US Senator Rick Scott’s Week in Review 10/27/2023
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Dear Fellow Floridian, It’s been three weeks since Iran-backed Hamas terrorists launched their savagely brutal attack on Israel, killing more than 1,400 innocent people, including at least 33 Americans, and took Americans and hundreds of others hostage in Gaza. We’ve all seen the truly horrifying terror and devastation unleashed on Israelis by Iran-backed Hamas terrorists on social media and the news, but this week I had the honor of meeting with survivors and families of those being held hostage and hearing their stories. Their lives will never be the same and the anguish they are living through is heartbreaking and unimaginable. Even in the face of this intense darkness and evil, their fight for those they love and courage in sharing their stories is a powerful reminder for us all to never lose hope or stop fighting until every hostage is brought safely home. I have placed a poster outside my office that features the faces of the hostages being held by Hamas, and I won’t be taking it down until they are home. It’s been 20 days since they were ripped from their homes and families and we will not let them be forgotten. The first step to freeing these hostages, and helping Israel destroy these terrorists is passing aid for Israel. Unfortunately, President Biden’s current plan is a massive $106 billion spending package that links aid for Israel and Ukraine together, along with a deeply flawed and reckless spending proposal that would bankroll sanctuary cities and exacerbate the raging border crisis that the president’s failed policies have created. It’s insane and will do more to hurt than help the fight against terror in Israel. I will NOT allow President Biden and Washington’s ruling class to continue using crisis after crisis to push massive spending packages for issues that have no business being voted on together. The Senate needs to vote on aid for Israel now – by itself. There is overwhelming bipartisan support for Israel, and we can get an aid package passed in the Senate quickly. Now is not the time for more of Biden’s weak leadership, we MUST send the world a clear message: attacking the Unites States and our allies and partners is a bad idea, and it will only end with us winning. The U.S. and our allies must punish the evil Iranian regime, the world’s largest state sponsor of terror, and must deny its ability to continue supporting the brutality witnessed in Israel from ever occurring again. In the days and weeks ahead, Israel is going to once and for all destroy Hamas and its ability to exist as a terror state on Israel’s borders, and it is likely going to extract a heavy price from Iran for this carnage and war that is every bit the doing of Iran. Iran is the source of the evil. Everyone knows that is true. Until it and its proxies are reduced to impotence, war and violence against the U.S., Israel, Jews, the region’s states and Europe will continue. The West, in particular members of the G7, have a choice: Accept reality and end the threats, or continue the fantasy of payoffs and negotiations to murderous thugs. I fervently pray that we choose the former and unite to end this evil, once and for all. Read more HERE. Sincerely,
Rick Scott United States Senator To be the first to find out about Senator Scott’s actions and statements, follow him on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. — |
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Sen. Rick Scott: Senate Must Put Israel First, Ditch Biden’s Unserious Proposal Senator Rick Scott released the following statement urging his Senate colleagues to immediately act on aid for Israel and vote on it separately from any other issues. Last week, President Biden proposed a massive $106 billion spending package that linked aid for Israel and Ukraine together, along with a deeply flawed and reckless spending proposal that would only exacerbate the raging border crisis that the president’s failed policies have created. Senator Rick Scott said, “It has been 17 days since Iran-backed Hamas terrorists launched their savagely brutal attack on Israel, killing more than 1,400 innocent people, including at least 33 Americans, and took Americans and hundreds of others hostage in Gaza. The Senate needs to vote on aid for Israel now – by itself. Everyone in Washington knows that what the president has proposed will never pass in the House. It is unserious and needs to be discarded and moved on from. Americans should be disgusted that President Biden and Washington’s ruling class continue to use crisis after crisis to push massive spending packages for issues that have no business being voted on together. There is overwhelming bipartisan support for Israel and we can get an aid package passed in the Senate quickly. The same cannot be said about Biden’s asks on Ukraine aid, which is far broader than just lethal aid to defeat Putin, or his horrific idea to give billions to bail out sanctuary cities and push policies that actually make the raging national security crisis on the border even worse. Needlessly delaying this action in search of some doomed grand bargain only hurts the United States, our ally Israel and the urgent mission to rescue the Americans being held hostage in Gaza by Iran-backed Hamas.” Read more HERE. — Senator