Why they voted the way they did

We contacted Florida’s two Republican U.S. senators and three Florida Republican House members from Florida’s west coast to ask why they voted the way they did last Saturday on the continuing resolution that prevented a government shutdown.

Of those contacted, three House members did not vote with the majority. They are:

• Rep. Greg Steube, representing Sarasota County, voted against.
• Rep. Byron Donalds, representing Collier and Lee counties, did not vote.
• Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, who represents Pinellas County, did not vote.
• Rep. Vern Buchanan, representing Manatee County and portions of Hillsborough County, voted in favor with the majority.
• Sens. Rick Scott and Marco Rubio voted in favor of the resolution.

As of press time, we heard from Reps. Steube and Luna and Sen. Scott.

Rep. Greg Steube

“On Friday, the House attempted to pass H.R. 5525, the Spending Reduction and Border Security Act to avert a shutdown. I supported this package because it would have cut spending by 29% across the board while fully funding our veterans, homeland security and defense operations. It also would have taken historic measures to secure our southern border …  

“I voted no on (the) continuing resolution … I have heard from thousands of you over the past few weeks that you elected Republicans to cut spending, secure the border and get our economy back on track. 

Unfortunately, this deal does none of those things…

“I’ve always fought against wasteful spending and business as usual in Washington D.C.

“I am hopeful we can find a path forward that puts American taxpayers first and finally begins to rein in reckless, out-of-control spending that has been going on in Washington for far too long.”  

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna

Rep. Luna’s communications director, Edie Guy, wrote that Rep. Luna did not vote because she “just had a baby is currently recovering from an infection. She was told she was not allowed to vote by proxy.”

“Her position on the CR has been clear: The latest data says typical Americans are spending over $700 a month more than they were two years ago just to buy the same goods and services. That’s nearly $9,000 a year being stolen from Americans through the hidden tax of inflation.

“Rep. Luna is standing with the constituents of her district, many of whom are on fixed incomes, who literally cannot afford the uniparty’s reckless spending and Bidenflation.”

Sen. Rick Scott

“I voted the way I did because 1) The disaster relief got in there; 2) We worked to make sure we were able to pass something that stopped the government shutdown; and 3) We have a path. 

“It doesn’t mean we’re going to get there, but we have a path now not to have an omnibus bill and a process toward spending sanity.

“We’re not going to get a balanced budget in the next 45 days, but we’re better off than we were.

“I think the American public won: 1) We don’t have a government shutdown; 2) We didn’t tie disaster relief to Ukraine aid; and 3) We now have the chance to have more fiscal sanity.”