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...
News
Latest News
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, Cornyn Urge Sanctions for Human Rights Abuses in Vietnam
Miami, FL — U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and John Cornyn (R-TX) sent a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urging the State Department to designate Vietnam a Country of Particular Concern for its religious freedom violations and consider enacting Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act sanctions to reverse its declining human rights situation.
“Vietnam is an important security partner in the region but their human rights record remains an obstacle to strengthening relations,” the senators wrote. “Therefore, we respectfully request that you raise these issues directly with the Vietnamese government and that you review imposing Global Magnitsky Act sanctions against individuals for grave human rights abuses.”
“We support the Administration’s vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific, but the Vietnamese government’s unjust arrests and persecution of members of the press and religious practitioners remains a challenge in our relationship,” the senators continued.
“The only way to realize the full potential of the U.S.-Vietnam relationship is to press them to take serious steps to improve the human rights situation in Vietnam,” the senators concluded.
The full text of the letter is below.
Dear Secretary Pompeo:
We write today regarding the Socialist Republic of Vietnam’s continued human rights abuses against the Vietnamese people. Vietnam is an important security partner in the region but their human rights record remains an obstacle to strengthening relations. Therefore, we respectfully request that you raise these issues directly with the Vietnamese government and that you review imposing Global Magnitsky Act sanctions against individuals for grave human rights abuses. Additionally, we request Vietnam be designated as a Country of Particular Concern for its violations of religious freedom.
Cooperation between the U.S. and Vietnam has increased over the years in a number of areas that are important to security and efforts to counter an increasingly aggressive Chinese Government and Communist Party. We support the Administration’s vision for a free and open Indo-Pacific, but the Vietnamese government’s unjust arrests and persecution of members of the press and religious practitioners remains a challenge in our relationship. Under your and President Trump’s leadership, the State Department has championed freedom of religion around the world, and I am proud to support the State Department’s advocacy for this fundamental human right. Vietnam’s abuses of its Law on Belief and Religion continues to be used to harass and persecute religious groups who only wish to practice their religion in peace. The targeted oppression of Vietnamese, Montagnard, and Hmong Christians is especially troubling. The Vietnamese government’s targeting of the press, including members of the Independent Journalists Association of Vietnam, and efforts to silence dissent is also of great concern. It is important for the U.S. to press the Vietnamese government to respect the fundamental rights of the Vietnamese people and hold accountable those officials who are responsible for grave human rights violations.
The United States must continue to develop and strengthen our partnerships with nations in the region to ensure mutual prosperity and security and counter Chinese influence. The only way to realize the full potential of the U.S.-Vietnam relationship is to press them to take serious steps to improve the human rights situation in Vietnam.
Thank you for your leadership and attention to this important issue.
Sincerely,