Liaison, Professional Development Chair, and participation in various committees, including Political Action and Communications. She served in the United States Air Force Reserve, retiring with 26 years of honorable service. Setnor's roles included Flight Nurse Instructor/Evaluator, CRNA, and senior staff member for the Air Force Surgeon General. Notably, she served in Afghanistan as both the Anesthesia Team Lead in the largest in-country medical facility and as the sole anesthesia provider at a Special Forces Forward Operating Base. In addition to her work with the AANA and VANA, Setnor has contributed to the Accreditation Association of Ambulatory Health Care as a member of the Governance Unit-Standards Development Committee and served as the CRNA Advisor to the Virginia Board of Nursing's Committee of the Joint Board of Medicine and Nursing. Ms. Setnor earned her Master of Science in Nursing from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. During her AANA presidency, Ms, Setnor has been a prominent advocate for the patients and practice of nurse anesthesia before federal agencies and members of Congress. She has worked tirelessly to promote anesthesia patient safety and the value of CRNAs to our healthcare system. Ms. Setnor has advocated to eliminate burdensome regulations for CRNAs, to have CRNAs recognized as full practice providers in the Veterans Health Administration, and to address underlying causes of surprise billing such as provider discrimination. I extend my sincere congratulations to Ms. Setnor today on a job well done. Her service to AANA and her commitment to safe, quality anesthesia care nationwide, are highly commendable. I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing Ms. Setnor's notable career and outstanding achievements. ____________________”

2025-07-29 · Healthcare