This Week in the Office of Senator Marco Rubio On Friday, as an original cosponsor of the Senate bill to designate Juneteenth as a federal holiday, I recognized June 19, 1865 as one of the most important moments in the history of our great nation. Read more here.  On Monday, I welcomed the U.S. Air Force’s announcement that Eglin Air Force Base (AFB) will be the location for a second F-35A Squadron, doubling the number of F-35 fighter jets at the base from 24 to 48. From my position on the Senate Committee on Appropriations, I have continuously supported the F-35 program, securing key funding for the program over the years, and have encouraged the U.S. Air Force to prioritize Florida bases for F-35 basing decisions. Read more here.  On Wednesday, I welcomed the U.S. Department of Defense’s (DoD) decision to establish a Science Technology Academies Reinforcing Basic Aviation Space Exploration (STARBASE) Program at Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola. The STARBASE Program, which I previously advocated in an op-ed and a letter to the DoD, will provide fifth graders at NAS Pensacola with high-quality academic opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Read more here.  On Thursday, I released a statement after the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation unanimously approved my bipartisan South Florida Clean Coastal Waters Act, legislation I reintroduced in January along with Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) and U.S. Representatives Brian Mast (R-FL) and Darren Soto (D-FL). The bill now heads to the full Senate for a vote. Read more here.  On Thursday, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed my resolution congratulating the University of Florida’s Men’s Tennis Team for winning the 2021 NCAA National Championship. Read more here.  On Thursday, I joined Mornings with Maria on Fox Business to discuss President Joe Biden’s meeting with Vladimir Putin and approach to foreign policy, the border crisis, Big Tech, and Unidentified Aerial Phenomena (UAP). Watch the full interview here.  On Monday, Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and I urged U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to use all available diplomatic tools to confront the Ortega regime’s authoritarian and oppressive tactics to secure power and undermine fundamental rights in Nicaragua. Read more here.  On Tuesday, I sent a letter to President Joe Biden, ahead of his summit with Vladimir Putin, urging him to send a clear message that the United States will respond to any future cyberattacks by Russian cybercriminals. Read more here. 
On Tuesday, I joined the Guy Benson Show on Fox News Radio to discuss the origins of COVID-19, the Biden-Putin meeting, and infrastructure. Read more here, and listen to the full interview here. 
On Wednesday, I joined Senators John Cornyn (R-TX) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) in sending a letter to Small Business Administrator (SBA) Isabella Casillas Guzman urging her to disburse Shuttered Venue Operators Grant funding to struggling live entertainment venues as soon as possible. Read more here.  On Monday, I joined Senators Jim Risch (R-ID), Todd Young (R-IN), and Mike Crapo (R-ID) in sending a letter to U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield to ask her to bring much needed international attention to the violent human rights abuses committed by the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen. Read more here. 
On Wednesday, I joined Stinchfield on Newsmax TV to discuss President Biden’s meeting with Vladimir Putin at the G7 summit this week. Watch the full interview here.  On Tuesday, Senators Tom Cotton (R-AR), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Rick Scott (R-FL), John Cornyn (R-TX), Ben Sasse (R-NE), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Todd Young (R-IN), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), Mike Braun (R-IN), and I sent a letter to U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo demanding that the department immediately identify “emerging and foundational technologies” as mandated by the Export Control Reform Act (ECRA) nearly three years ago. This list of technologies will strengthen the federal government’s export controls and investment screening process. Read more here.  On Thursday, Senator Edward J. Markey (D-MA) and I, along with Representatives Anna Eshoo (D-CA) and Steve Scalise (R-LA), released a statement after the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted to approve a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to protect our communications networks and supply chains from equipment and services from China that pose an unacceptable risk to national security. Yesterday’s NPRM mirrors the goals of our legislation, the Secure Equipment Act. Read more here.  On Tuesday, I joined Pastor Otoniel Font on Pura Palabra to discuss my bill with Representative Jenniffer González-Colón (R-PR) to revive the pharmaceutical industry in Puerto Rico, the importance of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), the challenges facing Hispanics under the Biden Administration, and more. Read more here and watch the full interview here.  On Wednesday, I joined Yoly Cuello on Actualidad 1040AM to discuss my letter to President Joe Biden regarding his meeting with Vladimir Putin, COVID origins, and Latin America. Read more here.  Legislation Introduced- On Wednesday, Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) and I, along with U.S. Representatives Vern Buchanan (R-FL) and Al Lawson (D-FL), reintroduced legislation to help Florida fruit and vegetable growers combat unfair trade practices by countries like Mexico. Specifically, the Defending Domestic Produce Production Act would ensure that U.S. trade law is applicable to seasonal fruit and vegetable growers to petition the U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. International Trade Commission in order to secure relief from unfair trade practices. Read more here.
