Several of Florida’s coastal military installations suffer from shoreline erosion and storm damage. Currently, there are limited options to address such damages, and pursuing funding through the formal military construction process can often take several years before...
News
Latest News
Next Week: Rubio Staff Hosts Mobile Office Hours
U.S. Senator Marco Rubio’s (R-FL) office will host in-person and virtual Mobile Office Hours next week to assist constituents with federal casework issues in their respective local communities. These office hours offer constituents who do not live close to one of...
Rubio Introduces Bill to Strengthen U.S.-Philippine Security Partnership
Sovereign nations in the Indo-Pacific region have been facing increased threats from the Chinese Communist Party as it continues its expansive military strategies. One such nation is the Philippines—a U.S. treaty ally. The U.S. must firmly stand with Manilla to ...
Rubio, Warner, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Ensure a Diverse and Secure Supply of Critical Minerals
Critical minerals are crucial for our national security as they play vital roles in military equipment, defense systems, and emerging technologies. However, Communist China currently dominates the mining, processing, and manufacturing of the majority of these...
Rubio Introduces Bill to Destroy China Monopoly on Critical Minerals
The Chinese Communist Party’s industrial monopoly on critical mineral-intensive goods is a national security vulnerability. To reduce China’s leverage, the U.S., its allies, and partners must break free from supply chains relying on Chinese minerals. U.S....
Rubio, Risch, Stefanik Introduce Military Moms Act
New mothers serving in the military and dependents of service members, have expressed difficulty navigating maternal and infant health resources and services through TRICARE, the military’s health care system. Every mother should feel supported and be able to access...
Rubio, Schatz Introduce Legislation to Prevent Invasive Species
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Brian Schatz (D-HI) introduced the Lacey Act Amendments of 2021 to address oversights in existing legal authority to prevent the importation of invasive species.
The legislation would correct the negative impacts of a 2017 D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals decision that diminished the ability of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to manage the establishment and spread of invasive species in the United States. The bill would also grant authority for emergency designation of species that pose an imminent threat, and authority to prohibit importation of wildlife species not yet in trade until they have been assessed for injuriousness.
Limiting the importation of not-previously-traded species before they have been assessed for invasiveness, and restricting the transport of known invasive species in interstate commerce, are two essential tools to slow the increased pressure from invasive species that already strain the response capabilities of both federal and state governments, and burden local economies.
“Florida is home to delicate ecosystems, and sadly we have seen firsthand how ecologically devastating invasive species can be,” Rubio said. “Invasive species threaten to decimate Florida’s native plants and animals, and we must do what we can to prevent the introduction of new, injurious species. I am proud to introduce this bipartisan legislation that would provide new tools for fighting invasive species. I remain committed to championing legislation that protects, improves, and restores Florida’s water quality and environment, so that Florida’s ecosystems can be preserved for generations to come.”