5 Questions With Congressman Gus Bilirakis

By Amy Schoppman, NMEDA DIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENT RELATIONS

Representative Gus Bilirakis first entered Congress in 2007 when he succeeded his father in representing Florida’s 9th (now 12th) congressional district, which covers the northern portion of the Tampa Bay area and includes NMEDA’s headquarters. In addition to geographical proximity, our offices share two major public policy concerns: veterans and accessible transportation. A longtime member of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, Bilirakis has worked to improve claims processing and benefits for combat-disabled servicemembers, most recently introducing bipartisan legislation—the Major Richard Star Act—with NMEDA friend and supporter Congressman Raul Ruiz. A concurrent member of the powerful House Committee on Energy and Commerce, the Congressman was also an early advocate of ensuring that autonomous vehicles are developed with seniors and people with disabilities in mind. Upon introducing the Addressing Community Challenges from Emerging Self-Driving Systems (ACCESS) Act—legislation requiring the Department of Transportation to establish an advisory council on developing autonomous vehicle technology to specifically meet the needs of seniors and disabled individuals—he stated: “Simple things most of us take for granted, such as getting to work, going to the doctor, a trip to the grocery store, or traveling across town to visit family, can be difficult undertakings for some. Self-driving cars could put seniors and those with disabilities back in the driver’s seat of their lives, providing them with greater independence and mobility.” Read on to learn more about Congressman Gus Bilirakis in this edition of “5 Questions With…”

I was inspired to run for publicoffice while watching my fatherproudly represent Florida’s NinthCongressional District. Growing up,my father taught me the importanceof serving others, having pride in yourfamily heritage, and the need to makea positive impact in my community.These are the values that drive me toget up in the morning and continuerepresenting the people of District 12.

Relationship building is the singlemost important skill I utilize onCapitol Hill. Treating everyone Iencounter with dignity, respect andcompassion goes a very long wayin both business and in life, and thesame applies in Congress. I try tonever burn bridges, to deliver onevery promise I make, and to treatpeople as I would like to be treated.

My favorite aspect of Florida’s 12this the people I serve. The area hasgrown tremendously over the courseof my lifetime, but that sense ofcommunity and connectedness isstill there. The downtown TarponSprings area also holds a specialplace in my heart: as a kid, I grewup helping out in my grandparent’sbakery and playing with my friendson the Sponge Docks. The church I grew up in, got married in, and raised my family in is still there and is an ever-present part of the [Hellenic] community. Plus, the food is simply phenomenal. Tarpon will always be home.

I believe we have a broken mentalhealthcare system and that we needto improve access to care, removethe stigma associated with gettingtreatment, and provide affordableoptions for people who need help.It is the root of so many of oursocietal problems, and the humaneway to address the problem is tobe proactive. Mental illness doesn’tdiscriminate based on race, religion,gender, or zip code. Everyone knowssomeone who been impacted by amental health issue, and we can andshould be doing more to help thosein need.

Mobility means independence and the freedom to go where you want to go and do what you want to do. Many of us take this simple idea for granted. I have become more conscious of it as I’ve watched my own parents deal with mobility issues. While they were once able to travel freely on their own, they have now become dependent on others for assistance. Autonomous vehicles offer hope to those who struggle with their personal mobility and, while this technology is still very new, I am hopeful that advancements will be made to make this technology safe and accessible to everyone.