Latest news with #Haridopolos
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Republicans plan to focus on tax cuts when they return from break
WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – President Donald Trump's 'one big, beautiful bill' will be a top priority for Republicans as Congress returns from its two-week recess next week. To pass the president's tax breaks, significant cuts to Medicaid are on the table. 'We all recognize that the real savings is going to be from Medicaid and other programs,' said U.S. Rep. Mike Haridopolos (R-Fla.)during the Semafor 2025 World Economy Summit Thursday. Haridopolos continued, 'We have a responsibility to take care of our most vulnerable, but we are putting those people in jeopardy when illegals, people who truly don't qualify or able-bodied Americans are preying on this system and taking from this system that is desperately needed by so many Americans.' Haridopolos said those who are pregnant, have disabilities and live in nursing homes would not see cuts to Medicaid. During the swearing in of his Medicare and Medicaid administrator last week, President Trump said, 'Just as I promised, there will be no cuts. We're not going to have any cuts. We're going to have only help.' Democrats warn this type of uncertainty is already impacting providers and their patients back home. 'The margins are so slim and huge concerns about how they predict, how they plan and where do they go from here,' said U.S. Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.) Warner said the Republican plan could devastate healthcare in his state. 'Depending on how deep the Medicaid cuts go, we could see virtually every hospital west of Roanoke close down,' Warner said. Data from Virginia Health Information shows that would mean roughly two dozen hospitals. GOP leaders want to vote on legislation by Memorial Day. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
19-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Rep. Haridopolos visits IRC beaches, hopes renourishment efforts continue efficiently
INDIAN RIVER SHORES — U.S. Rep. Mike Haridopolos walked along the beach at Beachcomber Lane with Indian River County and Indian River Shores officials Tuesday. He viewed the recent Sector 4 dune-renourishment project, and assessed the current status of beaches across the county. Erosion linked to hurricanes Ian, Nicole and Milton have left the beaches that line the barrier island vulnerable, and the county has combated that by placing new sand and rebuilding the dune infrastructure. Its actions are especially important to sea turtles which utilize the beaches and dunes for nesting. "We want to help restore the beaches for our residents, tourists and turtles," explained Haridopolos, R-Indian Harbor Beach. "The beaches represent a big reason why our community is here, so we want to make sure it's in tip-top shape for the tax base." The beaches represent $50 million in economic value for the county, according to county Natural Resources Director Kylie Yanchula. Haridopolos said he has been a supporter of President Donald Trump's Department of Government Efficiency since taking office in January, and while he didn't say Tuesday if DOGE ultimately will turn its attention to beach-renourishment projects, he did say that placing sand back on the beaches is the most efficient solution for erosion. "The government has created barriers, like jetties like at Sebastian Inlet State Park and parts of Cape Canaveral, that limit the natural replenishment of sand," explained Haridopolos. "To make up for it, new sand needs to be added." The sand used comes from local mines. The county Natural Resources Department examines the sand before it's deposited to make sure it is granularly similar to existing beach sand. Renourishment projects are funded through the Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Florida Department of Emergency Management and the Hurricane Ian and Nicole Restoration Reimbursement Grant Program. Any additional costs are covered by the county bed tax. "My job is to shepherd funding through and make sure these types of projects are done in the most efficient manner possible," said Haridopolos. "The faster these projects get done, the less waste." More: Florida Burmese pythons are adapting, evolving and slithering around the Treasure Coast More: FDOT to repave SR A1A in Indian River starting in 2027; Cyclists say they want it safer The county oversees 22.4 miles of beaches, and Sector 4 is 3 miles long. "The beaches are more than just a place to get a tan," said Yanchula. "The beaches and dunes protect the upland infrastructure and are a vital part of the island habitat." Placing sand is not a one-time solution either. "Dune plants are placed along the dunes to create and restore habitat that was lost," said Yanchula. "It sparks regeneration and is the best management strategy for the county's erosive coastline." Haridopolos wants that to see the effort continue. "I've put my feet in the sand here," he said. "I am invested and committed to making sure we have the best beaches we can." Nick Slater is TCPalm's Indian River County Watchdog reporter. You can reach him at and 224-830-2875. This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Rep. Haridopolos visits IRC beaches to see renourishment efforts
Yahoo
04-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
New to Congress, Florida's Haridopolos leads debate on Artemis, moon and China
