The U.S. House of Representatives passed U.S. Senator Marco Rubio’s (R-FL) Pensacola and Perdido Bays Estuary of National Significance Act (S. 50) to direct the Environmental Protection Agency to formally enroll the Pensacola and Perdido Bays Estuary Program (PPBEP)...
U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) released a statement on his nomination by President-elect Donald J. Trump to serve as the United States Secretary of State. “Leading the U.S. Department of State is a tremendous responsibility, and I am honored by the trust President...
U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) joined The World Over with Raymond Arroyo to discuss President-elect Donald Trump’s historic victory, the Democrats’ response to the election, foreign policy challenges facing our nation, and more. See below for highlights and watch the...
U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) joined America Reports to discuss President-elect Donald Trump’s historic victory, Democrats’ proclamation of “resistance,” and the failure of identity politics. See below for highlights and watch the full interview on YouTube and...
Senator Rubio's office is pleased to be issuing a limited number of tickets to President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration ceremony, which will occur on January 20, 2025 at the West Front of the U.S. Capitol. Floridians interested in receiving tickets should fill out...
U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) joined Hannity to discuss President-elect Donald Trump’s historic victory. See below for highlights and watch the full interview on YouTube and Rumble. On the ongoing realignment among American voters: “The Republican Party now reflects...
How to fix the military recruitment crisis
U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL)
January 25, 2024
The U.S. armed forces missed their annual recruitment goals by 41,000 people last year…. [T]o restore people’s confidence, we need to understand why they lost it. This requires facing three difficult truths about our country’s recent history.
The first truth is that mission creep in the Middle East did major damage to American morale…. The second truth we need to face is that, for years, our government has provided service members with an unsuitable quality of life…. The third truth we must understand is how politics is turning young people away from the military….
[In response], we must increase the quality of life of the armed forces and their veterans. This means addressing lackluster housing, child care, and salaries. It also means faithfully executing laws such as my VA Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act and the bipartisan Honoring our PACT Act….
In addition, we must eliminate polarizing politics from the military. Through the 2024 annual defense bill, Congress froze hires and capped salaries for the Pentagon’s diversity, equity, and inclusion program. We need more such measures….
Finally, we must remind people of our military’s value to the national interest [by] communicating the stakes of the current moment. Today, American ships are under attack from…Iranian-backed militias…. Terrorist cells are poised to strike at our heartland. Russia has launched the largest European land conflict since 1945. Above all, there is the threat of communist China….
Policymakers have a duty to convey a sense of urgency to young people and convince them that lessons have been learned. Without new recruits, the chance that the 21st century will be another American century is very slim indeed.