Since October 7, 2023, our strongest ally in the Middle East, Israel, has withstood various terrorist attacks from Iran and its proxies, including Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Hezbollah, and others. Instead of standing by Jerusalem, the Biden-Harris...
News
Latest News
Rubio: “The Court is Right: Algorithms Should Not Enjoy Section 230 Protections”
TikTok was recently sued after a 10-year-old girl died from taking part in a viral challenge that dared users on the app to choke themselves until they passed out. Courts have historically protected social media companies over user-generated content due to...
Rubio, Moolenaar Demand Communist China-linked Battery Company Be Blacklisted
Contemporary Amperex Technology Limited (CATL) is an electric vehicle battery company with deep ties to the Chinese Communist Party and its armed wing, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA). Reliance on, and use of, CATL batteries threatens U.S. national security as it...
Rubio: Communist China Making a Mockery of Biden-Harris Administration
Despite the serious threats the Chinese Communist Party poses to the United States and our allies, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan is in the midst of a three day visit with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in another embarrassing attempt to “lower tensions”...
Rubio Calls on John Deere to Prioritize American Workers
John Deere, the world’s largest tractor manufacturer, is a staple of American business and a crucial supplier for the hard working Americans who grow our food. Recently, after receiving public backlash, John Deere ended several ridiculous Diversity, Equity, and...
Rubio Y Colegas: Esto No Se Trata de Ideología Política, Se Trata de Defender la Voluntad del Pueblo Venezolano
Hace casi un mes, el pueblo venezolano votó por Edmundo González Urrutia como su presidente electo. Ayer, el Tribunal Supremo de Justicia del narco-régimen de Maduro optó por legitimar el fraude electoral de la dictadura. Los senadores estadounidenses Marco Rubio...
Rubio, Nelson Call for Oversight Hearing on Affordable Housing for Hurricane Victims in Florida, Puerto Rico
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Bill Nelson (D-FL) today urged Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs to hold an oversight hearing on the effects that Hurricanes Irma and Maria had on the housing markets in Florida and Puerto Rico. Specifically, they request the committee explore the deficiency of affordable housing in Florida, the increase of foreclosures in Puerto Rico, and the federal government’s effectiveness in providing housing assistance to victims of hurricanes and other disasters.
The full text of the letter is below:
Dear Chairman Crapo and Ranking Member Brown:
We write to urge the U.S. Senate Committee on Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs to conduct an oversight hearing on the effects Hurricanes Irma and Maria have had on housing markets in Florida and Puerto Rico. Specifically, we request the hearing explore foreclosures in Puerto Rico and the impact that the March 31, 2018 expiration of the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) forbearance on foreclosures will have on displaced homeowners. We encourage the Committee to evaluate the federal government’s efficiency and effectiveness in providing short and long-term housing assistance to victims following the disasters, and address the deficiency of affordable housing in Florida.
According to recent reports, 35 percent of Puerto Ricans face foreclosure or delinquency, more than double the national rate of 14.4 percent during the peak of the housing crisis in 2010. With the expiration of the forbearance on foreclosures set for March 31, 2018, defaults on mortgage payments are expected to rise to unprecedented numbers. Making matters worse, it has been reported that nearly 90 percent of homes on the island were completely destroyed as a result of Hurricane Maria and 80 to 90 percent of homes in the Florida Keys were destroyed or sustained damage as a result of Hurricane Irma. As displaced families move to Florida or within Florida, our state faces its own set of challenges.
Insufficient affordable housing in Florida has permeated long-before the hurricanes, but was exacerbated by damages inflicted by Hurricane Irma and the influx of displaced families. To effectively evaluate post-disaster housing concerns, it is essential that the Committee explore affordable housing solutions for families who live in Florida and the families who will be forced to move to Florida.
It is important to evaluate relief efforts and capabilities post-natural disasters. Such a hearing will provide the committee invaluable information to better prepare for future storms and devastation. On behalf of the millions of Floridians and Puerto Ricans affected by these hurricanes, we urge you to conduct a hearing to examine the impact they have had on access to housing in Florida and Puerto Rico, and identify any shortcomings in the response to the disasters.
Thank you for your attention to this important matter.