Congress began grappling in earnest with the future of NASA'S Artemis program last week amid indications the moon may lose out to Mars under President Trump's new administration. The Space Coast's new representative in the U.S. House, Mike Haridopolos, led the U.S. House Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee in a hearing weighing the rising costs of Artemis' Space Launch System rocket against the threat of losing to China in a new race to return to the moon. 'We stand at a crossroads. The world is watching, and our competitors, like communist China, are racing to beat us there,' Haridopolos, who chairs the subcommittee, said during opening remarks. 'We cannot afford to fall behind. This is an opportunity to prove that America still leads the world in exploration and innovation.' While no NASA official came to the hearing, it did feature two witnesses discussing how long to stick with the current Artemis program, which has many critics including Trump's close advisor and SpaceX founder Elon Musk. Haridopolos asked the witnesses to gauge the risks and benefits of changing up the Artemis program. One witness, former NASA official Dan Dumbacher, warned against shifting the focus to Mars. NASA should keep its short-term attention on the moon, he said. 'It's about doing the right thing at the right time,' Dumbacher said. 'Therefore the discussion is not moon or Mars, rather, timing dictates that we must first master the moon and then proceed to Mars.' Another witness, former executive secretary of the National Space Council Scott Pace, who is now the director of the Space Policy Institute at George Washington University, agreed the moon should be the focus, but called for a quick revision to the current Artemis plan. 'A primary concern is the Space Launch System, which is expensive and not reusable,' he said. 'It's time to consider alternatives for going from the Earth to the moon and back.' He said instead of NASA footing the bill for the complicated SLS rocket, the agency should able to buy heavy-lift services to send payloads to the moon. To date, only the uncrewed Artemis I mission has made it to space, with the much-delayed crewed Artemis II mission that will fly around but not land on the moon slated for no later April 2026. Artemis III is next up by summer 2027, which would aim to return humans to the lunar surface for the first time since the end of the Apollo program in 1972. Artemis is made up of the Orion capsule built by Lockheed Martin and the SLS rocket, made up of a core stage built by Boeing and solid rocket boosters from Northrop Grumman. A NASA Office of the Inspector General audit in late 2023 cited the cost of each SLS rocket to taxpayers at $2.5 billion, part of the overall ballooning cost of Artemis that was projected to top $93 billion by the time Artemis II launches. The audit said the SLS rocket represented 26% of that cost to the tune of $23.8 billion. 'A revised Artemis campaign plan should be a high priority for the new administrator,' Pace said. 'There may be some painful adjustments with industry and our international partners, but it's better to do so now than to continue on an unsustainable and unaffordable path.' The OIG audit also recommended NASA look at alternatives for heavy-lift services, citing both SpaceX with its in-development Starship and Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket as options. Existing contractors and many NASA officials, though, have stumped for sticking with the current plan as the quickest way to return to the moon, as major changes can often mean major delays. Orion, for instance, was originally part of the Constellation program announced under President George W. Bush, but then was canceled under the Obama administration. Its resurrection as what would eventually be called the Artemis program began in 2012, but it took more than a decade before the first launch. Pace estimates that switch from Constellation to Artemis added at least five years in the nation's efforts to return to the moon. He said scrapping Artemis entirely would mean the U.S. would certainly not beat China's stated goal of landing their taikonauts on the moon by 2030. Both Pace and Dumbacher, though, questioned if any American would set foot on the moon by 2030. Dumbacher, who most recently was the recently the CEO of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics and is now an adjunct professor at Purdue University, said the nation should stick with the current SLS rockets at least through the next two missions. When asked what he would do to ensure the U.S. get back to the moon before China, he said, 'I take advantage of the hardware I already have in the in the barn, and the hardware available in Artemis II and III to go make it happen.' 'We are at a key crossroads for U.S. leadership in space. Our global competitors, primarily China and its allies, are outplanning and outpacing us in their drive to become dominant in space,' he said. 'This is a critical national security and economic concern.' He said there's no reason to believe China won't hit their 2030 target. 'China has met every space milestone they have proposed within plus or minus a year,' he said. 'The United States must protect our potential economic opportunity, protect our national security, lead the building of the necessary infrastructure, and importantly, lead chartering the rules of the road.'
