This Week in the Office of Senator Marco Rubio
This morning, I convened a hearing titled, “Liberty City Rising: Achieving Upward Mobility through Small Business and Community Partnerships”. Read more here.
On Thursday, I was proud to name Carroll Bradford Inc., of Orlando, Florida, as the Senate Small Business of the Week. Watch my video message here.
On Wednesday, I met with newly appointed Venezuelan Chargé d’affaires, Carlos Vecchio, Organization of American States (OAS) Special Representative Gustavo Tarre Briceño, Congressman and Ambassador to the Lima Group Julio Borges, the Coordinator of the OAS Working Group David Smolansky, Congressman José Manuel Olivares, and Francisco Márquez. Read more here.
On Monday, the U.S. Senate voted, 74-to-19, to move forward on my legislation, the Strengthening America’s Security in the Middle East Act of 2019 (S. 1). Ahead of the vote I spoke on the Senate floor on the importance of this legislation. Watch it here.
On Thursday, I spoke on the on the Senate floor on the risks of a hasty withdrawal of U.S. forces from Syria and Afghanistan. Watch my full speech here.
This week, I along with Senators Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ) and Thom Tillis (R-NC), introduced the Threat Assessment, Prevention, and Safety (TAPS) Act of 2019 (S. 265), legislation that would create a task force of experts to provide recommendations for a national strategy to keep communities safe from targeted violence through threat assessment and management. Read more here.
On Monday, I praised the decision by the Trump Administration to impose sanctions against the Venezuelan oil company PDVSA. Read more here.
On Wednesday, I spoke at a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on the threats that China and Venezuela pose to our national security. Watch it here.
On Wednesday, I joined WCTV to discuss my commitment to rebuilding Florida’s Tyndall Air Force Base. Read more here.
On Tuesday, I wrote an op-ed for CNN outlining the opportunity for the United States to work closely with Brazil to seek peace and stability in Latin America. Read more here. Lea mi columna de opinión en Español aquí.
My bipartisan legislation with Senator Mark Warner (D-VA) to help combat tech- specific threats to national security posed by foreign actors like China has picked up four new bipartisan Senate co-sponsors. Read more here.
On Sunday, I joined Jake Tapper on CNN to discuss the Trump Administration's strong leadership to support democracy and human rights in Venezuela. Watch the full interview here.
On Sunday, I joined Chuck Todd on Meet the Press to discuss the Trump Administration’s bold Venezuela policies, as well as the opportunity to reach a deal on immigration and government funding in the upcoming weeks. Watch the full interview here.
Hablé con Ambrosio Hernández en Al Punto FL sobre la crisis en Venezuela y la importancia de seguir apoyando a Presidente Provisional Juan Guaidó. Vea aqui.
On Wednesday, Representative Chris Smith (R-NJ) and I led a bipartisan and bicameral group of lawmakers in nominating Uyghur intellectual Ilham Tohti for the 2019 Nobel Peace Prize. Read more here.
On Thursday, I joined 64 of my Senate colleagues in sending a letter to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Administrator Seema Verma in support of Medicare Advantage and the high-quality care it provides to more than 21 million seniors and individuals with disabilities, including nearly 1.8 million Floridians in 2018 alone. Read more here.
In Case You Missed It...
“Senator Marco Rubio, a vocal critic of Maduro who has called for such sanctions, welcomed the move even before it was announced. ‘The Maduro crime family has used PDVSA to buy and keep the support of many military leaders,” Rubio said. “The oil belongs to the Venezuelan people, and therefore the money PDVSA earns from its export will now be returned to the people through their legitimate constitutional government.’” (US hits Venezuela state-owned oil company with sanctions, Associated Press, 1/28/2019)
“Rubio honors Raw Bar, McNeils” (Port St. Joe Star, 2/1/2019)
“Marco Rubio dice que la única negociación en Venezuela es la salida de Maduro” (La Patilla, 1/30/2019)
“On Venezuela, Rubio Assumes U.S. Role of Ouster in Chief” (New York Times, 1/26/2019)
“Sen. Marco Rubio introduces plan to prevent mass casualty attacks” (Sun Sentinel, 1/31/2019)
“Rubio releases video lambasting Venezuela’s Maduro regime as UN members debate crisis” (Miami Herald, 1/26/2019)
“Marco Rubio: Nicolás Maduro debe escoger si sale por las buenas o las malas” (El Nacional, 1/28/2019)
“US senators Marco Rubio, a Republican, and Bernie Sanders, an independent who caucuses with Democrats, both signed the nomination letter, which came from the bipartisan Congressional-Executive Commission on China.” (Taipei Times, 1/31/2019) Legislation Introduced...
• Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and I re-introduced the Special Envoy to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism Act, bipartisan legislation that would enhance the State Department’s role in combating and monitoring anti- Semitism around the world. • I joined my colleagues in reintroducing legislation to permanently repeal the federal estate tax, commonly known as the death tax. • I joined Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Roger Wicker (R-MS), and Ben Cardin (D-MD) in introducing the Rodchenkov Anti-Doping Act. The legislation, originally introduced in the 115th Congress, would criminalize international doping fraud conspiracies. • I joined Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR), and members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, joined in introducing a resolution calling for the immediate release of imprisoned Reuters journalists Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, as well as for accountability and the safe, voluntary, dignified repatriation of refugees in the wake of the Burmese military’s atrocities against the Rohingya. Read more here. • I joined Senators Jim Inhofe (R-OK), Bob Menendez (D-NJ), John Cornyn (R-TX), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Edward Markey (D-MA), Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA) John Boozman (R-AR) and James Lankford (R-OK) in introducing legislation calling for the Secretary of State to develop a strategy for Taiwan to regain observer status in the World Health Organization ahead of its annual global assembly later this year. Read more here. • Senators Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), Thom Tillis (R-NC), and I introduced the Threat Assessment, Prevention, and Safety (TAPS) Act of 2019 (S. 265), legislation that would create a task force of experts to provide recommendations for a national strategy to keep communities safe from targeted violence through threat assessment and management. Read more here. • I joined Senators Todd Young (R-IN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Roy Blunt (R-MO), and Maggie Hassan (D-NH) today reintroduced The Housing Choice Voucher Mobility Demonstration Act (S. 291), which authorizes a demonstration to help families receiving housing vouchers move to areas with greater opportunities. Read more here. 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
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