Rick Scott joined Senator Marco Rubio and their bicameral colleagues in Congress to urge Washington, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser to rename Black Lives Matter Plaza, following BLM demonstrating support for the devastating October 7th Hamas attacks against innocent Israelis and Americans. In 2020, following the protests and riots, a plaza directly in front of the White House was renamed the “Black Lives Matter Plaza.” BLM has circulated disturbing antisemitic rhetoric and images on social media and is encouraging the spread of pro-Hamas propaganda following the terrorist attacks. The bicameral letter was also signed by Senators Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina), Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tennessee), Bill Cassidy (R-Louisiana), Josh Hawley (R-Missouri), and Steve Daines (R-Montana) and U.S. Representatives Jim Banks (R-Indiana), Ralph Norman (R-South Carolina), Josh Brecheen (R-Oklahoma), John Rose (R-Tennessee), Ronny Jackson (R-Georgia), Jeff Duncan (R-South Carolina), Ronny Jackson (R-Texas), Scott Franklin (R-Florida), John H. Rutherford (R-Florida), Elisa Stefanik (R-New York), Earl L. “Buddy” Carter (R-Florida), Doug LaMalfa (R-California), Troy Nehls (R-Texas), Michael Waltz (R-Florida), and Claudia Tenney (R-New York). Read the full text of the letter HERE. Read more HERE. — Sen. Rick Scott: Iran’s Terror Cannot be Funded by IMF Following the horrific attacks by Iran-backed Hamas terrorists on innocent Israelis and Americans, Senator Rick Scott announced the reintroduction of his IMF Accountability Act, which would prevent the International Monetary Fund (IMF) from allocating Special Drawing Rights (SDR) or providing increased lending to Iran, Communist China, Russia, the Taliban Government of Afghanistan, North Korea, Cuba, Venezuela and Nicaragua. The Biden administration has supported a record $650 billion SDR allocation, of which $17.5 billion went to Russia, $22 billion to Communist China and $3.5 billion to Iran. Senator Ted Cruz joined Senator Scott in introducing this legislation. Senator Rick Scott said, “Financing countries that commit human rights abuses, fund terrorism and threaten our fellow democracies goes against everything we stand for as a nation. Iran is the world’s largest state sponsor of terror and we all know it was behind the horrific October 7th terror attack on Israel that took more than 1,400 innocent lives, including the lives of 33 Americans. As Iran-backed Hamas holds hundreds of hostages in Gaza, including Americans, and continues attacks against Israel, the United States must act. We must send a clear message to these terror sponsors and evil regimes across the world: the free ride is over, you are cut off. My bill, the IMF Accountability Act, will prohibit U.S. representatives to the IMF from supporting the world’s tyrannical regimes and benefitting from the economic strength of America and our partners and allies. I thank Senator Cruz for his support and urge the Senate to immediately pass this crucial and timely legislation.” Read more HERE. — Sen. Rick Scott Calls out Fed Chair Powell for Fiscal Policy Hypocrisy As the Bureau of Economic Analysis’ September Personal Consumer Expenditures (PCE) report showed prices paid by consumers for goods and services rose 3.4% over the year, Senator Rick Scott released the following statement calling out Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell for his hypocrisy on U.S. fiscal policy. As the Wall Street Journal’s Greg Ip reported earlier this week, Powell’s statement last week that the Fed “[doesn’t] comment on fiscal policy,” is a notable shift from his position during the Trump administration in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic when he regularly commented on U.S. fiscal policy. Senator Rick Scott said, “During the Trump administration, Jay Powell was loud about his thoughts on fiscal policy and was shouting from the rooftops for more government spending. Biden gave him exactly what he wanted, pushed U.S. debt over $33 trillion and now Americans are suffering every day with high prices and insane interest rates. His refusal to speak about the disastrous impact of Biden’s failed policies is cowardly and unacceptable. It is time for real leadership at the Fed. If Powell won’t step up and call out failure and bad policy when he sees it, he doesn’t deserve to continue serving as Fed Chair.” Read more HERE. — Senator Rick Scott joined Senator Tim Scott and Congressman Mike Lawler (R-N.Y.) to introduce the Antisemitism Awareness Act, which directs the Department of Education to use of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance’s (IHRA) definition of antisemitism when investigating antisemitic acts on campus. Currently, the Department of Education lacks a clear definition of antisemitism when determining whether an antisemitic or anti-Israel incident on campus crosses the line from free speech into harassing, unlawful or discriminatory conduct. According to the Anti-Defamation League, violent language and threats against the Jewish community and Israel increased 488% in the first 18 hours after Hamas’ terror attacks on October 7, 2023. Senator Rick Scott said, “I will always stand with Israel and Florida’s Jewish community. Every American has the right to peaceful, free speech, but