USA Today
10-02-2025
- Business
- USA Today
'Florida's got a great shot': Push begins to bring NASA headquarters to Space Coast
'Florida's got a great shot': Push begins to bring NASA headquarters to Space Coast Show Caption Hide Caption Haridopolos discusses Chinese threat to U.S. space interests FLORIDA TODAY's John A. Torres discusses a variety of topics with Mike Haridopolos, the Republican representing Florida's 8th Congressional district. U.S. Rep. Mike Haridopolos wants to move NASA headquarters out of its underutilized, leased building in Washington, D.C. — and he hopes to help convince President Donald Trump to bring it to Florida's Kennedy Space Center instead of potential contending states like Alabama and Texas. The week after Trump won the November election, NASA issued a press release saying it seeks options for a future headquarters building. The lease at Mary W. Jackson NASA Headquarters expires in August 2028. This building in the nation's capital has 545,731 usable square feet — but that space was only about 15% occupied during 2023 amid the post-pandemic work environment, according to a Public Buildings Reform Board interim report to Congress. Cape Canaveral: Is there a launch today? Upcoming SpaceX, NASA rocket launch schedule at Cape Canaveral "As a Floridian — and as the president is a Floridian — I'd love to have the NASA headquarters here at KSC. But it's one step at a time. And I think we need to make the best pitch for the (return on investment) and the effectiveness of it," Haridopolos, an Indian Harbour Beach Republican, said during an interview in his Viera district office. "And talk to not just NASA — but remember, more and more, NASA and commercial space are being tied together. The people that are making our space operations so successful, we want to get their input as well before we make this big decision," Haridopolos said. "You're talking about at least a half-a-billion-dollar building where NASA operates out of. The smart thing to do is to ask the people who are actually the boots on the ground — or in this case, the rockets taking off — of their opinion. And I'm optimistic that Florida's got a great shot to get that headquarters," he said. In its Nov. 14 press release, NASA officials said they were searching for a new headquarters with about 375,000 to 525,000 square feet of office space in Washington or the immediate surrounding area. "The NASA Headquarters building lease is up in 2028, and the agency continues to work through options," KSC News Chief Patti Bielling said in a Tuesday email. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis made headlines last month when he called for NASA headquarters to move to KSC during a press conference. Late last month, Haridopolos was appointed chair of the House Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics, which is tasked with overseeing America's space policy and programs. Longtime Space Coast resident Bill Nelson stepped down as NASA administrator last month, and Trump appointee and Polaris Dawn commander Jared Isaacman awaits confirmation to replace him. "It's a two-phased fight. First phase is, we need to make sure that the NASA headquarters is taken out of Washington, D.C. There is no need to have those headquarters in Washington, D.C. The action is taking place primarily here in Florida," Haridopolos said. "The closer we are to the action, the more effective the agency's going to be," he said. How would moving headquarters impact NASA? Don Platt, director of the Florida Institute of Technology's Spaceport Education Center in Titusville, questioned the strategic effectiveness of moving NASA's headquarters to the Space Coast. Why? He said NASA's interesting and important work happens at technical sites like KSC, Johnson Space Center in Texas, and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California — while the Washington, D.C., headquarters are populated by "bean counters" and "policy wonks, if you will." "I think that a key for any government agency is the ability to interact with their funding source, and that's Congress. And I'm not sure that being located in Florida would really enable that key element of NASA's requirements," Platt said. "Congress holds the purse strings. And so, it's much easier to just run up to Capitol Hill when you need to try to lobby for more NASA funding, for instance, than being here in Florida and having to fly up there all the time," he said. Platt said the influx of jobs would benefit the Space Coast, and the addition of NASA's command post would help cement Florida's status as "the space state." But he questioned the nationwide impact across the agency. "I'm not sure that being isolated in one state is really the best for the ability for NASA to make sure that other important states — related states such as Alabama, Virginia, Texas, California — are supporting the mission as well. And so, I think there are some concerns there," Platt said. "I'm sure that Florida would offer some impressive incentives for headquarters to come here. But I think overall, for the vision and mission of NASA, I'm not sure that it's really the best fit for them," he said. Elsewhere in Florida, U.S. