This Week in the Office of Senator Marco Rubio

This past Saturday was the 50 th anniversary of the legendary moon landing, I wrote an op-ed for the Orlando Sentinel about the moon landing’s testament to American innovation, industry and desire to win the future. Read more here.

On Wednesday, I issued a statement following the resignation of Ricardo Rosselló as Governor of Puerto Rico. We must use this opportunity to support Puerto Rico and ensure our fellow citizens do not suffer the consequences of the actions of corrupt politicians. Watch my video message and read more here.

On Monday, I applauded the Department of Transportation’s announcement to award Space Florida $90 million to replace the Cape Canaveral Spaceport Indian River Bridge. Read more here.

On Thursday, I released a statement following the release of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence’s report, “Russian Efforts Against Election Infrastructure,” the first volume of the Committee’s bipartisan investigation into Russia’s attempts to interfere in the 2016 elections. Read more here.

On Monday, I urged the Acting Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to grant a new 18-month Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designation for Haiti. Read more here.

On Wednesday, I released a statement following my call to postpone the business meeting to consider the SBA Reauthorization and Improvement Act of 2019, a bipartisan product of the committee’s work to reauthorize the Small Business Act. Read more here.

On Friday, I wrote an op-ed for the Washington Examiner highlighting the need to increase small business involvement in the regulatory process in order to achieve meaningful reauthorization of the Small Business Act. Read more here.

On Tuesday, I penned an op-ed for RealClear Politics on ways we can empower America’s small businesses to confront the unprecedented threats from the Chinese government’s industrial espionage and market obstruction. Read more here.

On Wednesday, I wrote an op-ed for National Review on how small businesses can play a vital role in enabling a new mission to launch Americans to the moon safely. Read more here.

On Tuesday, I called on Speaker Nancy Pelosi to take real action to oppose the anti-Israel Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement. I also renewed my request for the House to finally pass my bipartisan bill, S. 1, to combat the BDS movement and strengthen America’s security in the Middle East. Read more here.

On Thursday, I applauded new sanctions against members of a corruption network in Venezuela illegally enriching themselves through the Maduro regime’s food subsidy program, CLAP. Read more here.

On Tuesday, I applauded the Senate’s overwhelming vote to make the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund permanent. Watch my video message and read more here.

On Wednesday, I applauded the Senate confirmation of Wendy Williams Berger to serve as federal district court judge for the Middle District of Florida. Read more here.

On Tuesday, I introduced legislation with Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK) to implement recommendations for the U.S. Coast Guard to reduce and manage maintenance backlog for shore infrastructure assets. Read more here.

On Thursday, I urged Defense Secretary Mark Esper to direct the Department of Defense (DoD) to delay awarding the Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure (JEDI) cloud contract until the Inspector General completes its investigation into conflicts of interest. Read more here.

On Monday, Senators Kamala Harris (D-CA), Cory Booker (D-NJ) and I introduced legislation to establish the Commission on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys, which seeks to recommend policies to improve government programs. Read more here.

In Case You Missed It...

“Sen. Rubio: Moon landing was America’s defining moment | Commentary” (Orlando Sentinel, 7/20/2019)

“Empowering America's Small Businesses to Confront China” (RealClear Politics, 7/23/2019)

“Sen. Marco Rubio: Small businesses need a voice in Washington” (Washington Examiner, 7/25/2019)

“Small-Business Moonshot: How to Revive the U.S. Economy” (National Review, 7/24/2019)

“Marco Rubio aims to boost small biz, counter China, with SBA reauthorization” (Roll Call, 7/19/2019)

“Rubio: Small businesses critical to space exploration” (Florida Today, 7/19/2019)

“Religious Freedom Scorecard: Marco Rubio Earns Highest Rating in Senate for 3rd Year” (Breitbart, 7/20/2019)

“Seeking to calm the fears of tens of thousands of Haitians who could soon be targeted for deportation to Haiti, Florida Sen. Marco Rubio has filed legislation in the U.S. Senate to extend temporary protection to thousands of Haitians living in the

United States who are currently enrolled in the Temporary Protected Status program.” (Florida senator seeks TPS extension for Haitians, Miami Herald, 7/19/2019)

“As Morse reported, McKinlay recently succeeded in grabbing the attention of U.S. Sens. Marco Rubio and Rick Scott, who jointly wrote a letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue calling the living conditions ‘very troubling’ and asking Perdue to ‘investigate and remediate any problems in Belle Glade as soon as possible.’” (Editorial: Appalling living, school conditions in the Glades deserve long-overdue ‘action,’ not just ‘attention’, The Palm Beach Post, 7/22/2019)

