This upcoming Sunday, the people of Venezuela will hold an election that, if legitimate, would put an end to years of the oppressive Maduro narco-regime. U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) issued a statement in support of the Venezuelan people: “The...
Este próximo domingo, el pueblo venezolano tendrá una elección que, de ser legítima, pondría fin a años de opresión por parte del narco-régimen de Maduro. El senador estadounidense Marco Rubio (R-FL) grabó un mensaje de video en español y emitió una declaración en...
Twenty-three years ago, the United States was attacked by Islamic terrorists on September 11, 2001. Now, Zacarias Moussaoui, the only person convicted in a U.S. court for his role in the attack, has requested the U.S. Department of Justice to allow a prisoner transfer...
U.S. Senator Marco Rubio’s (R-FL) office will host 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 Senator Rubio’s...
As the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) opens up new facilities, many veterans are losing access to the VA’s Community Care Program and, consequently, their long-term healthcare providers. Veterans throughout the country have reported a loss of care, including...
The U.S.-India partnership is vital to countering influences from Communist China. In order to strengthen this partnership, it is essential to enhance our strategic diplomatic, economic, and military relationship with New Delhi. U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL)...
Washington, D.C. — Today, U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) introduced legislation that will help states and local communities improve water quality. The Local Water Protection Act would reauthorize the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Section 319 grant program that provides funding opportunities for states to develop and implement their own programs for managing nonpoint source water pollution, or pollution from diffuse sources including runoff from farms, managed forests, and urban areas. Under the Clean Water Act, states are responsible for addressing nonpoint source water pollution caused by rainfall-driven runoff, which is done largely through voluntary means and financial incentives. However, according to the Governmental Accountability Office (GAO), available federal incentives have declined recently, slowing the successful implementation of local water quality improvement projects across the nation. The Local Water Protection Act would reauthorize the Section 319 program, and increase funding to $200 million annually. The legislation provides much needed flexibility to make conservation improvements that will decrease water pollutants through partnerships within their communities.
“Whether it’s fighting to expedite Everglades restoration and extend the ban on offshore drilling off of Florida’s Gulf coast, or prompting coordinated action to address harmful algal blooms and coral reef degradation, protecting Florida’s environment remains one of my top priorities in Washington,” Rubio said. “I am proud to join this bipartisan effort to promote local stewardship of water quality by increasing federal support for state and local government projects proposed by those folks who know their communities’ needs the best.”
“In Minnesota, we take the quality of our 10,000 lakes very seriously, and we all want to preserve the quality of these important waterways for generations to come,” Klobuchar said. “Local communities are the experts on the most effective and innovative ways to keep these waterways clean—that’s why our legislation would give local and state governments the resources they need to create the best voluntary conservation programs to ensure that their water is clean and free of harmful pollutants.”
U.S. Representatives Brian Mast (R-FL) and Angie Craig (D-MN) introduced companion legislation in the House.
A timeline of Rubio’s efforts to enhance Florida’s water quality can be found here.