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 Statement on EIDL Grants and Loans Opening for Agricultural Small Businesses
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), Chairman of the Senate Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship, issued the following statement after the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) announced the opening of the SBA’s Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) portal to eligible agricultural businesses as authorized by the Paycheck Protection Program and Healthcare Enhancement Act.
“U.S. small businesses have been hit hard by the coronavirus, including those in our nation’s vital agriculture industries,” Chairman Rubio said. “I will continue to oversee congressional oversight efforts to ensure the agency is expeditiously processing EIDL grants and loans. It is imperative that those small businesses who have already submitted their paperwork receive this assistance quickly.”
Agricultural businesses have traditionally been unable to access SBA’s EIDL program and usually are reliant on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) disaster assistance programs when a disaster strikes. Due to the nature of the coronavirus, USDA disaster programs were not triggered since physical damages have not occurred. Last month, Chairman Rubio wrote to SBA to clarify the intent of Congress to allow agricultural businesses to have access to the EIDL program. The Chairman worked with his colleagues to ensure there was a legislative fix in the recent funding bill that was signed into law.