In the News
Madison awarded USDA Rural Development Grants
MADISON, Fla. (WCTV) -- The city of Madison is getting a big funding boost, thanks to Rural Development Grants from the United States Department of Agriculture. Madison has been approved to receive a total of $137,400 in federal funding. Of that, $54,900 will go to the City of Madison Fire Department to purchase new emergency response equipment and $82,500 will go to the Madison County Memorial Hospital. U.S. Rep. Al Lawson, who helped secure the grant, said, "Emergency response and … Continue Reading
August 08, 2018
Tallahassee VA clinic renamed for Jefferson County serviceman
A clinic for veterans in Tallahassee is now named after a World War II veteran from Jefferson County. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs' Health Care Center in Tallahassee was renamed in honor of Marine Corps Sergeant Ernest "Boots" Thomas. "Boots" joined the Marines six months after the attack on Pearl Harbor. He grew up in Jefferson County. A Monticello native decided to document his life through a book she wrote, "Call Me No Hero." R.A. Sheats worked with Boots' best friend to put … Continue Reading
August 02, 2018
Fairfax Street Superfund site cleanup efforts get $25K boost
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - A high-profile Jacksonville Superfund site will soon be $25,000 closer to cleanup after U.S. Rep. Al Lawson helped secure an Environmental Protection Agency grant for the Fairfax Environmental Committee for Justice, according to Florida Politics. The funding will support the Jacksonville nonprofit in its efforts to hire technical advisers who will examine how best to clean up the former Fairfax Street Wood Treaters site near the Moncrief area. The EPA has designated … Continue Reading
July 31, 2018
Jacksonville post office renamed after civil rights activist
JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - U.S. Rep. Al Lawson and U.S. Postal Service officials on Friday hosted a dedication ceremony to mark the renaming of the Kings Road post office in honor of civil rights activist Rutledge Pearson. Lawson filed the bill to rename the post office on Aug. 1, 2017. The bill passed Congress earlier this year and became law on March 28, 2018. "Mr. Pearson was an instrumental leader in the fight for civil rights and his efforts, both locally and nationally, helped change … Continue Reading
June 20, 2018
North Florida congressmen Neal Dunn, Al Lawson share concerns on immigration controversy
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - Leaders in Tallahassee are speaking out in reaction to the Trump administration's immigration policy. The Progressive Leadership council of North Florida says, they're demanding response from the state's congressional delegation on cruelty to immigrant children and their parents. "We will not stand quietly by and allow them to hurt human beings, babies, children, their parents who are struggling to save their lives," said Dorothy Inman-Johnson, the president of the … Continue Reading
June 09, 2018
U.S. Congress approves renaming of Tallahassee VA clinic
WASHINGTON, D.C. (WCTV) -- Late Thursday, the United States Congress approved legislation to rename the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Center in Tallahassee in honor of Marine Corps Sgt. Enrest "Boots" Thomas. The center is located at 2181 Orange Avenue. The legislation was introduced by Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL) and Representative Al Lawson (D-FL) and was approved unanimously by the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill now heads to the president's desk to be signed … Continue Reading
June 08, 2018
U.S. Congress approves renaming of Tallahassee VA clinic
Late Thursday, the United States Congress approved legislation to rename the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Center in Tallahassee in honor of Marine Corps Sgt. Enrest "Boots" Thomas. The center is located at 2181 Orange Avenue. The legislation was introduced by Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL) and Representative Al Lawson (D-FL) and was approved unanimously by the U.S. House of Representatives. The bill now heads to the president's desk to be signed into law. It gained Senate … Continue Reading
May 20, 2018
Al Lawson Focuses on Small Business Issues in Congress
From his perch on the U.S. House Small Business Committee, freshman U.S. Rep. Al Lawson, D-Fla., helped advance two bills which help small business Lawson, who led Democrats in the state Senate and who faces a major primary challenge from former Jacksonville Mayor Alvin Brown in August, was instrumental in getting a bill from U.S. Rep. Steve Knight, R-Calif., through the House. Knight's "Women's Business Center Improvement Act" makes changes to the Small Business Administration to help back … Continue Reading
April 20, 2018
Al Lawson: Proposed Farm Bill hurts families struggling to put food on the table
The Farm Bill is about more than just growing crops - it is about ensuring all Americans have access to safe and nutritious food, health and securing a better way of life. As a member of the House Agriculture Committee, I have worked hard with my colleagues to prepare a bill that ensures our nation's farmers and families have the resources they need to live the American Dream. Unfortunately, this Farm Bill does not do that. The bill introduced by House Republicans proposes to cut billions … Continue Reading
April 10, 2018
Congressional Corner: SNAP Simplification Act Would Reduce Burdens on America’s Elderly and Disabled Community
Many of our nation's seniors live on fixed incomes and struggle to afford everyday expenses. Sadly, a large number of these individuals are also disabled. There are several existing programs that support the most vulnerable among us, but the number of agencies, applications, reporting requirements and additional obstacles they must tackle to access these funds make it unnecessarily difficult for them to receive the benefits they desperately need and deserve. I recently introduced H.R. … Continue Reading
