Frederica Wilson

@PollTracker2024 Thank you Bernie

@RepLaMonica Congratulations A new baby girl is a true blessing to you and your precious family .

@RepTroyCarter I love love love this !

Nolan Xavier Wells was a son whose life was precious and whose future was full of promise. His family deserves answers. I’ve called on the National Park Service to conduct a thorough investigation into his death, pursue every lead, and keep his family informed. We owe Nolan and his loved ones the truth.

Now that I have your attention, make sure you have a plan to vote! 🗳️ Your voice matters, your vote matters, and every election is an opportunity to make your voice heard. VOTE! VOTE! VOTE! https://t.co/9P85KMHLkI

Miami-Dade, this is your opportunity to be heard. Join Superintendent Rafael A. Villalobos for a series of town hall meetings across District 24 to share your voice, ask questions, and help shape the future of our public schools. https://t.co/DbD8I17ID5

Miami-Dade, this is your opportunity to be heard. Join Superintendent Rafael A. Villalobos for a series of town hall meetings across District 24 to share your voice, ask questions, and help shape the future of our public schools. https://t.co/05N0DS7kiy

I’m proud to announce $8,824,314 in grants for four of Florida’s HBCUs: Florida Memorial University, Florida A&M University, Bethune-Cookman College, and Edward Waters College. Our HBCUs have opened doors for generations of students and shaped leaders who changed this nation. They deserve the resources to keep opening those doors. I will always fight for their future.

Glaucoma can steal sight before symptoms appear. That’s why I introduced the Glaucoma Vision Act: to expand screenings, bring care to underserved communities, and invest in research. Early detection can protect a lifetime of vision. https://t.co/F2UEcbTJod

To my 5000 Role Models, thank you for bringing your energy, your leadership, and your bright futures to last week’s CBCF Annual Legislative Conference. Seeing you stand together in Washington reminded me why I began this work. I am so proud of you, and I will always fight for every opportunity you deserve.

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson (FL-24) introduced the Glaucoma Vision Act of 2026, legislation to expand access to annual glaucoma screenings, bring detection and treatment to underserved communities, and invest in research to protect and restore vision. “Glaucoma can steal a person’s sight before they even know they have it. By the time symptoms appear, the damage may be irreversible,” said Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson (FL-24). “A screening could change the course of someone’s life, but too many people face gaps in coverage or cannot afford the care they need. My bill would help families detect glaucoma earlier, get treatment sooner, and hold on to the independence that comes with their sight.” Approximately 4.22 million Americans were living with glaucoma in 2022, and about half of people with the disease are unaware they have it. Although Medicare covers screenings for certain people at high risk, federal law does not uniformly require glaucoma screening coverage across Medicaid, private health plans, and the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program. Key Provisions of the Glaucoma Vision Act of 2026 Expands screening coverage across major health plans. The bill would require glaucoma screening coverage for eligible people with private insurance, Medicaid, and Federal Employees Health Benefits coverage. It would also eliminate applicable Medicare Part B cost sharing for screenings furnished to eligible people. The coverage provisions would generally take effect in 2027. Reaches people at higher risk. Eligible individuals include adults age 40 or older who identify as having African, Hispanic/Latino, or Asian ancestry, or who have a clinical risk factor such as diabetes, a family history of glaucoma, elevated eye pressure, myopia, certain blood pressure conditions, or chronic corticosteroid use. Adults age 60 or older would also qualify. Brings screening and treatment into underserved communities. Through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Vision Health Initiative, the bill would establish competitive grants for free or low-cost screenings and follow-up treatment for uninsured and underinsured people at high risk. Grants could also support community education, mobile screening units, care coordination, and disease surveillance. Projects serving racial and ethnic minority communities and other underserved populations with a high burden of vision loss would receive priority. The bill authorizes $10 million for these activities across fiscal years 2027 and 2028. Advances research on glaucoma and optic nerve damage. The bill would authorize $10 million across fiscal years 2027 and 2028 for National Eye Institute research, including work on optic nerve repair, neuroprotection, gene therapies, and approaches to preserving or restoring vision. “No one should lose their sight because glaucoma went undetected. The Glaucoma Vision Act of 2026 would expand screening coverage, invest in community detection programs, and support vital research to improve treatment and prevent vision loss. The Academy applauds Representative Wilson for introducing this important legislation and advancing eye health for all Americans,” said Michael Repka, MD, MBA, Medical Director for Governmental Affairs, American Academy of Ophthalmology. “The impacts of untreated glaucoma extend beyond the individual, leading to emotional and psychological challenges for patients and their families. It can also diminish independence and contribute to substantial economic costs at both local and national levels through decreased productivity and increased health care demands. Given that there is currently no cure, proactive screening and prompt treatment are essential to reduce incidents of preventable blindness. Congresswoman Wilson’s legislation addresses this critical public health issue by increasing access to early glaucoma screening and investing in public health and research. Put together, these initiatives aim to protect vision, maintain independence, and mitigate the long-term personal and economic effects associated with this silent, irreversible disease. Prevent Blindness applauds Rep. Wilson’s efforts to promote early detection, preserve sight, and improve the health and well-being of our communities,” said Karen Allison, MD, MBA, FACS, Associate Professor of Clinical Ophthalmology at the Flaum Eye Institute, University of Rochester Medical Center; Prevent Blindness Board of Directors member; and Prevent Blindness Public Health & Science Committee Co-Chair. “Protecting someone’s vision protects their ability to work, care for their family, and move through the world on their own terms,” said Congresswoman Frederica S. Wilson (FL-24). “We have the knowledge to catch glaucoma earlier. We must make sure people have the opportunity to act on it.” Cosponsors of this bill are Reps. Joyce Beatty (OH-3), Sanford Bishop (GA-2), Troy Carter (LA-2), Yvette Clarke (NY-9), Emanuel Cleaver (MO-5), Jasmine Crockett (TX-30), Lois Frankel (FL-22), Adelita Grijalva (AZ-7), Jonathan L. Jackson (IL-1), Robin Kelly (IL-2), Lucy McBath (GA-6), Jennifer McClellan (VA-4), LaMonica McIver (NJ-10), Christian D. Menefee (TX-18), Kweisi Mfume (MD-7), Jerrold Nadler (NY-12), Terri Sewell (AL-7), Brad Sherman (CA-32), Shri Thanedar (MI-13), Bennie Thompson (MS-2), Nydia Velázquez (NY-7), Maxine Waters (CA-43), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), and Nikema Williams (GA-5), as well as Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-AL). Organizations supporting this bill are the American Academy of Ophthalmology, American Glaucoma Society, American Society of Cataract and Refractive Surgery, Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Alliance for Vision Research, Cornea Society, Macula Society, Foundation Fighting Blindness, and Prevent Blindness.

