Congress

Frieze on the front of the United States Capitol Building

It is my privilege to serve as your U.S. Representative in Congress. As your representative, I am focused on serving the people of Florida’s 5th District above all else, and I hope and expect you to hold me accountable.

For more information concerning my activity in Congress, please contact our office.

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE: House Passes Three Appropriations Bills for Fiscal Year 2019

June 8, 2018

Press Release

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the House of Representatives voted to pass H.R. 5895, the Energy and Water, Legislative Branch, and Military Construction and Veterans Affairs Appropriations Act for Fiscal Year 2019. This bill makes major investments in water infrastructure and coastal flood protection, increases funding for veterans’ health care and benefits, and bolsters our military assets.

Issues:CongressMilitary and VeteransEconomy

Sunshine State News: John Rutherford, Ted Deutch Want DOJ to Quickly Release Funds to Fight School Violence

May 31, 2018

In The News

Sunshine State News: John Rutherford, Ted Deutch Want DOJ to Quickly Release Fu…

The two Florida congressmen who led the charge in the U.S. House to pass the “Student, Teachers, and Officers Preventing (STOP) School Violence Act” are now calling on the U.S. Department of Justice for guidance on how to implement it. U.S. Rep. John Rutherford, R-Fla., brought out the bill at the start of the year with U.S. Rep. Ted Deutch, D-Fla., as a co-sponsor. Introduced at the end of January, before the Parkland shooting, the proposal “would create a grant program to train students, teachers, school officials, and local law enforcement how to identify and intervene early when signs of violence arise, create a coordinated reporting system, and implement FBI & Secret Service-based school threat assessment protocols to prevent school shootings before they happen" and “would boost school efforts to develop violence prevention programs and coordinate with law enforcement to improve school.”

Issues:CongressCommunity SafetyEducation

Rutherford, Members of Congress Send Letter to AG Sessions to Release Guidance on STOP School Violence Act Grants

May 30, 2018

Press Release

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman John Rutherford (R-FL), as well as the original cosponsors of the STOP School Violence Act – Reps. Ted Deutch (D-FL), Hal Rogers (R-KY), and Derek Kilmer (D-WA) – led a letter signed by a bipartisan group of lawmakers to Attorney General Jeff Sessions asking that the Department of Justice work quickly to release guidance for the school security grant programs funded by the Fiscal Year 2018 Omnibus bill that was passed in March.

Issues:CongressCommunity Safety

Rutherford Statement on House Passage of National Defense Authorization Act

May 24, 2018

Press Release

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congressman John Rutherford (FL-04) issued the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Fiscal Year 2019 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) by a vote of 351-66. The bill now heads to the Senate for debate and passage.

Issues:CongressMilitary and Veterans

Rutherford Appointed to House Appropriations Committee

May 16, 2018

Press Release

Washington, D.C. – Congressman Rutherford (R-FL) has been appointed to the U.S. House Committee on Appropriations, the standing committee responsible for all of the federal government’s spending priorities, which debates and sets specific amounts for all discretionary federal spending on all federal agencies and programs. "I am honored to join the House Appropriations Committee and take on a greater role in ensuring that precious taxpayer dollars are spent wisely," said Rutherford.

Issues:Congress

Rutherford, Demings Introduce Protect and Serve Act of 2018

May 8, 2018

Press Release

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressman and former sheriff of Jacksonville, John Rutherford (FL-04), together with Congresswoman and former chief of the Orlando Police Department, Val Demings (FL-10), introduced H.R. 5698, the Protect and Serve Act of 2018. This bipartisan bill would create federal penalties for individuals who deliberately target local, state, or federal law enforcement officers with violence...

Issues:CongressCommunity Safety

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE: Rutherford’s STOP School Violence Act Passes House in Funding Bill

March 22, 2018

Press Release

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 1625, the Consolidated Appropriations Act, which includes critical funding for national defense, combating the opioid crisis and school safety funding, as well as Rutherford’s H.R. 4909, the STOP School Violence Act of 2018. This omnibus spending package for Fiscal Year 2018 now moves to the Senate for a vote before heading to the president’s desk for signature.

Issues:Congress

LEGISLATIVE UPDATE: House Overwhelmingly Passes STOP School Violence Act

March 14, 2018

Press Release

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today the House of Representatives voted 407-10 to pass the Students, Teachers, and Officers Preventing (STOP) School Violence Act of 2018, a bill sponsored by Rep. John Rutherford (R-FL), along with Reps.

Issues:CongressEducation

WOKV: Rep. Rutherford Pushes Bipartisan School Saftey Bill Ahead Of Expected U.S. House Vote

March 7, 2018

In The News

WOKV Mark Jackson March 6, 2018

Rep. Rutherford Pushes Bipartisan School Saftey Bill Ahead Of Expected U.S. Hou…

Jacksonville, FL - Florida Congressman John Rutherford (R-FL) says his bipartisan-supported bill to stop school violence would help students, teachers and school administrators more easily identify and report signs of trouble to prevent school shootings. House leadership announced today that a vote will take place on that bill next week.

"[This bill] addresses the physical plant itself, the school building, and how we can harden that target, while addressing educating students, teachers and officers on what are the warning signs to look for," says Rutherford.

Issues:CongressEducation

The Hill: GOP Rep Pushes For School Safety Program In Government Funding Bill

March 6, 2018

In The News

The Hill
Melanie Zanona
March 6, 2018

GOP Rep Pushes For School Safety Program In Government Funding Bill

Rep. John Rutherford(R-Fla.) is pressing House appropriators to include funding for a school safety program in an upcoming government spending bill, he told The Hill on Tuesday.

Rutherford is the lead sponsor of a bipartisan bill, called the Stop School Violence Act, that would create a new grant program aimed at educating students and adults about how to spot and report warning signs of gun violence.

The House will vote on the measure next week as part of the GOP's response to last month's deadly shooting at a Florida high school.

Issues:CongressEducation

Congress

More on Congress