it’s frankly disgusting that any American who claims to believe in the principles of our nation would choose to side with baby killers and terrorists and spread hate against our Jewish community—especially at our public institutions of education. We’re talking about Iran-backed TERRORISTS who have killed thousands, including 33 Americans, beheaded babies and raped young women, and still have hundreds of hostages held in Gaza. I’m proud to see several Florida universities make clear they stand with Israel and this hate will not be tolerated on campus. I urge every Florida university and all higher education institutions across the country to follow their lead, and every potential employer to make clear that an applicant’s participation in these anti-Semitic rallies is a disqualifier. I am thankful for my colleagues’ support of this crucial bill and urge its immediate passage TODAY.” Read more HERE. — Senator Rick Scott issued a statement following an announcement from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) that its fisheries division has halted consideration of a rule to place overly-restrictive rules on boaters in Florida’s Gulf of Mexico, including a 10 knot speed limit. Senator Scott has been calling on NOAA to reject the proposed Rice’s Whale Rule and fully consider its impacts to local families and America’s national security, with special consideration given to the viability of the Eglin Gulf Test and Training Range, which the U.S. Air Force uses to test the military’s most advanced capabilities, including hypersonic weapons, and is vital for any future conflict with Communist China, Iran or Russia. Senator Rick Scott said, “Today’s decision by NOAA comes after months of fighting to protect Florida and America’s national security from more burdensome regulation in Washington. This big win is a great step toward stopping Biden’s short-sighted rule impacting a huge portion of Florida’s Gulf Coast with ridiculous limitations on our military training in the area and threats of fines and prison time for Florida’s boaters and fishermen for going over 10 knots. For months, I’ve been calling on NOAA to reject this proposed rule, which was not based upon scientific research substantiating the proposed restrictions, and find a better way to look after the Rice’s Whale. As part of that, I made sure that the Senate version of this year’s National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) included an assessment of the proposed rule’s impact on military activities and any negative impacts on U.S. national security and military preparedness in the Gulf of Mexico. While this news is great for Florida, the fight is not over. We cannot allow the Biden administration to continue putting Florida and our military readiness at risk, and I’ll use my position on the Senate Armed Services Committee to hold Biden accountable.” Read more HERE. — |
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Sen. Rick Scott in the Sun Sentinel: On foreign policy, America was far better off with Trump Following the brutal October 7th attacks by Iran-backed Hamas terrorists on Israel, Senator Rick Scott wrote an op-ed for the South Florida Sun Sentinel to detail the disastrous consequences of the Biden administration’s failed foreign policy and appeasement of evil regimes like Iran, and urge President Biden to immediately change course and hold Iran accountable. Three weeks ago, Iran-backed Hamas terrorists invaded Israel and killed more than 1,400 innocent people, including at least 32 Americans, while taking an unknown number of Israelis and Americans hostage. In the Sun Sentinel op-ed, Senator Rick Scott wrote, “The terror and devastation unleashed on Israelis by Iran-backed Hamas terrorists have rightly horrified the world. …Not since the Holocaust has the world witnessed such a brutal attack on the Jewish people. Years ago, facing the evil of the Nazi regime, FDR and Winston Churchill rightly gave the Axis powers a choice: total unconditional surrender or complete destruction. These leaders understood the evil they were dealing with. Instead of seeing leadership like this take hold today, the naiveté and foolish pride of our current administration is getting Americans killed and taken hostage. Coddling Iran won’t work The Biden administration’s return to policies rooted in trying to pay off terror states like Iran and its proxies, trying to negotiate with them as though they respect diplomacy and the rules of the civilized world, has been an utter failure. It is endangering one of our closest allies, Israel, the lynchpin of security and peace for the Middle East… The world saw what peace through strength looked like during the Trump administration… During the Trump administration, we also secured our southern border, denying terror groups the ability to infiltrate American communities like they have for the last three years under President Joe Biden. More than 150 individuals on the FBI terror watch list have been apprehended by the U.S. border patrol in the last year. Since Oct. 1, 2021, nearly 73,000 individuals from countries that have conditions that favor or harbor terrorism, or pose a potential national security to the U.S., have been caught between ports of entry, trying to sneak into our country… Importantly, Trump also led historic moves toward peace. The Abraham Accords, negotiated