Nolan Wells’ name deserves to be remembered, and so does the courage of his parents, Christine Wells-Wonsley and Elmore Wonsley. I was honored to present them with a tribute entered into the Congressional Record, preserving their names and Nolan’s legacy in our nation’s history. https://t.co/JzMEWnsIzY

It takes many hands and many hearts to make moments like these special. Thank you to everyone who showed up with purpose. https://t.co/E4qW5EsKFP

Last week’s CBCF Annual Legislative Conference is one I will carry with me forever. To every family who shared their story, every advocate who stood with us, and every person who worked behind the scenes to bring us together: thank you. You made it possible, and you reminded us why this work must continue.

I want a world where a Black boy’s smile is an ordinary sight, where he can walk into a classroom, down his street and toward his future without fear. At our CBCF Annual Legislative Conference gathering, I saw that joy in the faces of the 5000 Role Models. It is precious, and it is ours to protect.

From the halls of Howard University to the CBCF Annual Legislative Conference, the 5000 Role Models came to Washington with purpose, pride, and a message that cannot be ignored. This is more than a program. This is a movement. And we are just getting started. https://t.co/SFHAZixZLo

Standing with Christine Wells-Wonsley and Elmore Wonsley Sr., I thanked them for the courage it takes to carry Nolan Wells’ name, memory and legacy forward. Their strength reminds us why this work must continue, and why we can never stop fighting for the lives and futures of our children.

I was proud to bring together courageous families and committed advocates for a conversation rooted in truth and focused on solutions. The Role Models led us in prayer, reminding us who this work is for and what is at stake. The measure of this moment will be found in the laws we change, the resources we deliver and the lives we protect.

At the Day of Healing Prayer Breakfast, the 5000 Role Models handed out roses with a tenderness that spoke louder than words. I am proud of the care they showed each person they greeted. Their compassion is a form of leadership, and they showed it beautifully. https://t.co/EqZ3asntZl

This was more than a panel. It was a promise. At the CBCF’s ALC, we cut the ribbon on the U.S. Commission on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys and stood beside parents who transformed unbearable loss into an unbreakable demand for justice. Through this Commission, we are turning their courage into action and their call for justice into lasting change.

We spoke the names of Trayvon Martin, Jordan Davis, Nolan Wells and King Carter as a charge to act. I was honored to present their parents with tributes entered into the Congressional Record, forever preserving their sons’ legacies in our nation’s history. Our Black boys should not have to become martyrs before America recognizes their humanity. Through this Commission, we will turn remembrance into action and ensure their legacies are never forgotten.

I honored Trayvon Martin, Jordan Davis, Nolan Wells, and King Carter by placing their names and their stories into the Congressional Record. I stood with their parents as we recognized the lives of their sons and the pain no parent should ever have to endure. Their names must mean more than remembrance. They must move us to action, strengthen our commitment to protecting Black boys, and demand a future where no parent has to stand where they stand today.

Black men and boys are not problems to be solved. They are scholars, creators, fathers, leaders and the promise of generations still to come. This Commission exists to ensure that their futures are not determined by neglected schools, unequal systems or the limits others place upon them. We are building a nation that sees their greatness early, invests in it fully and protects it fiercely.

At our CBCF’s ALC panel and the official ribbon cutting for the U.S. Commission on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys, we honored the parents who transformed unimaginable grief into a national call for justice. Our Black boys deserve more than a nation that mourns them after they are gone. They deserve a nation determined to protect them while they are here.

From Duval County to Broward County, Miami-Dade County to Los Angeles, our 5000 Role Models are showing the nation what happens when we invest in our young men and give them the tools, guidance, and belief they deserve. We are! https://t.co/mGmX7wsML0