This Week in the Office of Senator Marco Rubio
On Wednesday, I joined Squawk Box on CNBC to discuss the prospect of passing another relief bill, the threat TikTok poses to our national security, and the state of COVID-19 in Florida. Watch the full interview here.
On Thursday, I sent a letter to Governor Ron DeSantis outlining measures that, if adopted, could allow Florida student athletes to safely return to high school sports this fall. My proposal is based on a review of protocols created by states, youth sports organizations, and the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), with guidance from leading public health authorities and experts. Read more here.
On Tuesday, I spoke during a Senate Committee on Foreign Relations Hearing on Venezuela’s deteriorating security and humanitarian situation under the corrupt Maduro crime syndicate, with testimony from Special Representative for Venezuela Elliott Abrams and U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Senior Deputy Assistant Administrator for Latin America and the Caribbean Joshua Hodges. During the hearing, I questioned Special Representative Abrams about U.S. policy toward Venezuela, and Abrams confirmed that the U.S. is not open to negotiating a deal that allows dictator Nicolás Maduro to remain in power. Read my full remarks here and watch the video here. 
On Thursday, I introduced a bill to extend the federal safe harbor period for states to determine electors from December 8, 2020 to January 1, 2021 for this year’s presidential election. Doing so would give states the flexibility needed in a pandemic to help ensure each and every legal vote cast is counted. In a Medium post titled, “Americans Should Expect Election Chaos,” I warned how hostile foreign actors like China and Russia are looking to exploit the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic to sow discord and undermine our democracy. Read more here. 
On Tuesday, I published an op-ed in American Compass discussing how America’s competitiveness in the semiconductor industry has been placed in jeopardy due to the U.S. losing its manufacturing capacity. To address this, we must revitalize American manufacturing and strengthen our nation’s industrial base in critical areas. Read the full article here.
On Monday, I joined March for Life President Jeanne Mancini in publishing an op-ed in the Washington Examiner demanding that Planned Parenthood follow the lead of the Florida Democratic Party and return the tens of millions of dollars in Paycheck Protection Program funds which it has illicitly taken from taxpayers. Read the full article here.
On Tuesday, I joined the Hugh Hewitt Show to discuss TikTok’s relationship with the Chinese Communist Party, the next round of small business relief, and more. Listen to the full interview here.
On Tuesday, as Acting Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, I joined Vice Chairman Mark Warner (D-VA) in releasing a joint statement after the Committee voted to adopt the classified version of the fifth and final volume of the Committee’s bipartisan Russia investigation. Read more here.
On Thursday, Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and I wrote to NBA Commissioner Adam Silver after an investigative report found that the league’s “Chinese partners were physically abusing young players and failing to provide schooling, even though commissioner Adam Silver had said that education would be central to the program.” In our letter, we requested answers to when and how the NBA took steps to terminate its relationship with the training camp in Xinjiang, why the abuse of young players went unnoticed, and what steps the NBA has taken to prevent similar problems from recurring. Read more here.
On Thursday, I joined Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) in publishing an op-ed in Roll Call discussing our Strengthening America’s Health Care Readiness Act, legislation which would address health workforce shortages and medical disparities, as well as bolster health worker surge capacity to be prepared and respond to health emergencies, such as pandemics or natural disasters. Read the full article here.
On Thursday, I joined Senators Rick Scott (R-FL), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Josh Hawley (R-MO), Tom Cotton (R-AR), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), and Martha McSally (R-AZ) in sending a letter to U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross urging the Department to examine the impact that importing Chinese-made drones has on national security. My colleagues and I also introduced the American Security Drone Act to prohibit the U.S. Government from purchasing drones manufactured in countries identified as national security threats, including Iran and China. Read more here.
On Friday, I welcomed two Executive Orders by President Trump to address the national security threat posed by TikTok and WeChat. Last October, I was the first lawmakers to warn of the danger posed by TikTok when I requested that Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin have the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) launch a full review of the national security implications of TikTok’s acquisition of Musical.ly. This review by CFIUS remains ongoing. Read more here.
On Friday, I welcomed the report released by President Trump’s Working Group on Financial Markets to address China’s exploitation of U.S. capital markets. Last month, I wrote to members of the working group urging them to address the risks posed to American investors by the lack of required accounting oversight of Chinese firms listed on U.S. stock exchanges, the inclusion of Chinese stocks and bonds on securities indexes, and lack of recourse for American investors who have been defrauded by Chinese firms. Read more here.
On Friday, as author of the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act , I issued a statement after the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), pursuant to Executive Order 13936, sanctioned 11 individuals for their role in undermining Hong Kong’s autonomy and suppressing Hong Kongers’ rights, including Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Carrie Lam. Read more here.
On Thursday, I joined Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Ben Cardin (D-MD) in applauding the Senate’s passage of our bipartisan resolution, which calls for a free, fair, and transparent presidential election in Belarus on Sunday. Read more here.
On Thursday, I joined Senators Chris Coons (D-DE), Jim Risch (R-ID), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Mark Warner (D-VA), and Patrick Leahy (D-VT) in issuing a joint statement ahead of the 22nd anniversary of the bombings at the U.S. Embassies in Kenya and Tanzania on August 7, 1998. Read more here.
On Wednesday, as Chairman of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, I named JWR Construction Inc. of Deerfield Beach, FL as the U.S. Senate Small Business of the Week. Read more here.
Legislation Introduced
- On Thursday, I introduced the Medical Manufacturing, Economic Development, and Sustainability (MMEDS) Act of 2020, which encourages companies currently producing medical and pharmaceutical equipment abroad to relocate to the U.S. The bill would also enact a tax credit of federal income tax liability for wages and eligible pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities in economically distressed zones, including Puerto Rico. Read more here.
In Case You Missed It...
“Marco Rubio: Americans Should Expect Election Chaos” (Medium, 08/06/20)
“Marco Rubio: Intel’s Stumble Is Very Bad for America” (American Compass, 08/04/20)
“Marco Rubio and Jeanne Mancini: Planned Parenthood must return Paycheck Protection Program money to taxpayers” (Washington Examiner, 08/03/20)
“Marco Rubio and Dick Durbin: How can we fix our health worker shortage? Start with tackling student debt” (Roll Call, 08/06/20)
“Sen. Marco Rubio wants prep football in ‘20, and recommends how to do it” (Tampa Bay Times, 08/06/20)
“Marco Rubio Advances Crucial Election-Support Ideas” (National Review, 08/06/20)
“As the coronavirus pandemic began shutting down the U.S. economy in March, Sen. Marco Rubio (R., Fla.) spearheaded legislation creating the $670 billion Paycheck Protection Program, one of the most expensive business-rescue frameworks in history.” (How Senate’s Small Business Chairman Sees PPP Evolving, Wall Street Journal, 08/02/20)
“‘As long as [the Democrats have] calculated that they think they can benefit politically by the unemployed not getting benefits, by small-business funding running out, by schools not getting the money they need to reopen … it's going to be hard for us to move forward,” Rubio said on Capitol Hill Thursday. “And that's the calculation they've made, it appears.’” ('We're very far apart': Coronavirus relief negotiations left in uncertainty after Congress leaves for the weekend, USA Today, 08/06/20)
“Rubio warns of surge in small business layoffs if PPP money dries up” (CNBC, 08/05/20)
“Exclusiva: Marco Rubio habla sobre el COVID-19 y Latino América” (Telemundo 49, 08/05/20)
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