Friday, June 10, 2022

FLORIDA

This Week in the Office of Senator Marco Rubio

On Wednesday, Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) and I led a resolution, which was passed the Senate, recognizing the anniversary of the terrorist attack at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida on June 12, 2016 and honoring the 49 innocent lives lost in that senseless tragedy. Read more here .

On Tuesday, I released a statement and video message after the Senate voted to advance the Honoring Our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act of 2021 . Read more here .

On Tuesday, Senator Kirsten Gilliband (D-NY) and I joined The Lead with Jake Tapper to discuss the Senate’s passage of the bipartisan PACT Act . Watch the interview here .

On Wednesday, I joined Hannity to discuss Supreme Court protests, the January 6th public hearings, and more. Watch the full interview here .

On Wednesday, I led my colleagues in sending a letter to Federal Communications Commission Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel regarding the sale of 18 Spanish-language radio stations, including Miami’s conservative Radio Mambí, to the Latino Media Network, a recently formed media group run by Democrat activists and funded in part by left-wing billionaire George Soros. Read more here .

On Wednesday, Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) and I, along with Representative Kat Cammack (R-FL), sent a letter to U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Denis McDonough regarding an Inspector General report on a June 2020 incident in which the VA failed to provide emergency care to a veteran at the Malcom Randall VA Medical Center Emergency Department in Gainesville, Florida, resulting in the veteran’s death. Read more here .

On Friday, I sent a letter to U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland following the arrest of a man who planned to assassinate U.S. Supreme Court Justice Kavanaugh. Read more here .

On Friday, I released a statement warning of Chinese Communist Party (CCP) propaganda at the Shangri-La Dialogue, an important Indo-Pacific defense summit taking place in Singapore this weekend. Read more here .

On Thursday, I led my colleagues in applauding the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations’ unanimous passage of my United States Commission on International Religious Freedom Reauthorization Act of 2022 . The bill would reauthorize the independent, bipartisan United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) for two years, past its current expiration of December 2022. Read more here .

On Thursday, I joined my colleagues in applauding the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations’ unanimous passage of the bipartisan International Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2022 . The bill would reauthorize and enhance critical programming, policy, and funding essential to the United States’ efforts to combat human trafficking. Read more here .

On Thursday, Senator John Barrasso (R-WY) and I, along with our colleagues, sent a letter to U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra regarding HHS’s plan for transitioning out of the COVID-19 public health declaration. Read more here .

On Thursday, Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and I sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen regarding the United States’ response to the brutal authoritarian regime of Daniel Ortega and his wife Rosario Murillo in Nicaragua. We called for the administration to increase the use of targeted sanctions and economic tools to continue to isolate members of the Nicaraguan regime. Read more here .

On Monday, I led Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Representatives Chris Smith (R-NJ) and Jim McGovern (D-MA) in sending a letter President Joe Biden regarding the implementation of our Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act , which goes into effect no later than June 21, 2022. Read more here .

On Wednesday, I joined Oscar Haza on Zeta 92.3FM and Ahora con Oscar Haza de Mega TV to discuss the tragic shooting in Uvalde, the Ninth Summit of the Americas, the sale of Spanish-language radio stations to a Democrat activist group, and Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. Watch the interview here .

Legislation Introduced

On Wednesday, Senator Jon Ossoff (D-GA) and I introduced the bipartisan Military Housing Affordability Act . The legislation would grant a two-year extension to the U.S. Department of Defense’s (DoD) authority to temporarily adjust the basic allowance for housing (BAH) rates for service members living in higher-cost areas. Read more here .
On Thursday, Senator John Cornyn (R-TX) and I introduced the Protecting our Servicemembers through Proven Methods Act of 2022 . Read more here.
On Thursday, Senator Jim Inhofe (R-OK) and I introduced the Keep Our Communities Safe Act . The legislation would close a loophole that requires immigration authorities to release into the United States illegal immigrants whose immigration cases are still being processed, a practice also referred to as "catch and release." Read more here .

In Case You Missed It…

“Lawmakers demand answers for ER care at VA hospitals after death in Gainesville facility” (The Gainesville Sun , 6/9/2022)

“‘Once again, the Biden administration has watered down and weakened critical national tools to take on the Chinese Communist Party,’ Republican Senator Marco Rubio said to Nikkei.” (Biden move on China investment blacklist draws fire in Washington, Nikkei Asia , 6/7/2022)

“Rubio: Heavily Invested Liberal Network is Attempting to ‘Wipe Out Hispanic Conservative Voices’” (The Floridian , 6/6/2022)

“A bipartisan effort led by Sen. Marco Rubio and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) to aid veterans exposed to burn pits while serving in the military crossed an important procedural hurdle in the U.S. Senate on Tuesday.” (A Florida election year without the barrage of ads?, Politico , 6/8/2022)

“Marco Rubio, Mark Warner Want More Sanctions on Putin Enablers” (Florida Daily , 6/8/2022)

“Sens. MARCO RUBIO (R-Fla.) and BOB MENENDEZ (D-N.J.) introduced the Western Hemisphere Security Strategy Act in February to combat China and Russia’s “harmful and malign influence” in Latin America.” (China’s long shadow looms over Biden’s Americas summit, Politico , 6/9/2022)

“Rubio Calls for More Security for Supreme Court Judges” (The Floridian , 6/9/2022)

“Marco Rubio Calls on Biden to Rigorously Implement Uyghur Forced Labor Law” (Florida Daily , 6/9/2022)

“The Pulse Nightclub tragedy occurred on June 16, 2012. U.S. Senators Marco Rubio and Rick Scott of Florida filed a resolution recognizing the 49 lost. The resolution passed the Senate unanimously.” (It’s been six years since the Pulse Nightclub shooting massacre in Orlando, Florida Phoenix , 6/9/2022)

“Senadores urgen presionar y aislar al régimen de Daniel Ortega” (Diario las Americas , 6/8/2022)

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 .