Following Hurricane Helene’s catastrophic damage throughout Florida’s gulf coast, U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) met with the Florida Farm Bureau as well as local agricultural producers, farmers, and growers to discuss the storm’s impact. Photos are courtesy of...
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Photos: Rubio Visits Barrier Islands Post-Hurricane Helene
Following Hurricane Helene’s catastrophic damage throughout Florida’s Gulf Coast, U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) met with local officials and volunteers from the barrier islands to discuss the storm’s impact and current recovery efforts. Photos are courtesy of...
Rubio, Scott, Florida Colleagues to POTUS: Expedite Resources to Floridians
Hurricane Helene made landfall as a Category 4 storm, causing catastrophic damage along Florida’s Gulf Coast. It’s crucial for the federal government to expedite state-requested resources and authorize key policy flexibilities in order for Floridians to make a swift...
Rubio Staff Hosts Hurricane Helene Recovery Assistance
U.S. Senator Marco Rubio’s (R-FL) office will host two in-person events to assist constituents affected by Hurricane Helene and help navigate applications for FEMA assistance. Food, water, and additional resources will be available at the events. Event...
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, Scott Urge FEMA to Expedite Hurricane Reimbursements
Following the impacts of Hurricanes Helene and Debby, some local governments in Florida face looming budget shortfalls that could disrupt disaster recovery efforts. If these local governments receive reimbursements for past hurricanes from the Federal Emergency...
Rubio Welcomes HHS Grants to Combat Opioid Addiction in Florida
Miami, FL – U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) released the following statement today regarding U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Tom Price’s announcement that the administration will provide $485 million in grants to help states fight opioid addiction, including more than $27 million to Florida:
“In just the last week I’ve met and talked with local officials and members of law enforcement in West Palm Beach, Pensacola, and Jacksonville about how the opioid epidemic is ravaging Florida’s communities. It’s clear that we must do more to make sure people seeking help are able to get the treatment they need. I’m glad Secretary Price is taking this problem seriously, and that Florida will have these additional resources to combat the dangerous drugs that are destroying so many lives.”
Rubio supported the 21st Century Cures Act, which became law in December 2016 and authorized $1 billion over two years for states to combat the opioid epidemic. The grants announced today will be administered by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
This year, Rubio introduced the Synthetics Trafficking & Overdose Prevention (STOP) Act, legislation that would restrict the flow of fentanyl into the country via the U.S. Postal Service. He also introduced the INTERDICT Act, legislation that would provide U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) with additional tools to help detect and interdict fentanyl and other illicit synthetic opioids. Last month, the Senate passed a Rubio-sponsored resolution calling for international cooperation to address the trafficking of illicit fentanyl into the United States.
In 2016, Rubio chaired a Western Hemisphere subcommittee hearing on the international roots of America’s heroin epidemic, and helped pass into law the Comprehensive Addiction Recovery Act (CARA), legislation aimed at addressing the heroin and opioid crisis.
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