FLORIDA - SENATOR MARCO RUBIO eNEWSLETTER

 

This Week in the Office of Senator Marco Rubio  On Friday, I released a statement after the U.S Department of Commerce rejected a request by importers of Mexican tomatoes to exempt certain greenhouse-grown specialty tomatoes from the 2019 U.S.-Mexico Tomato Suspension Agreement, which provides critical relief to domestic tomato growers against unfair trade practices. Read more here .  On Tuesday, I applauded the Senate’s unanimous passage of my bipartisan South Florida Clean Coastal Waters Act , legislation I reintroduced in January 2021 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 U.S House of Representatives for consideration. Read more here . On Wednesday, I urged U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg and Federal Aviation Administrator Stephen Dickson to prioritize infrastructure funding for several critical projects at Florida airports. Read more here .  On Thursday, I released a video message on my Sunshine Protection Act , legislation that would make Daylight Saving Time (DST) permanent. Watch the video here .  On Thursday, as Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, I delivered opening remarks and questions at an open Senate Intelligence hearing on Worldwide Threats. Watch my opening remarks and questions .  On Thursday, I published an op-ed in the Miami Herald explaining the importance of the United States returning to energy independence and the folly of seeking foreign oil from corrupt dictators like Venezuela’s Nicolás Maduro. Read the op-ed here .  On Wednesday, I joined America Reports to discuss President Biden’s refusal to expand America’s energy production. Watch the full interview here . On Wednesday, Senator Rubio held a virtual press conference with more than 15 Spanish outlets following the Biden Administration’s disastrous decision to send two emissaries to meet with Venezuelan narco-dictator Nicolás Maduro.  On Wednesday, I joined The Erick Erickson Show to discuss the latest on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and the importance of domestic oil production. Listen to the interview here .  On Tuesday, I spoke during a Senate Committee on Foreign Relations hearing and condemned the Biden Administration’s decision to engage in talks with the Maduro narco-regime of Venezuela. I also warned of the possibility of Russian false flag operations involving biological warfare and discussed Russia’s frozen economy. Watch my remarks here .  On Tuesday, I published an op-ed in Fox News condemning the Biden Administration’s attempts to revive the disastrous Iran Nuclear Deal. Read the op-ed here .  On Tuesday, Senators Tim Scott (R-SC), Chris Coons (D-DE), and I, along with our colleagues, applauded the passage of a Senate resolution condemning the recent bomb threats at historically black colleges and universities across the United States, including in Florida. Read more here .  On Thursday, I released a statement and a video on the 2,700-page, $1.5 trillion omnibus appropriations bill for Fiscal Year 2022. Read more here .  On Thursday, Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) and I, along with U.S. Representatives Carlos Giménez (R-FL), Mario Díaz-Balart (R-FL), and María Elvira Salazar (R-FL), sent a letter to President Joe Biden, U.S. Department of State Secretary Antony Blinken, and U.S. Department of Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm criticizing the administration’s decision to open negotiations with the illegitimate Maduro narco-regime in Venezuela, and without first consulting Venezuelan Interim President Juan Guaidó. Read more here .  On Wednesday, I released a statement after voting not to advance, from the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, Mr. Kenneth Wainstein, a Biden Administration nominee who has done work for China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC), to serve as Under Secretary for Intelligence and Analysis at the Department of Homeland Security. Read more here .  On Tuesday, Senators Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Jim Risch (R-ID), and I, along with our Senate colleagues, send a bipartisan letter to President Joe Biden calling for democracy, good governance, and human rights to be top priorities in the upcoming U.S.-ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) Leaders Summit. Read more here . On Monday, as Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, I issued a statement regarding the transfer of Al-Qaeda terrorist Mohammed al-Qahtani from Guantanamo Bay to Saudi Arabia. Al-Qahtani was detained for his attempted role in the September 11th terrorist attacks against the United States and is a devout jihadist. Read more here .  On Sunday, I joined CNN’s State of the Union to discuss the latest on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Watch the full interview here .  On Sunday, I joined This Week with George Stephanopoulos to discuss the latest on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Watch the full interview here . On Sunday, I joined Ambrosio Hernandez on Al Punto Florida to discuss President Biden's State of the Union address and Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. Watch Part I and Part II of the interview.  Legislation Introduced Last Wednesday, I joined Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and  Senate colleagues in introducing a bipartisan resolution calling for Vladimir Putin and members of the Russian regime to be held accountable for the numerous acts of war, aggression, and human rights abuses that Russian forces have committed during their invasion of Ukraine. Read more here . On Thursday, Senators Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Steve Daines (R-MT), Kevin Cramer (R-ND), Roger Marshall (R-KS), Thom Tillis (R-NC), John Hoeven (R-ND), Rick Scott (R-FL), James Lankford (R-OK), and I introduced the Preempting Misguided Appeasement and Financing of Destabilizing Regimes Act . The bill would prohibit the importation of Iranian and Venezuelan crude oil, petroleum, petroleum products, and liquefied natural gas into the United States. Read more here . In Case You Missed It… “Rubio leads Florida Delegation in urging commerce to reject effort to undermine trade relief for Florida tomato growers” (Fresh Plaza , 3/8/2022) “Florida GOP lawmakers ask Biden to keep sanctions against Venezuela’s Maduro” (Miami Herald , 3/10/2022) “Rubio still wants to make Daylight Saving Time permanent nationwide. Here’s why” (Click Orlando , 3/10/2022) “Marco Rubio Rips Potential Oil Deal With Venezuela” (Newsmax , 3/8/2022) “Marco Rubio: American Energy Must Compensate for Russian Energy Export Ban” (Breitbart , 3/8/2022)   “Sen. Rubio Agrees With Biden Ban On Russian Oil Imports, But Criticizes Talks With Maduro Regime” (CBS 4 Miami , 3/8/2022)  “U.S. Sen. Rubio Denounces Biden Admin For Releasing The ‘20th Hijacker’ Of The 9/11 Attacks” (Tampa Free Press , 3/10/2022) “The panel’s top Republican, Marco Rubio of Florida, said Putin’s ‘barbarism is a shocking opening chapter in the return of history.’” (U.S. Spy Chiefs Reject Russia’s Claims of Ukraine Bioweapons, Bloomberg , 3/10/2022) “Miami’s US Senator Marco Rubio Leads Colleagues In Introducing Bill To Ban Oil Imports From Iran, Venezuela” (CBS 4 Miami , 3/10/2022) “El senador Marco Rubio criticó duramente las negociaciones de la adminsitración Biden con el régimen de Nicolás Maduro” (¿Cómo vamos a negociar con un régimen que apoya el terrorismo?, Diario las Americas , 3/9/2022) 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.