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-St. Petersburg, wrote a Jan. 22 letter to Trump supporting the relocation of NASA's headquarters to Florida's Space Coast. Writing the move "would offer significant strategic, economic, and logistical advantages to NASA and the United States," Luna cited major private space industry players like SpaceX, Blue Origin and Boeing. "Additionally, the presence of the U.S. Space Force in Florida presents a unique opportunity for NASA to collaborate more closely with military space operations. Such proximity would enhance coordination on key projects like satellite technology, national security space initiatives, and advanced space exploration missions," Luna's letter said. "By co-locating NASA with the Space Force, the two agencies could share resources, streamline operations, and increase efficiency in both military and civilian space programs," the letter said. NASA HQ move draws laughter during SpaceCom SpaceCom, a major annual industry conference, took place late last month at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando. During a Jan. 30 panel discussion on public-private partnerships, the No. 1 question submitted by audience members dealt with NASA headquarters relocating to Florida. Jonathan Baker, chief of spaceport development at Kennedy Space Center, was placed on the spot and asked to reply as the agency's lone representative on stage — drawing smiles and laughter from the crowd. "We're focused on exploration and innovation. And so, we want to enable that in whatever way possible, right? So however the agency deems best to accomplish that here at KSC, we're ready and on board to support that," Baker replied. "Whether that means a move for headquarters or not, we are ready to support whatever the agency needs to move forward," he said. "Excellent answer," said panel moderator Kevin Brown, eliciting more laughs. He is senior vice president of business development with All Points Logistics on Merritt Island. "I mean, it would make a lot of sense to move NASA headquarters to Kennedy Space Center. Just saying," Space Florida President and CEO Rob Long, a fellow panelist, said in return. Palm Bay leaders invite NASA to their city The Palm Bay City Council unanimously approved a resolution Jan. 16 supporting Brevard County as a permanent location for NASA headquarters, Space Force command or similar agencies. Specifically, the resolution supported expanded governmental use of the Space Force Malabar Transmitter Annex, citing the economic impact of high-skill, high-paying jobs. Military personnel occasionally conduct training at this 462-acre facility, a former U.S. Navy airfield controlled by Space Launch Delta 45. "We have a giant chunk of federal land, right off Minton Road, that is very sparsely used," Councilman Chandler Langevin said during that brief discussion. "That could be very easily converted into a federal building or an expansion of the Space Force. I just wanted to pass this resolution to send up to our congressman and our federal lobbyist to let them know in Washington, D.C., that we are on the menu," he said. The resolution was seconded by Mayor Rob Medina, who works as a case manager in Haridopolos' office. NASA HQ mentioned during county wastewater discussion Brevard County Commissioner Thad Altman also raised the topic during the county commission's discussion on $130 million in potential Space Florida upgrades to boost capacity at the Sykes Creek Wastewater Treatment Facility on Merritt Island to accommodate commercial space industry growth. "I would assume that we did include the possibility of NASA moving its headquarters to Kennedy Space Center. Would that growth be included in these numbers?" Commissioner Thad Altman asked during the Jan. 28 discussion. The wastewater expansion project could accommodate NASA's headquarters, replied Dale Ketcham, Space Florida vice president of government and external relations. "We can adjust for that. We are pursuing that, as per the governor's directive. We were looking at that even in advance," Ketcham said. Altman is president and CEO of the Astronauts Memorial Foundation at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. The spaceport project would increase the Merritt Island wastewater facility's treatment capacity by 300,000 gallons per day by 2027 and 700,000 gallons per day by 2034. For the latest news from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and NASA's Kennedy Space Center, visit Rick Neale is a Space Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY. Contact Neale at Rneale@ Twitter/X: @RickNeale1 Space is important to us and that's why we're working to bring you top coverage of the industry and Florida launches. Journalism like this takes time and resources. Please support it with a subscription here.
