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Miami, FL – Today, U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) will release a report called “Fighting for Florida” detailing his legislative accomplishments during the 115th Congress. Rubio’s remarks at Florida International University are open to the press and will be live streamed here at 10:00 am EST.
 
The 15-page report, accompanied by a four and a half minute video, highlights Rubio’s legislative accomplishments and provides a look at his behind the scenes efforts to influence policy in Washington. Last year, a non-partisan analysis ranked Rubio 4th out of 100 Senators for the number of bills he wrote that became law. That same analysis ranked Rubio 5th overall in Senate leadership and 6th in bipartisan support for his bills. Overall, more than two dozen bills Rubio introduced or served as the lead Republican sponsor became law over the past two years.  
 
“One of my highest priorities continues to be ensuring that my staff and I are available to help Floridians with whatever federal assistance they may need,” Rubio said. “We have also accomplished some incredible policy victories over the last two years for Florida and for our nation.”
 
Landmark Laws: A few of the dozens of new laws are truly landmark accomplishments for Florida and the nation.  In 2017, Rubio’s Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Accountability and Whistleblower Protection Act became law. That same year, he successfully expanded the size of the Child Tax Credit from $1,000 to $2,000 per child, and for the first time made the first $1,400 refundable against an individual’s payroll taxes. This year, Rubio secured congressional authorization and funding to construct the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) Storage Reservoir to reduce Lake Okeechobee discharges to coastal communities.
 
Leading during Crisis: From harmful algal blooms and devastating hurricanes to drug overdoses and unthinkable shootings, Florida experienced significant challenges over the past two years. In the aftermath of the 2018 Valentine’s Day massacre of 17 people in Parkland, Florida, Rubio helped push through the Student, Teachers and Officers Preventing (STOP) School Violence Act and the Fix NICS Act.  He also introduced the bipartisan Extreme Risk Protection Order and Violence Prevention Act to encourage other states to adopt red flags similar to Florida’s new law.  Rubio has also secured funding to research and correct the harmful algal blooms that disrupt Florida. He has also fought for Americans in Florida and Puerto Rico in the aftermath of hurricanes Irma, Marie and Michael.
 
Putting Florida First: Rubio’s visit to sober homes neighborhoods in Broward County, Florida and meetings with local officials led to the introduction of the Eliminating Kickbacks in Recovery Act and Sober Home Fraud Detection Act as part of the landmark opioid bill signed into law this year. He passed theSpurring Business in Communities Act and the Seniors Tax Simplification Act, secured funding for military construction and fought for residents in public housing.
 
Safe and Strong America: Leveraging his position on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and Senate Select Committee on Intelligence, and his role as chair of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC), Rubio highlighted human rights abuses around the world, including in China, Nicaragua and Venezuela. His Defending Elections from Threats by Establishing Redlines (DETER) Act provided the framework for the administration’s executive order on foreign election interference. Similarly, Rubio’s Cuban Military Transparency Act was basis for executive orders to prevent financial compensation to the Cuban military and entities associated with the regime’s military.
 
Downloads
 
Fighting for Florida: Legislative Accomplishments Report, 2017 – 2018