FLORIDA - SENATOR MARCO RUBIO eNEWSLETTER

 

This Week in the Office of Senator Marco Rubio  On Thursday, I joined Fox and Friends to discuss President Joe Biden’s reckless spending agenda, the ongoing migrant crisis, and more. Watch the video here. On Thursday, I released a video urging President Joe Biden to delay the National Flood Insurance Program’s (NFIP) new Risk Rating 2.0 formula. The new rating system, scheduled to go into effect October 1, 2021, was expected to raise premiums on nearly 80 percent of NFIP policyholders nationwide starting April 1, 2022. On Friday, I welcomed the extension of the NFIP, which President Biden signed into law on Thursday night as part of the continuing appropriations bill. The funding bill contained my NFIP Extension Act of 2021 , which will extend the vital program through December 3, 2021. Read more here and watch the video here.    On Thursday, I met a group of Hispanic Evangelical pastors and leaders to discuss a range of issues affecting Hispanics in our nation. During our roundtable discussion, I highlighted the importance of promoting conservative values in our nation, the ongoing crisis on our Southern Border, and the importance of election integrity. Read more here.    On Monday, I applauded the announcement by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers that the first construction contract has been awarded for the federal portion of the Everglades Agricultural Area Reservoir project, a critical part of the Central Everglades Planning Project. Read more here.    On Tuesday, Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ) and I, the lead Republicans on the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC), sent a letter to President Joe Biden expressing our concern that members of the Biden Administration have reportedly lobbied against the bipartisan and bicameral Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA). The UFPLA would ensure that goods made through the forced labor of Uyghurs, and other predominantly Muslim ethnic groups in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, and by certain entities affiliated with the Chinese Communist Party do not enter the U.S. market. The Biden Administration has repeatedly declined to take a position on the bill, which passed the Senate unanimously in July of this year. Read more here.    On Wednesday, Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) and I sent a letter to the President of Mexico, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, expressing their disappointment following President López Obrador’s decision to invite narco-dictator Nicolás Maduro and the Cuban regime’s puppet leader Miguel Díaz Canel to Mexico’s Independence Day festivities. Read more here.    On Wednesday, I applauded the U.S. Senate’s passage of my resolution, cosponsored by Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), designating September 2021 as National Spinal Cord Injury Awareness Month. The resolution highlights the prevalence of spinal cord injuries and paralysis in the United States and applauds the advocacy of those living with spinal cord injuries. Read more here.     On Thursday, Senator  Rick Scott (R-FL) and I sent a follow-up letter to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra demanding answers after HHS moved forward with its decision to restrict the availability of monoclonal antibody treatments for hospitals in Florida and other states. Read more here.    On Thursday, Senator Jim Risch (R-ID) and I released a statement on the European Union’s decision to deploy an election observation mission to Venezuela for the regional and local elections scheduled for November 21. Read more here.    On Thursday, I joined Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and colleagues in sending a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken drawing attention to the Ortega regime’s harassment and jailing of over 150 opposition leaders, including opposition Presidential candidates, and the ongoing authoritarian crackdown ahead of Nicaragua’s November 2021 presidential election. Read more here.    On Thursday, I joined Senator Mitt Romney (R-UT) and colleagues in sending a letter to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Senate Committee on Finance Chairman Ron Wyden (D-OR) to raise concern with proposals included in the Democrats’ “Human Infrastructure” bill that would discourage marriage by including harmful tax penalties for couples who decide to marry. Read more here.     On Friday, I sent a letter to Google CEO Sundar Pichai and Apple CEO Tim Cook calling them out for bowing to censorship requests from Putin’s regime. Specifically, I highlighted that both tech companies acceded to Moscow’s demand that they take down an app designed to coordinate protest voting in the Russian parliamentary elections from September 17-19, 2021. Read more here.    