Wasserman Schultz snaps ankle at softball - but stays to cheer

Debbie Wasserman Schultz sprained an ankle and fractured her leg sliding into second base at Tuesday night's first-ever congressional women's softball game. An aide says she's recuperating comfortably and the Washington Post notes the Broward Democrat hailed the bipartisan nature of the game - and the $40,000 raised for the Young Survivors Coalition - before leaving in an ambulance for the hospital.

Wasserman Schultz defends her cancer bill

Debbie Wasserman Schultz took to the airwaves -- MSNBC - today to defend her legislation aimed at educating younger women about breast cancer. The bill has attracted opposition from several cancer groups who say it's well-meaning, but misguided. And Nancy Snyder, host of MSNBC's "Ask Dr. Nancy," appears to agree with them.

"At a time when you have been charged as a member of Congress to overhaul health care reform, and there doesn't seem to be enough money to go around, my concern is while well meaning, we know that
younger women have lumpier breasts, the chance of more false positives, higher spending," Snyder said. "Even the National Breast Cancer Coalition, which is seen by doctors as being a really credible coalition, even the American Cancer Society, they haven't jumped on the bandwagon with you."

Wasserman Schultz noted the "majority of the breast cancer advocacy community" supports the bill.

"The bottom line is it is a paltry sum to spend $9 million a year simply to raise the awareness of women younger than 45 about the importance of focusing on their breast health," Wasserman Schultz said. "We need to make sure that young women know what their breasts feel like and know what's normal for them so that they know when something feels different."

South Florida lawmakers call for aid to Haiti

Haiti remains in need of assistance, including temporary relief from deportation for thousands of undocumented Haitians living in the United States, a South Florida congressional delegation said after a day-long visit to the Caribbean nation.

Led by Kendrick Meek, the group met with President René Préval, key Haitian business leaders, U.S. embassy personnel and U.S. Coast Guard officials. Others on the trip: Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Mario and Lincoln Diaz-Balart.

''There's a lot that we can do. There's a lot that we can do together," said Ros-Lehtinen, top Republican on the House foreign affairs committee. "Haiti's problems must be paid attention to. We can be part of that solution.''

More here.

Dems and GOP'ers travel to Haiti

Much of South Florida's congressional delegation -- Kendrick Meek, Mario Diaz-Balart, Lincoln Diaz-Balart, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Debbie Wasserman Schultz -- traveled to Haiti today to meet with Haitian president Rene Preval, Prime Minister Michele Pierre-Louis, non-government groups and business leaders. 

Here's the crew before boarding a Coast Guard C-130 at MIA en route to Port-au-Prince, Haiti.  Photo credit: Nilda Pedrosa

South Florida's congressional delegation heads to Haiti

A bipartisan group of South Florida legislators makes a one-day visit to Haiti Monday, meeting with Haitian President Rene Preval and Prime Minister Michele Pierre-Louis.

The trip -- headed by Kendrick Meek and Mario Diaz-Balart -- comes as the impoverished country calls on its foreign donors to make good on more than $353 million in pledges.

Also attending: Miami Republican Reps. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Lincoln Diaz-Balart and Weston Democrat Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz.

Bagel Bar West makes CQ Politics

In a story that recounts Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz's "beef" with prices at the House cafeterias.

At a hearing of the Legislative Branch Appropriations Subcommittee that she chairs, CQ Politics reports the Weston Dem "griped that food prices were shooting up too fast at the eateries run by the House of Representatives.

She "noted that the average check for House diners went up 31 percent between 2007 and the end of 2008. In particular, she noted the $6.25 price tag on a Reuben — a sandwich that costs $4.75 at Star Deli in New York City, she said.

"Staff and members are 'paying some outrageous prices for food here,' Wasserman Schultz told Daniel P. Beard, chief administrative officer for the House, who oversees the cafeteria contracts."

But CQ did some comparison shopping on its own and found the price of a Reuben is $8.25 at Bagel Bar West, in Pembroke Pines. And it says that at "Loeb’s Deli in Washington, a favorite noshing spot in the capital," it'll cost you $9.34, with tax.

Mario salutes the women of the House, in a bipartisan manner

Marking Women’s History Month, Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart saluted women on the House floor, among them: Broward Democrat Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz and Miami Republican Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen.

Here's proof:

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DNC chair needs Broward condo -- and proofreader

Democratic National Committee Chairman Tim Kaine, the governor of Virginia, will attend a May 8 fundraiser for the national party at the Riverside Hotel in Fort Lauderdale. He'll be back in town May 30 for the Florida Democratic Party's annual Jefferson Jackson dinner.

There's a major typo on the invitation for the May 8 event. It says hosts include DNC Vice Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz (the member of Congress) and Broward County Commissioner Debbie Wasserman Rubin. Who? That's Broward County Commissioner Diana Wasserman-Rubin, thank you very much, and she hyphenates her last name, unlike Wasserman Schultz.

Florida members tout Glades dollars

Florida's Everglades stands to gain $96 million out of the federal stimulus bill -- following a full-court press by Florida's congressional delegation.

The money will pay for a number of Everglades restoration projects and is a significant investment for the  federal government which has lagged behind its state partner.

Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz said Florida lawmakers "pushed very hard'' because they were
concerned the Everglades wouldn't be at the top of the US Army Corps of Engineers priority list.

"We definitely made it extremely clear to the Army Corps that we wanted them to prioritize," she said. "You have all these projects that will move forward, that fit the definition of creating shovel ready jobs,. And you will be able to see the federal government finally infuse a significant amount of money into the Everglades and become a full partner with the state, which should have been the case all along.''

Sisterhood is powerful -- and lucrative -- for Pelosi and Wasserman Schultz

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi raised an estimated $250,000 yesterday for the congressional arm of the Democratic party and another $80,000-plus for a political action committee headed by U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Weston. The fundraisers were held at the homes of Duty Free Americas Chairman Simon Faric and Lennar CEO Stuart Miller.

Today, at a Hollywood press conference touting the federal stimulus plan, the two political power brokers sung each other's praises. Pelosi commended Wasserman Schultz for talking publicly about her own treatment for breast cancer and pushing legislation to raise awareness among young women.

"She has been a leader intellectually and politically in the Congress, and now personally,'' Pelosi said. "By sharing her story about her own health challenges, she is going to saves lives, the lives of young women.''