NOTICIAS

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) today welcomed the Senate’s passage, by unanimous consent, of a bipartisan resolution honoring the lives of American journalists James Foley and Steven Sotloff, and condemning the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) terrorist organization that brutally murdered them. In addition to Rubio, the resolution was sponsored by Senators Bill Nelson (D-FL), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), and Bob Menendez (D-NJ).

In a wide-ranging U.S. Senate floor speech yesterday, Rubio paid tribute to Florida native Steven Sotloff, and honored his noble and courageous work as a journalist in the Middle East.

“The second point, which I think is related to my comments here in a moment, is towards the family of Steven Sotloff who lost his life tragically in the Middle East over the last few days. We all are familiar with that horrific tale,” said Rubio. “Steven actually lived in Miami, Florida with his family, literally blocks away from where I go to church, literally blocks away from where I live. He was a member of our community and an American. 

“As I said last week at his memorial service, Steven had dedicated his life to revealing the suffering and the reality of what was happening in some of the most dangerous areas of the world,” Rubio added. “And while he lost his life tragically, I think it is ironic and appropriate that in his last act, as he lost his life, he revealed the true nature of what we confront in that part of the world and the true nature of the Islamic State – and who they are and what they’re all about. 

“And this was a young man who, as I said, dedicated his life not just to journalism, but to journalism in the most dangerous part of the world,” Rubio continued. “And in so doing, was able to bring that reality to us even in the last moments of his life.”