FLORIDA - SENATOR MARCO RUBIO eNEWSLETTER

 

This Week in the Office of Senator Marco Rubio  On Tuesday, I spoke at The Heritage Foundation on the most pressing foreign policy challenges facing the United States. Watch the video of my speech and read my remarks here .  Photo courtesy of Willis Bretz On Sunday, I joined News4Jax’s This Week in Jacksonville to discuss the latest on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Watch the full interview here .  On Thursday, I served as Ranking Member during a Senate Committee on Foreign Relations subcommittee hearing on the threat of the Chinese Communist Party in Latin America and the Caribbean. Watch my opening remarks and questions to the witnesses here and here .  On Wednesday, I joined America’s Newsroom to discuss the latest on Putin’s strategy in Ukraine and the growing threat posed by the Chinese Communist Party. Watch the full interview here .  On Tuesday, I published an op-ed in the Washington Examiner explaining that the Chinese Communist Party will be the greatest threat to the 21st century. Read the op-ed here .  On Sunday, I joined Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo to discuss China and the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Watch the full interview here .  On Monday, Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) and I urged Federal Energy Regulatory Commission  Chairman Richard Glick to rescind two recent policy statements that threaten investments in energy infrastructure, inappropriately expand the scope of the agency’s regulatory authority, and “will directly harm Florida ratepayers.” Read more here .  On Wednesday, I led Republican members of the Florida delegation in sending a letter to U.S. Department of Education Secretary Miguel Cardona demanding answers on how the administration plans to “monitor” the implementation of the State of Florida’s recently enacted Parental Rights in Education Act . Read more here .  On Monday, I sent a letter to U.S. Department of Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and Attorney General Merrick Garland calling for legal actions against ZTE, a Chinese tech company partially owned by the Chinese Communist Party. Read more here .  On Monday, I  joined Senators Jim Risch (R-ID), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Mitt Romney (R-UT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Rob Portman (R-OH), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Chris Coons (D-DE), Ben Cardin (D-MD), and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) in sending a letter to U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Linda Thomas-Greenfield requesting she introduce a resolution at the United Nations (UN) to remove the Russian Federation from the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC). Read more here .  On Monday, U.S. Representative Lance Gooden (R-TX) and I sent a letter to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) demanding the agency preserve all documents related to the screening and transportation of illegal immigrants at U.S. airports for use in future congressional investigations. Additionally, we sent a letter to Dr. Joseph Cuffari, Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), requesting DHS conduct a review of TSA’s policies and procedures that facilitate illegal aliens’ entry into the sterile area of airports and board commercial airlines without proper identification. Read more here .    On Tuesday, Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA) and I, as members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, applauded the Committee’s passage of our bipartisan joint resolution to explicitly prohibit any President of the United States from withdrawing from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization without the Senate’s advice and consent. Read more here .  On Tuesday, I released a statement calling on the Senate to take immediate action to remove critical hurdles that prevent veterans exposed to burn-pits from receiving life-saving care. Read more here .  On Tuesday, Senator Todd Young (R-IN) and I sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, and U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission Chair Gary Gensler warning of the risk posed by Didi Chuxing, a ride-hailing platform with concerning links to the Chinese Communist Party. Read more here .  On Tuesday, I  joined Senators Joni Ernst (R-IA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), and a bipartisan group of senators in sending a letter to Jake Sullivan, National Security Advisor (NSA) to President Joe Biden, requesting answers on the speed, specifics, and supply of lethal aid delivered to Ukraine. Read more here .  On Thursday, I joined Senators Jim Risch (R-ID), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Rob Portman (R-OH), Ted Cruz (R-TX), Ron Johnson (R-WI), and Bill Hagerty (R-TN) in sending a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken requesting he work with other members of the Organization of American States to revoke the Russian Federation’s status as a permanent observer. Read more here .  Legislation Introduced On Monday, I joined Senators Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-MS), John Kennedy (R-LA), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), and Roger Wicker (R-MS) in introducing the Homeowner Flood Insurance Transparency and Protection Act to protect Florida homeowners with National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) policies from the rate hikes that millions of policyholders are slated to see this week. Read more here .  On Monday, Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and I introduced bipartisan and bicameral legislation to reauthorize the Reinforcing Education Accountability in Development Act for five years to continue access to basic education for children around the globe. Read more here .  On Wednesday, I joined Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Mark Warner (D-VA) in reintroducing the Student Right to Know Before You Go Act , to provide critical information to help students, families, policymakers, and taxpayers better understand the costs and outcomes associated with higher education, while protecting individual privacy. Read more here . On Wednesday, I joined Senators Rick Scott (R-FL), Bill Hagerty (R-TN), Mike Braun (R-IN), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), and Ron Johnson (R-WI) in introducing the Protect America’s Innovation and Economic Security from CCP Act . The bill would reestablish the U.S. Department of Justice’s (DOJ) China Initiative under a new name, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) Initiative. Read more here . On Thursday, Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) and I  introduced the Stillbirth Health Improvement and Education for Autumn Act , legislation that aims to reduce and better understand the alarmingly high U.S. stillbirth rate through investment in research and data collection. Read more here .  In Case You Missed It… “‘Republican Senators Marco Rubio and Cynthia Lummis sent a letter to agriculture secretary Tom Vilsack on March 31 calling on USDA to allow farmers to plant acres enrolled in the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) without penalty.’” (U.S. senators call for planting on conserved land in response to Ukraine crisis, Reuters , 4/1/2022) “Rubio, Menendez ask Biden’s DHS to extend TPS for Venezuelans” (Miami Herald , 3/31/2022) “Marco Rubio Leads G.O.P. Push for a More Combative Stance on China” (New York Times , 3/29/2022) “Rubio urges more attention to China’s rise in Latin America” (Associated Press , 3/30/2022)   “Rubio Questions SBA Over PPP Backlog” (The Floridian , 3/25/2022) “Sen. Rubio reveals 'likeliest' scenario regarding Russia's use of chemical, biological weapons” (Fox News , 3/27/2022) “Rubio Slaps Down Disney's Hypocrisy Over Florida Parental Rights Law” (Townhall , 3/29/2022)   “Rubio: China has deputized 'woke' American corporations as its lobbyists” (Washington Examiner , 3/29/2022) “Rubio demands Education Secretary Cardona answer questions about monitoring new Florida law” (NBC News , 3/30/2022) “Senators Urge Prohibiting Military Personnel Use of CCP-Linked Ride-Hailing Platform Didi” (The Epoch Times , 3/31/2022) 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.