- On Tuesday, I joined Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ben Cardin (D-MD), and Rick Scott (R-FL) in reintroducing a bipartisan bill to rename the street outside of the Cuban Embassy in Washington, D.C. as “Oswaldo Payá Way.” Read more here.
- On Thursday, Senators Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), and I introduced bipartisan legislation to create a U.S.-Israel Artificial Intelligence (AI) Research and Development Center to further bilateral cooperation in AI and contribute to the advancement of this critical field. Read more here.
- On Thursday, Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) and I reintroduced the Canadian Snowbirds Act , legislation that would allow some Canadian citizens to spend up to eight months a year vacationing in the United States, two months longer than they are allowed to stay now. Read more here.
- On Thursday, Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and I reintroduced the Combatting Trafficking of Cuban Doctors Act of 2021 , bipartisan legislation that seeks to strengthen accountability measures by addressing the Cuban regime’s human trafficking and exploitation of Cuban doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals deployed on so-called “foreign medical missions.” Read more here.
In Case You Missed It...“Rubio: Veterans burn pit legislation 'a moral obligation’” (Spectrum News 13, 06/11/21) “U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio announced the return of STARBASE to Pensacola in a press release Wednesday, just a couple of months after he penned a column with U.S. Sen. Rick Scott asking the DoD to reinstate Pensacola's program. ” (NAS Pensacola brings back popular STARBASE program for low-income fifth-graders, Pensacola News Journal, 06/17/21) “In a news release from his office, Rubio called the Air Force's announcement of the new training squadron coming to Eglin ‘a big win for Northwest Florida and our nation’s military readiness.’” (After 'years of work,' Eglin Air Force Base is getting a second F-35A squadron, Northwest Florida Daily News, 06/15/21) “[Sens. Mark Warner and Marco Rubio] are preparing legislation that would require a vast range of public and private entities to alert the government within 24 hours of a cybersecurity breach, following a wave of ransomware attacks that have threatened the nation's economic and national security.” (Senators draft bill that would require many entities to report cyber breaches within 24 hours, CNN, 06/17/21) “Rubio, Cantwell push for U.S.-Israel AI cooperation” (Jewish Insider, 06/17/21) “U.S. Senator Rubio plans legislation to address Russia cyberattacks -letter” (Reuters, 06/15/21) “Sen. Rubio on bill targeting Big Tech 'monopolies' over political censorship concerns: 'This can’t continue'” (Fox Business, 06/17/21) “‘As the regime plans to hold elections, we must ensure the U.S. and our allies are creating new initiatives to address Ortega’s corruption, human rights abuses, and the ongoing repression of members of the independent press,’ Rubio said in a statement.” (South Florida lawmakers increase pressure on Ortega ahead of Nicaraguan elections, Miami Herald, 06/17/21) “Sen. Marco Rubio to Newsmax: Putin Tests What He Can Get Away With” (Newsmax, 06/16/21) “Following Didi’s announcement last week, Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), an outspoken China critic, issued a statement urging the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to block the upcoming IPO.” (Chinese Ride-Hail Firm Didi Expected to Raise Billions in US Listing Amid Increased Scrutiny, The Epoch Times, 06/14/21) 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.
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