FLORIDA

 

THIS WEEK IN THE OFFICE OF SENATOR MARCO RUBIO FEBRUARY 6-10, 2023 Eyes on the Balloon Following the discovery and take down of the Chinese spy balloon that floated across the United States, Senator Rubio shared his insights on the situation on Tucker Carlson Tonight , State of the Union , This Week , and Fox & Friends .   The State of the Union & Confronting China  Following President Joe Biden’s State of the Union, Senator Rubio appeared on Hannity to provide his take on the “ bizarre ” speech. Following the President’s failure to explain how his administration is pushing back on China, the Miami Herald Editorial Board recommended the president seek advice from Senator Rubio.  Senator Rubio delivered remarks and questioned Biden administration officials at a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing assessing U.S.-China Policy.   Op-eds  Senator Rubio addressed record low union membership in RealClearPolitics . In Nikkei Asia , he reiterated the dangers with “Made in China” infrastructure. And in The Floridian , Senator Rubio urged the Biden Administration to be more aggressive in cracking down on fentanyl production and distribution.    Funding for Florida Senator Rubio along with 21 members of the Florida delegation sent a letter to President Joe Biden requesting $725 million for Everglades restoration in the Fiscal Year 2024 budget.   Florida Senators Rubio and Rick Scott sent a letter to U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Assistant Secretary Michael Connor requesting funding for critical projects in Florida.  Letters Vice Chairman Rubio and Chairman Mark Warner (D-VA) of the Senate Intel Committee, sent a letter to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg expressing their concerns over Facebook’s user data being accessible by threatening nations like China and Russia.  Legislation  Senator Rubio reintroduced bipartisan legislation to ban TikTok with Senator Angus King (I-ME), fueling the momentum to cease TikTok from operating in the United States.  Senator Rubio and his colleagues reintroduced the Felony Murder for Deadly Fentanyl Distribution Act to make the distribution of fentanyl, resulting in death, a felony.  Senator Rubio introduced the No Coyote Cash Act to criminalize payments related to illegal migrant smuggling into the United States.   Senator Rubio and Senator Ted Budd (R-NC) reintroduced the Federal Skills Act .  Senator Rubio and Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) reintroduced the Freedom to Compete Act .  In the News “As we enter this stage of fractured diplomacy, Rubio’s input should be taken seriously. Not only because of his position on the intelligence committee, but also because the actions of communist and totalitarian governments are his wheelhouse.” (At State of the Union, Biden said he won’t tolerate Chinese spying. He should consult Florida’s Rubio | Opinion, Miami Herald , 2/8/2023)  “Marco Rubio and Mark Warner are quickly becoming the Senate’s most prominent — and effective — bipartisan duo.” (The Warner-Rubio alliance bears fruit, Punchbowl News , 2/10/2023) “Sen. Rubio introduces bill to crack down on southern border 'coyotes'” (Fox News , 2/9/2023)  “Rubio To Biden Administration: What Is The Strategic Vision Of The New World Order Now That Russia And China Are Rejecting It?” (RealClear Politics , 2/9/2023) “Marco Rubio Demands Answers on Chinese Spy Balloon: ‘They Failed to Act to Stop It’” (Breitbart , 2/9/2023) “Sen. Marco Rubio: Deadly fentanyl dealing must be considered felony murder” (Washington Times , 2/10/2023) “And Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, the top Republican on the Intelligence Committee, also said the White House should have shot down the balloon before it completed its transit. ‘We had both authority and the capability to bring it down much earlier than we did,’ Rubio said. ‘What if it had malfunctioned, or what if it had a self-destruct mechanism and could have fallen on a city? If it wasn’t threatening, why did they shut down civil aviation?’” (Congress unites to condemn China — but splits again over Biden — after spy balloon incident, Politico , 2/9/2023) “Some Republicans, like Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), see an opportunity here: Supporting union members who agree with the GOP on cultural issues might help bolster the party’s base. The party’s increasing hostility to businesses that advocate for issues like diversity meant that, when Amazon employees wanted to organize, Rubio sided with the workers and not the corporation.” (Biden wants working-class support — but particularly when organized, Washington Post , 2/8/2023) “Marco Rubio, Rick Scott Call on Army Corps to Fund Florida Project” (Florida Daily , 2/9/2023)   “Cortez Masto, Rubio introduce bill to protect veterans from fraud” (KOLOTV , 2/9/2023) Keep up with Senator Rubio on Facebook , Twitter , and Instagram .