Last Friday, Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) and I led colleagues in urging U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken to press Bahrain, an important U.S. ally, about its human rights abuses and push for more accountability. Read more here.    Legislation Introduced On Tuesday, Senators Rick Scott (R-FL), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Mike Braun (R-IN), Tommy Tuberville (R-AL), and I introduced the Treatment Restoration for Emergency Antibody Therapeutics (TREAT) Act . This legislation would prohibit the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) from implementing policies that restrict hospitals and other appropriate healthcare facilities from ordering and receiving COVID-19 monoclonal antibody (mAb) treatments directly from manufacturers and distributors. Read more here.  On Monday, I joined Senator Jim Risch (R-ID) and 20 Senate colleagues in introducing the Afghanistan Counterterrorism, Oversight, and Accountability Act , which would address the outstanding issues caused by the Biden Administration’s rushed and disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan. Read more here.  On Monday, I joined Senator John Kennedy (R-LA) and colleagues in reintroducing the Unclaimed Savings Bond Act of 2021 to help Americans claim more than $26 billion in unredeemed savings bonds, including $1.4 billion that belong to the people of Florida. Read more here.  On Tuesday, I joined Senators Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), Shelley Moore Capito (R-WV), Steve Daines (R-MT), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), and Mike Braun (R-IN) in introducing legislation to codify the Women’s Global Development and Prosperity (W-GDP) Initiative. W-GDP was established in February 2019 to advance women’s economic empowerment and reached 12 million women worldwide during its first year. Yet, the Biden Administration is proposing to eliminate this program in favor of a new initiative which would instead focus on climate change and other vaguely described goals, rather than promoting economic opportunity for women. Read more here.  On Thursday, I joined Senators Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Ben Cardin (D-MD), and Ted Cruz (R-TX) in introducing a Senate Resolution calling attention to the rise in illicit mining and trafficking of gold in Latin America. Read more here. On Thursday, I joined Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Tom Cotton (R-AR), and colleagues in reintroducing the Providing Officers with Electronic Resources (POWER) Act. This bipartisan, bicameral legislation would provide state and local law enforcement with high-tech devices to detect and identify dangerous drugs, including fentanyl. Read more here.  In Case You Missed It... “Will Marco Rubio Save Capitalism?” (El American, 09/27/21)  “Sen. Marco Rubio: There is no doubt that the Biden administration’s new government child allowance is the first step toward a universal basic income. On that point, I agree with your editorial. But you also claim that ‘Republicans have been missing in action on this seismic policy change.’ Nothing could be further from the truth.” (Three Senators Respond on the Child Tax Credit, Wall Street Journal, 09/28/21) “Since our first News4Jax investigation into Hilltop Village first aired in April, Sen. Marco Rubio has called on HUD multiple times to take action to ensure Cambridge Management took care of the issues tenants there have been facing.” (Gov. DeSantis cuts off state funds to management company of rodent-plagued apartment complex, News4Jax, 09/24/21) “Marco Rubio: 'Radical, left-wing nutcases' trying to remake America into socialist economy” (Fox News, 09/30/21)  “Rubio, Republicans step up attacks on corporate embrace of ESG” (Roll Call, 09/30/21)  “Rubio goes after Google and Apple for censoring millions of Russians on their election day” (Washington Examiner, 10/01/21)  “Florida Republican Sens. Marco Rubio and Rick Scott on Wednesday rebuked Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who this month hosted the Cuban and Venezuelan heads of state for top-tier events in Mexico City.” (Florida senators rebuke Mexican president for receiving Cuban, Venezuelan leaders, The Hill, 09/30/21)  “Rubio: Up to 120,000 Migrants Headed to US Border” (Newsmax, 09/30/21)  “Rubio bill aims to upend Biden admin's 'equity' approach to monoclonal antibody treatment” (Fox News, 09/28/21)  “Sens. Scott, Rubio Question Limits on COVID Treatment” (Sens. Scott, Rubio Question Limits on COVID Treatment, Newsmax, 10/01/21) 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. Keep up with me on Facebook and Twitter.