FLORIDA - SENATOR MARCO RUBIO NEWSLETTER 11/15/2019

This Week in the Office of Senator Marco Rubio  On Wednesday, I applauded the Senate Committee on Commerce’s unanimous approval of my bipartisan, bicameral Restoring Resilient Reefs Act of 2019 (S. 2429) and South Florida Coastal Clean Waters Act (S. 10). Read more here.   On Thursday, Senator Jim Risch (R-ID), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, and I initiated a process for the Senate to quickly pass our Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act (S. 1838). The process, known as the Hotline, allows for Senate business to be conducted by unanimous consent. Read more here.    On Sunday, I issued the following statement after Evo Morales resigned as president of Bolivia following massive protests resulting from serious irregularities in the nation’s electoral process earlier this month. Read more here.   On Monday, I sent a letter to his Majesty King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain expressing my concerns ahead of a trip the Spanish monarchs made to the Republic of Cuba. In my letter, I highlighted that their “visit will serve as propaganda for a regime that has opened the doors to Venezuelan narco-dictator Nicolás Maduro and other evil foreign elements who undermine democratic values in the hemisphere every day.” Read the full text of the letter in Spanish here.    On Thursday, as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, I convened a hearing titled, “Noncompete Agreements and American Workers.” Read more here and watch one witness’s testimony here.   On Tuesday, I attended a forum at URBE University in Miami titled, “Socialism, The Destruction of Democracy & Freedom.” Read more here.    On Wednesday, I joined Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chris Coons (D-DE), Johnny Isakson (R-GA), Ed Markey (D-MA), and John Boozman (R-AR) in urging the Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to provide urgently needed U.S. diplomatic leadership to South Sudan by appointing a special envoy. The civil war in South Sudan has killed as many as 400,000 since it began in 2013. Read the full text of the letter here.   On Wednesday, I met with Entertainment Law students from the Miami Arts Studio in my Washington, D.C. office. Read more here.   On Friday, Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) and I wrote to the Chairmen and Ranking Members of the Senate and House Committees on Armed Services to continue to push for their bipartisan DETER Act to be included in the FY 2020 National Defense Authorization Act. Read more here.   In Case You Missed It... Marco Rubio Gets Two Environmental Bills Through Senate Commerce Comittee (Florida Daily, 11/13/2019) “The Senate is set to bring the bill to the floor under an expedited process that would allow for quick passage unless there is an objection, according to Republican Senator Marco Rubio, the lead sponsor.” (U.S. Senate Sets Up Expedited Vote on Hong Kong Democracy Bill, Bloomberg, 11/14/ 2019) “The article on Suarez was written by Florida Senator Marco Rubio – who highlighted the Mayor’s work on tackling local issues that fly under the radar.” (Miami Mayor Named to TIME 100 Next List, NBC Miami, 10/13/2019) “Sen. Marco Rubio is taking action in the wake of Thrift Savings Board’s refusal to reverse its decision earlier this year to invest billions of dollars saved by federal employees and members of the U.S. military in Chinese firms connected to Beijing’s military research and development.” (The Epoch Times, 11/14/2019) “What made [Rubio’s] speech stand out was his broader goal of refocusing the Republican Party on workers and ‘the opportunity to attain the dignity that comes from hard work.’” (What Conservatism Should Look Like After Trump, Bloomberg, 10/13/2019) “Last week, Florida senator Marco Rubio delivered a thoughtful and provocative speech at Catholic University, laying out what he called a 'common-good capitalism.'" (National Review, 11/13/2019) Legislation Introduced… I joined Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX), and Lindsey Graham (R-SC), members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, along with Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, in introducing legislation that would dismantle a key remaining part of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action in response to the Trump administration’s repeated issuance of waivers for civil nuclear projects contemplated by the deal. Read more here. I joined Senators Todd Young (R-IN), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), and Chris Coons (D-DE), members of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations, in reintroducing legislation that would require the administration to regularly produce and submit to Congress a Global Economic Security Strategy. Read more here. Coming up... My staff will host Mobile Office Hours next week to assist constituents with federal casework issues in their communities. More information and locations near you here. Keep up with me on  Facebook  and  Twitter