Pensacola News Journal Endorses Jeff Miller

10/31/2012

Jeff Miller for U.S. House

With more than a decade of service in the U.S. House of Representatives, Rep. Jeff Miller carries time-earned clout that neither of his opponents can offer the voters of Northwest Florida. That is one of several reasons we recommend he be re-elected to another two-year term.

As a member of the senior leadership of the House Armed Services Committee and as chairman of the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, Miller, of Chumuckla, has established himself as a powerful advocate for veterans throughout the nation, but especially here in Florida’s 1st District, where we are home to a larger number of military retirees than anywhere else in the country. With veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan looking homeward as the wars wind down, Miller’s experience will prove crucial to helping the men and women who have served our country and now must cope in the aftermath.

However, he is more than an advocate for veterans. Miller also has been a key player in the RESTORE Act that will direct fine money from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill back home to us and to the other affected Gulf states. He rightfully has deep concern over reports of negotiations between BP and the U.S. Department of Justice that would allow some of the money to be paid as Natural Resource Damage Assessment fines, as opposed to funding the states through the RESTORE Act. It also would allow BP to make the fines tax-deducitble.

Miller said he believes the negotiations are “more than rumors” and that it gives the appearance that the “president is trying to sidestep the intent of Congress.”

He further said he found it hypocritical that President Obama railed against oil subsidies in the first presidential debate while allowing his administration to negotiate a deal for a potential tax write-off for BP.

Seeing that the RESTORE Act money ends up in our local coffers — to be spent as we see fit – is a paramount concern to all constituents: Republicans, Democrats, liberals and conservatives.

Miller is well-positioned to fight to see that it does.

He faces a Democrat and a Libertarian candidate this year. They voiced some legitimate concerns in a roundtable discussion with the Editorial Board. Jim Bryan, a retired Army paratrooper, is dismayed at the partisan politics. Though running as a Democrat, he said he is first and foremost an American. He dismisses the idea that there is a right and wrong party for Northwest Florida.

Calen Fretts is the Libertarian challenger concerned about small business. He believes the two major parties have moved country further from the Constitution and criticized Miller for voting to increase debt, restrict liberties and for endless war.

While we commend the efforts of Bryan and Fretts, they offer no compelling evidence they would go to Washington with the experience or institutional knowledge that’s needed to get things done.

For that reason, we recommend Jeff Miller for another term in the U.S. House of Representatives.