US Senator Rick Scott’s Week in Review 09/21/24
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Dear Fellow Floridian, We know that Florida has the best law enforcement in the world, but as I travel across our state, I still hear from parents every week who tell me they are terrified about the safety of their kids. They aren’t worried about our law enforcement not showing up. They are terrified that the growing dangers around our country will soon become too much for our brave officers and deputies to handle. It’s a scary thing to think about, but these parents aren’t wrong to be concerned. The data is clear: under the failed, soft-on-crime policies of the Biden-Harris administration, violent crime is up all across America, and our nation is a more dangerous place today than it was under President Trump. Democrats have fought to defund the police, allowed millions of potentially dangerous individuals and tons of deadly drugs to come across our border, and stood by in silence as terrorist sympathizers took over college campuses. These failures have consequences, and the American people know Vice President Harris and her friends in the media are lying when they falsely claim that violent crime is down. Recently released DOJ data shows that when President Trump was in office, violent crime fell by 15 percent and has since soared by 55 percent under the Biden-Harris administration. What’s scary is that violent crime is playing out all over the country, even impacting former President Trump, who has now been faced with two assassination attempts. But it doesn’t have to be this way! Thankfully, in Florida, we have law enforcement that shows up and holds criminals accountable even when the federal government fails. We saw that happen recently when the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office stepped up and filed criminal charges under state law against thugs caught smuggling Chinese and Ecuadorian nationals into the Keys after the Biden-Harris appointed U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida declined to file human trafficking charges against these alleged criminals. It’s unacceptable, and that’s why I’m demanding Attorney General Merrick Garland and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas answer to the people of Florida about this failure. While it’s good to know we have law enforcement in the Sunshine State that still fights every day to hold bad guys accountable and protect our families, I expect our federal government to do the same. The fact of the matter is Democrats have left our men and women in uniform, and the communities they protect behind, and we can’t let them get away with it. I will never stop fighting to support our law enforcement, ensure the federal government holds bad guys accountable and make sure local law enforcement has the tools and resources to keep you safe. 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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As Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro continues his effort to steal a third Venezuelan presidential election, Senator Rick Scott was joined by Senator Marco Rubio in announcing the introduction of his Securing Timely Opportunities for Payment and Maximizing Awards for Detaining Unlawful Regime Officials (STOP MADURO) Act. This legislation would increase the maximum reward amount from $15 million to a maximum of $100 million for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Nicolás Maduro. The reward would be paid out by the federal government using seized assets already being withheld from Maduro, officials of the Maduro regime and their co-conspirators, not taxpayer funds. According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in South Florida and its federal law enforcement partners who have brought dozens of criminal charges against high-level regime officials, asset seizures total approximately $450 million dollars. Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart and Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz are leading the companion bipartisan legislation in the House of Representatives which is cosponsored by Representatives Carlos A. Giménez (FL-28), Jenniffer González-Colón (PR-At Large), María Elvira Salazar (FL-27), Mike Waltz (FL-06), Chris Smith (NJ-04) and Darren Soto (FL-09). Senator Rick Scott said, “The time has come for Venezuela to be liberated from the illegitimate regime of dictator Nicolás Maduro. For years, I have urged the Biden-Harris administration to put the full weight of the federal government to put an end to the Maduro regime, but it has refused and continued its failed appeasement that has only enriched and emboldened Maduro and his puppet masters in Cuba at the expense of the Venezuelan people. In 2020, the Trump administration did the right thing by offering a reward of up to $15 million, but it’s time to up the ante. My STOP MADURO Act will increase the maximum reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of Maduro to $100 million, using seized assets instead of U.S. taxpayer money to bring an end to the tyranny caused by this narcoterrorist. The Venezuelan people overwhelmingly voted for a new day of freedom and democracy on July 28 when they elected Edmundo González in an effort led by opposition leader María Corina Machado. It’s clear Maduro will not step down on his own, and I urge my colleagues to support this bill to rid Venezuela and the world of Maduro’s oppression and make way for President-elect González to bring democracy, freedom and opportunity back to Venezuela.”