Senator Marco Rubio, Republican of Florida, has called on the Trump administration to take tougher action to end all Iranian oil exports. After the Financial Times published its report on June 26, Mr. Rubio wrote on Twitter, ‘The Administration stopped issuing sanctions waivers for Iranian oil exports in May, yet China just received massive oil cargo from Iran.’” (U.S. Punishes Chinese Company Over Iranian Oil, The New York Times, 7/22/2019)

“U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., said in a statement Monday that ‘it is critical that we replace the Indian River Bridge to support the increased activity and the ambitious future mission launch schedules by commercial and government entities on Florida's Space Coast.’” (Federal grant will help build bridge to Cape Canaveral, Fox 35 Orlando, 7/23/2019)

“¿Cómo una isla tropical tiene escasez de agua?, cuestiona Rubio al régimen cubano” (Cubanet, 7/23/2019)

“U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio issued a statement praising the confirmation of Berger, who was nominated for the post last year by President Donald Trump. ‘Judge Berger has nearly 30 years of courtroom experience in Florida, and I am confident that experience will serve her well in her new role as a federal district court judge for the Middle District of Florida,’ Rubio said.” (Wendy Berger confirmed as federal judge, Florida Politics, 7/25/209)

“‘Hurricane Irma wreaked devastation across the state of Florida, and it is important that the federal government works with state and local leaders to ensure that our communities are well-prepared for future storms,’ Florida Senator Marco Rubio said. ‘I welcome these funds to Putnam County.’” (FEMA awards Putnam County almost $1.5 million to fund drainage system, First Coast News, 7/23/2019)

“U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., said awarding the grant to Putnam is a boon for the community. Grants and projects for improving water infrastructure are imperative due to the damage caused from past natural disasters, he said.” (Feds Allocate Funds for St. Johns Repairs, Palatka Daily News, 7/23/2019)

“Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., applauded the funding, saying replacing the aging bridge will provide critical support for the transportation of significant payloads and the increasing launch cadence. ‘As the existing bridge nears the end of its service life, it is critical that we replace the Indian River Bridge to support the increased activity and the ambitious future mission launch schedules by commercial and government entities on Florida’s Space Coast,’ Rubio said.” (Major spaceport infrastructure improvements on tap with $90M federal grant, Click Orlando, 7/25/2019)

“Sen. Marco Rubio: Pelosi has allowed 'radical, anti-Semitic minority in the Democratic Party' to set agenda” (Fox News, 7/25/2019)

“The chief sponsor of the Senate bill, Senator Marco Rubio, Republican of Florida, on Tuesday accused Speaker Nancy Pelosi of promoting a watered-down measure and allowing ‘the radical, anti-Semitic minority in the Democratic Party to dictate the House floor agenda.’” (House Overwhelmingly Condemns Movement to Boycott Israel, The New York Times, 7/23/2019)

“U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., cosponsored the Senate bill and weighed in after the vote on Tuesday. ‘I have long supported this effort and I’m glad that Congress has finally taken action to make the 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund permanent. All of us remember the images of the brave firefighters and first responders in New York City who charged into the burning buildings on September 11th,’ Rubio said.” (Florida Senators Back 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund Bill Which Now Heads to President’s Desk, Florida Daily, 7/24/2019)

“Marco Rubio joins Debbie Mucarsel-Powell in pushing for Coast Guard infrastructure upgrades” (Florida Politics, 7/24/2019)

“‘The right to freely live out your faith according to your conscience is fundamental to the human spirit,’ Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), who co-chairs the CECC, said in a tweet on July 22. Rubio is one of 19 sponsors of S.Res.274, introduced to the Senate on July 11 in expressing solidarity with Falun Gong practitioners. He vowed to continue advocating for religious freedom and make sure that the topic ‘remains a central piece of U.S. foreign policy.’” (Persecution of Falun Gong in China an ‘Appalling and Unacceptable’ Abuse of Human Rights: US Lawmakers, Epoch Times, 7/24/2019)

“U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio, the Florida Republican, believes these gangs are on Beijing’s payroll. He said on Twitter, ‘Communist Party of #China used organized crime groups to attack protestors in #HongKong. Shows you who we are dealing with.’” (The Hong Kong Protest Is Beijing’s New Tiananmen Square, The Federalist, 7/25/2019)

“Florida Senators Marco Rubio & Rick Scott On Puerto Rico Governor Richardo Rosselló’s Resignation” (CBS Miami, 7/25/2019)

Legislation Introduced…

• Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK) and I introduced legislation to implement recommendations to reduce and manage maintenance backlog for the U.S. Coast Guard.

• Senators Kamala Harris (D-CA), Cory Booker (D-NJ) and I introduced legislation to establish the Commission on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys.

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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