USA Today
30-01-2025
- Business
- USA Today
Torres: Haridopolos tapped to lead Space subcommittee is a win for the Space Coast
In what can only be seen as a major positive for the Space Coast, the county's own freshman congressman, Mike Haridopolos, has been tapped to chair the congressional Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics. The subcommittee is part of the congressional Science, Space and Technology Committee, which oversees agency budgets totaling more than $42 billion. The subcommittee basically has jurisdiction over all things related to space. More importantly for us, it means someone who lives in Brevard and knows first-hand the importance of a healthy space industry to the area will be a leading voice when it comes to policy and decision-making. Haridopolos replaces Republican Texas Congressman Mike Babin, who on Jan. 11 was selected to chair the Science, Space and Technology Committee. Chairing subcommittees is not typically the norm for first-year lawmakers. "It's so important to our community and I'm optimistic that we can really move the ball and just continue the good work that's happening at (Kennedy Space Center)," Haridopolos said Thursday. "It's a huge honor and and I know there's some big opportunities for us to really make the most of." End of shuttle program paved the way Haridopolos was just finishing his tenure as Florida Senate President when the shuttle program came to an end. The economy in Brevard spiraled. That was when Haridopolos and other Florida lawmakers worked to put a chunk of money into the Economic Development Commission. "We even changed laws, we put the seed money there and we enticed companies like Embraer and L3Harris to stay or come here (to Brevard)," Haridopolos said. "We didn't know what would come next and fortunately those investments are paying off now." The huge number of SpaceX rockets launched from here and the recent successful launch of Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket are surely proof of that now. "As NASA has has proven, there is a role for each and so as we as we're waiting on the Artemis program we need to have the ability to get men and women into space, let alone our satellite technology and other military needs into space, and fortunately the commercial sector is leading the charge," Haridopolos said. "It's an ever-changing world and I'm honored to be the chairman of that committee and I'm optimistic that that we can continue to grow Florida." NASA to Florida? Speaking of NASA, Haridopolos said he might just try and influence fellow Floridian, President Donald Trump, to move the NASA headquarters ― right now in Washington D.C., where, according to Haridopolos, only 8 percent of the building is occupied ― to Florida and maybe even the Space Coast. Those sentiments have been brought up recently by Gov. Ron DeSantis as well, who said "no one goes to it," meaning the NASA headquarters building. But first things first. "First and foremost, there is unanimous support from at least the leadership in this that we need to move the NASA headquarters out of Washington DC, that's job number one," Haridopolos said. "There's no need to have NASA headquarters in Washington DC. We need to build this facility where the action is as opposed to where the bureaucrats are. I think President Trump is spot on when he said we need to get people out of Washington D.C. and into the real world." So, what does Trump think about NASA coming to Brevard County? "I hope I can lobby him successfully to get that done," Haridopolos said. "But that's a fight for another day. The first fight is getting NASA out of Washington." Space dominance and the military In a conversation with Haridopolos in mid-January, he spoke candidly about the growing escalations with China and the need to find and keep an advantage, at least militarily, in space. "We are in a de facto Cold War with China right now. Just a few years ago they actually collided some satellites up in space to see what the debris effect might be and they're working with different type of propulsion systems and laser systems to try to get the upper hand of the over the United States," he said. Haridopolos said that it was more important than ever to stay vigilant and keep progressing further with all things related to space. "We can't just be space strong, we have to be space dominant and when you have a strong United States of America, the world is a safer place," he said. "I would not be surprised if they (China) make even more territorial ambitions in order to grow communism around the world and so I remain 100% committed to our space industry for both commercial and military needs and what we need to do." It was another Cold War that sparked the creation of space-related congressional committees in the first place. NASA, and the permanent House Committee on Science and Astronautics, was created in 1958 as part of the Space Act only because the former Soviet Union launched the first satellite, Sputnik 1, into orbit in 1957. Now as another Cold War plays out in the cosmos, it's nice to know someone with real ties to the Space Coast is helping lead the way. Contact Torres at jtorres@ You can follow him on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter @johnalbertorres or on Facebook at