by the Trump administration, brought Israel and its Arab neighbors together in peaceful agreements that made these nations and the Middle East safer, more stable and more prosperous — all things that benefit the security of the United States and our allies. A poor comparison Unfortunately, things are now in a very different place. From the beginning of his administration, Biden has snubbed Israel and our enemies have noticed. …Biden’s botched withdrawal from Afghanistan gave America’s enemies and the terror groups they support a new foothold in the Middle East. …These failures have emboldened Iran, which is not a normal nation. It is a mullah-ruled radical theocracy and crime syndicate that plagues not only the region but the entire world. Small wonder that Iran’s only friends are the other enemies of the United States — Russia, China, North Korea, Cuba and Venezuela — who have been cooperating for years to support each other with money, weapons, technology and political support, and to harm, isolate and weaken America… Time for a change But the logical question is, how do they get away with it? The answer: We let them do it. The key to understanding the U.S. and the Western failure is the actions of President Barack Obama, which are being continued by the Biden administration… That’s why I have absolutely opposed Biden’s Iranian appeasement policies and attempts to renew the failed Iran nuclear deal… The U.S. and our allies must punish the evil Iranian regime, the world’s largest state sponsor of terror, and must deny its ability to continue supporting the brutality witnessed in Israel from ever occurring again… In the days and weeks ahead, Israel is going to once and for all destroy Hamas and its ability to exist as a terror state on Israel’s borders, and it is likely going to extract a heavy price from Iran for this carnage and war that is every bit the doing of Iran. Iran is the source of the evil. Everyone knows that is true. Until it and its proxies are reduced to impotence, war and violence against the U.S., Israel, Jews, the region’s states and Europe will continue. The West, in particular members of the G7, have a choice: Accept reality and end the threats, or continue the fantasy of payoffs and negotiations to murderous thugs. I fervently pray that we choose the former and unite to end this evil, once and for all.” Read the full op-ed in the South Florida Sun Sentinel HERE. — Sen. Rick Scott on Fox Business: Time to Bring Americans Home, Help Israel Destroy Iran-Backed Hamas Senator Rick Scott went on Fox Business’ The Evening Edit to discuss the atrocities committed by Iran-backed Hamas terrorists and their war on Israel that has killed more than 1,400 innocent people, including at least 33 Americans, while taking an unknown number of Israelis and Americans hostage. Senator Scott is demanding the Biden administration bring American hostages home and has been a leading supporter of Israel defending itself and destroying Hamas. Yesterday, Senator Scott demanded that the Senate immediately act on aid for Israel and vote on it separately from any other issues. Watch more HERE or below.
— Fox Business: Let’s focus on taking care of Israelis and Americans: Sen. Rick Scott The Hill: Rick Scott calls for Biden administration to revoke Iran foreign minister’s visa Newsmax: Sen. Rick Scott: Biden Must Revoke Iran Foreign Minister’s Visa The Latin Times: Exclusive: Florida Senator Rick Scott on Why He Thinks the World Is Becoming a ‘Very Dangerous Place’ Washington Times: Sen. Rick Scott rejects Biden’s aid package as ‘unserious’ Florida Daily: Marco Rubio, Rick Scott Back Tim Scott’s Revoke Iranian Funding Act Florida Daily: Marco Rubio, Rick Scott Back Bill to Cut Off Aid to Gaza, Send Funds to Israel for More Iron Dome Systems” Florida Daily: Rick Scott Urges Senate Leadership Not to Tie Funds for Ukraine in Aid Package to Israel The Floridian: Scott Demands Israel Funding be Separate from Ukraine Funding The Floridian: Scott on Censuring Rashida Tlaib, ‘If You Support Hamas, You Shouldn’t Be in Congress’ The Floridian: Senate Democrats Block Rick Scott Anti-Hamas Bill Florida’s Voice: Rick Scott calls on Biden to ‘stop the aid’ to Gaza amid violence against Jews Florida’s Voice: Scott attacks CNN for ‘glorifying’ Hamas terrorists Florida’s Voice: Rick Scott ponders revoking Turkey’s NATO membership over Hamas stance Tampa Free Press: Sen. Rick Scott Of Florida Calls Biden’s Aid Package To Israel “Unserious” NBC2: LCSO and Senator Rick Scott’s office unite to aid Israel |
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Senator Scott in Miami Bleach Senator Rick Scott and Mrs. Scott attended the Mount Sinai Medical Center, Miami Braman Comprehensive Cancer Center Groundbreaking event to deliver remarks and congratulate them on their new facility.
— Senator Scott’s Team in Ft. Myers Beach This week, Senator Scott’s team attended the Pink Heals community event for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
— Senator Scott’s Team in Miami Senator Scott’s team also attended the American Jewish Committee Miami Consular Corps Gathering.
— Senator Scott’s Team in Orlando Another event Senator Scott’s team attended was the VA Enrollment and Health Fair at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Orlando.
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