March 25, 2018
U.S. Representative Al Lawson hosts Farmers Roundtable in Tallahassee
U.S. Rep. Al Lawson hosted his Farmers Roundtable to address issues affecting the nation's agricultural industry and rural communities on March 24. During the two-hour discussion, held at the Tallahassee Community College Center for Workforce Development, Lawson discussed federal crop insurance, nutritional programs and trade enforcement laws administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Lawson also received feedback from more than 100 attendees, which included area farmers and … Continue Reading
February 17, 2018
Al Lawson Wants to Honor James Weldon Johnson's Birthplace in Jacksonville
U.S. Rep. Al Lawson, D-Fla., is calling on the federal government to make the birthplace of civil rights leader James Weldon Johnson in Jacksonville a national landmark. This week, Lawson brought out the "James Weldon Johnson Historical Preservation Act" to honor the educator, writer and activist who led the NAACP and penned "Lift Ev'ry Voice and Sing" which the NAACP recognized as the "Negro national anthem" back in 1919. Born in 1871, Johnson grew up in Jacksonville's LaVilla … Continue Reading
January 10, 2018
Crist, Lawson, Murphy help pass spending plan that ends shutdown
Three Florida Democrats joined Republicans to approve the spending plan that ends the government shutdown: Reps. Charlie Crist, Al Lawson and Stephanie Murphy. Every Florida Republican except Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen voted for the deal. She was one of only six GOP no votes. Crist: "It's unfortunate it took a shutdown to get an agreement for a Senate vote to protect our DREAMers. Ultimately, the President must lead on this issue in order to get a fix signed into law. … Continue Reading
November 30, 2017
Al Lawson, Mike Bost Want USDA to Help More Veterans Enter Agriculture
U.S. Rep. Al Lawson, D-Fla., who sits on the U.S. House Agriculture Committee, paired up this week with an Illinois Republican on a proposal to help more veterans transition into farming and ranching. Lawson and U.S. Rep. Mike Bost, R-Ill., who sits on both the House Agriculture and Veterans Affairs Committees, introduced the "Veterans Agricultural Apprenticeship Act" on Thursday. The proposal would ensure more veterans can take part in the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) … Continue Reading
November 09, 2017
Al Lawson makes big push for Jacksonville flood mitigation
U.S. Rep. Al Lawson represents a big swath of North Florida from Tallahassee to Jacksonville, and in the wake of Irma, the first-term Democrat noted Jacksonville's historic flooding. Weeks after the waters receded, Lawson moved toward proposing action - and that action could provide relief for much of Jacksonville's propensity toward river-related flooding, the inundation that wreaked havoc as Irma churned through and out of the area. Lawson wrote a letter to Mick Mulvaney, chairman of the … Continue Reading
October 26, 2017
Al Lawson, Darren Soto urge Rick Scott to seek suspension of food stamps time limit
Democratic U.S. Reps. Al Lawson and Darren Soto are urging Florida Gov. Rick Scott to extend a time-limit extension he imposed following Hurricane Irma so that food stamp recipients can continue to receive benefits without risking their 90-day deadline. Lawson, of Jacksonville, and Soto, of Orlando, said in a letter to Scott that Hurricane Irma has created economic conditions that leave too many people needing benefits of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program [formerly known as food … Continue Reading
October 08, 2017
Sunday Editorial: New members of Congress take a pledge of civility
Jacksonville's two new congressmen have joined a project to foster civil discourse. Both Rep. John Rutherford, Republican, and Rep. Al Lawson, Democrat, signed a "Commitment to Civility" proposed by the National Institute for Civil Discourse. In fact, nine of Florida's 11 freshmen members signed it. "We are dedicated to showing proper respect to one another and all others, encouraging productive dialogue and modeling civility in our public and private actions," the pledge states. The … Continue Reading
September 29, 2017
Congressman Lawson Aims To Increase Food Assistance With New Bill
North Florida Congressman Al Lawson is launching his Let's Feed America campaign, which aims to reduce hunger by expanding eligibility and making it easier for those in need to receive access to food. Lawson says 1 out of 4 people in the fifth congressional district have been on the SNAP Program or food stamps this year. "And then the President sent his proposed budget that cut the SNAP program and that is totally unacceptable for the needs that we have," said Lawson. SNAP stands for … Continue Reading
September 19, 2017
U.S. Rep. Al Lawson urges new food-aid policies to help Irma recovery
U.S. Rep. Al Lawson is seeking changes to federal food-aid programs to help people affected by Hurricane Irma. Lawson, D-Fla., asked Gov. Rick Scott this week to petition the U.S. Department of Agriculture for policy waivers similar to requests that Texas and Louisiana made after Hurricanes Harvey and Katrina. Governors of states hurt by natural disasters are often given deference in policy requests tailored to their recoveries. Lawson was joined by nine other members of Congress … Continue Reading
September 19, 2017
Opinion: Hurricanes Harvey, Irma highlight importance of food assistance during disaster
Hurricane Harvey made landfall on August 25, and by the time it drifted through the region, it would break the record for rainfall of any other storm in the history of the continental United States. The devastation to the area is saddening; the cost to human life, infrastructure, and economic productivity is expected to exceed that of Sandy and Andrew. As cleanup efforts from Harvey are just getting underway, Florida is bracing for one of the most powerful storms ever documented in the … Continue Reading