This Week in the Office of Senator Marco Rubio On Sunday, I posted an op-ed in Real Clear Politics discussing the crippling economic impact of COVID-19 and emphasizing the need to refocus the American economy on domestic industry. Read the op-ed here. On Wednesday, I released a statement regarding the Biden Administration’s decision to shortchange Florida infrastructure funding in newly released allocations. Although the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced $1.098 billion in construction funding for South Florida Ecosystem Restoration, this falls far short of the $1.5 billion Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) and I, along with bipartisan members of the Florida congressional delegation, requested in December 2021. Read more here . 
On Friday, I led members of the Florida congressional delegation in urging U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg to reconsider Florida’s funding allotment for bridge improvements as provided by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act’s Bridge Formula Program. The letter follows the administration’s announcement that Florida would be allotted $245 million for bridge repairs -- less than one percent of total bridge funding, despite Florida being home to approximately 6.5 percent of the American population. Read more here . 
On Wednesday, I joined Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) in sending a letter to U.S. Navy Secretary Carlos Del Toro to express support for a joint corridor project between the U.S. Navy and the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) that would allow the public to access certain areas located on Naval Air Station Pensacola (NASP) while maintaining the base’s operational security. Read more here.  On Tuesday, I joined U.S. Representative Claudia Tenney (R-NY) in sending a letter to Cheryl Johnson, Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives, and Sonceria Ann Berry, Secretary of the U.S. Senate, following reports that Hangzhou Hikvision Digital Technology Company (Hikvision) urged their offices to investigate Internet Protocol Video Market (IPVM) for supposed lobbying disclosure violations. Read more here. 
On Tuesday, I joined Senator Steve Daines (R-MT) and colleagues in introducing a Senate Concurrent Resolution designating January 16, 2022 as Religious Freedom Day. Read more here. 
On Wednesday, I joined Senator Bob Menendez (D-NJ) and U.S. Representative Nydia Velázquez (D-NY) in applauding the House passage of the bicameral and bipartisan Puerto Rico Recovery Accuracy in Disclosures Act (PRRADA). On Thursday, President Joe Biden signed the bill into law. Read more here .
On Thursday, I released a statement and video following a briefing on the release of the Central Intelligence Agency’s (CIA) interim assessment of anomalous health incidents (AHIs), commonly referred to as “Havana Syndrome.” Read more here. 
On Thursday, I joined Senators Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Bill Cassidy (R-LA), and Ben Cardin (D-MD) in sending a letter to Catherine Russell, the newly-appointed Executive Director of the United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), urging her to prioritize the protection of at least 45 Cuban children, younger than 17, arbitrarily jailed and prosecuted by the Cuban regime for their participation in the historic July 2021 protests. Read more here. 
On Friday, I joined Senator John Thune (R-SD) and Republican colleagues in urging U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra to rescind an interim final rule that places one-size-fits-all federal mandates on Head Start programs across the nation. Read more here. 
In Case You Missed It…“Cammack, Rubio Introduce 2022 Keep Kids in Schools Act” (The Floridian, 1/19/2022) “Rubio is Right: We Must Stop U.S. Billionaires from Empowering China | Opinion” (Newsweek, 1/19/2022) “Marco Rubio’s, Michael Waltz’s Push for Feds to Examine, Accelerate Haitian Relief Programs Building Steam” (Florida Daily, 1/18/2022) “U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., weighed in on the [International Trade Commission] report last week.” (Florida Officials: ITC Report Shows How Mexican Imports Hurting Agriculture in the State, Florida Daily, 1/18/2022) “‘The [Puerto Rico Recovery Accuracy in Disclosures Act] closes a loophole that “allowed bankruptcy advisers and consultants to get rich off of worsening economic inequalities in Puerto Rico without having to disclose their conflicts of interest with creditors,’ Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) said in a statement jointly with Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) and Rep. Nydia Velázquez (D-N.Y.).” (Puerto Rico Reorg Advisers’ Disclosure Bill Passed by Congress, Bloomberg Government, 1/19/2022) “...Sen. MARCO RUBIO (R-Fla.)...laid down his own plan Friday morning that would require the Director of National Intelligence to report to Congress every 20 days on whether Russia has violated Ukraine’s ‘territorial integrity’ — and, if so, trigger a cascade of crushing sanctions targeting top Russian officials and industries, including on Putin himself. ” (U.S. has intel about possible Russian false-flag op, Politico, 1/14/2022) “Rubio: Fauci Is ‘Protected’ by View of Media, Dems That He ‘Cannot Be Questioned’ and Biden’s ‘Tied’ to and Can’t Abandon Him” (Breitbart, 1/15/2022) “‘Israel is the leading democracy and our strongest ally in the Middle East,’ Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., told Fox News Digital. "America now has an opportunity to strengthen and expand that coalition. But this progress won’t come without real effort and leadership from the U.S. government.’” (GOP lawmakers back think tank report pushing Israel, Saudi Arabia ties as vital US security interest, Fox News, 1/19/2022) “‘Chaos and incompetence is the only way to define President Biden’s first year, and that is especially true when it comes to immigration,’ Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio said in a statement. ‘Not only did Biden reduce enforcement and welcome illegal immigrants into the country, his administration is sending illegal immigrants to cities and towns all across America.’” (Biden set high bar for himself on immigration. After a year, he’s straining to reach it, Miami Herald, 1/20/2022) “‘Israel is the leading democracy and our strongest ally in the Middle East,’ Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., told Fox News Digital.” (GOP lawmakers back think tank report pushing Israel, Saudi Arabia ties as vital US security interest, Fox News, 1/19/2022) 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.
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