State Leaders Thank Governor Ron DeSantis for Taking Steps to Reopen Florida The undersigned organizations, policy leaders and elected officials want to thank Governor Ron DeSantis for taking steps to safely reopen Florida. The Governor wisely consulted with physicians, small business owners, law enforcement and other task force members in crafting his plan, “Safe. Smart. Step-by-Step.” We are also calling on leaders nationwide to open America in a safe manner. In mid-March, the U.S. unemployment rate was 3.5%, and the economy was strong. Now, millions of Americans are out of work. Governor DeSantis’ actions will allow Florida small business owners, who operate on thin profit margins, to begin the economic recovery while implementing best practices to protect the health of their customers and employees – without micromanagement from the government. As Florida society returns to normal, implementing the proven formula of tax relief, deregulation and lawsuit reform will be critical. This formula will unlock the potential of entrepreneurs, businesses and employees. The creativity and tenacity of private sector entrepreneurs and innovators – not the government – is the key to bringing our economy back to full health. At the national level, the principles of limited government and fiscal responsibility must be restored. This includes stopping trillions of dollars of new federal spending, which adds to our national debt – now exceeding $24 trillion. Additionally, federalism – the proper balance of power between states and the federal government – must be preserved. A heavyhanded approach by Washington would inhibit the ability of states to deal with the pandemic. Thankfully, the Trump Administration has shared that disaster response is locally executed, state managed and federally supported. The federal government can be helpful by sharing expertise and developing guidelines to safely reopen the economy, just as the Trump Administration has done with its “Opening Up America Again” plan. Sadly, Americans around the country, even when complying with social distancing orders and finding creative ways to continue operations, are still being arrested, fined or harassed by some authorities even for attending church services. Thankfully, Governor DeSantis has prioritized civil liberties by deeming places of worship “essential,” allowing them to resume inperson services while encouraging congregants to adhere to strict social distancing protocols. Governor DeSantis has wisely taken the first steps to safely reopen Florida. These efforts earned Governor DeSantis a welldeserved “A” grade in the new FreedomWorks and Committee to Unleash Prosperity report, Grading Our Governors: A Report Card on Reopening States' Economies. We encourage him to continue to take additional steps as the state reaches each of the gating criteria outlined in President Trump’s “Opening Up America Again” plan. As we utilize best practices to protect the health of all Americans, we can bring the economy back to life through a free market approach that gets big government out of the way and, most importantly, Americans back to work. I AGREE, THANK YOU GOVERNOR RON DeSANTIS First Name Last Name Signature (Full Name) Email Organization © 2 0 1 8 A M E R I C A N L E G I S L AT I V E E X C H A N G E C O U N C I L 2 9 0 0 C R Y S TA L D R I V E , 6 T H F L O O R , A R L I N G T O N , V I R G I N I A 2 2 2 0 2 703-373-0933