Read more HERE. Lea más en español AQUÍ. — In the wake of a second assassination attempt on President Donald Trump in just 65 days, Senator Rick Scott is leading 13 of his colleagues to introduce the Protect Our Presidents Act, which will enhance the U.S. Secret Service (USSS) protection for presidential nominees to the same level currently provided to a sitting U.S. president. Joining Senator Scott are Senators Roger Marshall, Jim Risch, James Lankford, Marco Rubio, Josh Hawley, Ted Budd, Mike Crapo, Tim Scott, John Barrasso, Cynthia Lummis, Ted Cruz, Mike Braun and John Cornyn. Senator Rick Scott said, “Over the course of just 65 days, two deranged individuals have tried to kill President Donald Trump, and one was able to shoot him in the head. It is unthinkable that this could happen in America today, and it demands the immediate action of Congress. Today, I am leading 12 of my Republican colleagues to introduce the Protect Our Presidents Act which mandates that the USSS provide the same level of protective services to presidential nominees that it affords to sitting presidents. President Trump has great officers and agents working around the clock to keep him safe, but it’s clear that the vile rhetoric on the left toward President Trump has made him a target and more resources are required to ensure the safety of him and his family. I urge Senate Democrats to join Republicans to quickly pass this bill that will support the protection of President Trump and all future presidential nominees.” Read more HERE. — Sen. Rick Scott to Biden & Sec. Mayorkas: Prioritize Safety Ahead of 2026 FIFA World Cup Ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Senators Rick Scott and Marco Rubio sent a letter to President Joe Biden and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, urging the administration to ensure all 11 U.S. cities hosting World Cup matches, including Miami, and those serving as base camps for national teams, have the planning, resources and information they need to keep families, tourists and players safe. As FBI Director Wray highlighted to Congress in June 2024, the United States faces an all-time high-threat environment, and with the country looking forward to 2026, Senators Scott and Rubio are hopeful that by highlighting their concerns now, the United States, including Florida, will be better prepared to host the World Cup. Joining Senators Scott and Rubio on the letter are Representatives María Elvira Salazar, Jared Moskowitz, Aaron Bean, Mario Diaz-Balart, Michael Waltz, Carlos Giménez and Scott Franklin. Read more HERE. — Senator Rick Scott joined Western Hemisphere Subcommittee Chairwoman, Representative María Elvira Salazar, along with Senator Bill Cassidy and Representatives Carlos A. Giménez, Mario Díaz-Balart, Mike Waltz, Jenniffer González-Colón and Keith Self to issue the following statement in response to Honduran President Xiomara Castro de Zelaya’s decision to revoke the longstanding extradition treaty between the United States and Honduras. The members wrote, “We are deeply concerned by the recent decision by Honduran President Xiomara Castro to terminate the U.S.-Honduras extradition treaty which has been an important tool in combatting the criminal mafias and human traffickers which operate in Honduras. This reckless decision by President Castro places in jeopardy the future of U.S.-Honduran military and law enforcement cooperation. The economic wellbeing and security of Honduras and its citizens is intimately linked to the United States. We believe that this decision undermines our shared priorities and jeopardizes our relationship.” Read more HERE. Lea más en español AQUÍ. — Sen. Rick Scott Celebrates Florida’s Hispanic Communities During Hispanic Heritage Month In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, Senator Rick Scott released a video celebrating the contributions of the Hispanic community that have shaped Florida’s history and helped to make the Sunshine State an incredible melting pot and the best place in the nation to live, work and raise a family. Florida is home to thousands of Hispanic-owned businesses that contribute to the Sunshine State’s thriving economy. Senator Rick Scott said, “This Hispanic Heritage Month, we recognize the history, culture and contributions of the Hispanic community and its leaders across our great state. Today, I want to recognize our diverse communities, from our freedom-loving Cuban, Venezuelan and Nicaraguan communities to our wonderful Puerto Rican friends and Brazilian, Colombian, and Ecuadorian neighbors. Florida’s rich Hispanic communities make our state the greatest melting pot in the world, have shaped our history and helped make the Sunshine State the best place to live, work and raise a family. As your United States Senator, I’m honored to be your partner in Washington as we continue building on our tremendous success. ¡Espero que todos tengan un feliz mes de la Herencia Hispana!” Read more HERE. Lea más en español AQUÍ. — Senators Rick Scott and Marco Rubio sent a letter to FAA Administrator Michael Whitaker requesting clarity on the current approach to issuing launch and reentry licenses following the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) approval process delays, which are slowing the innovation and development of space missions. The FAA’s Office of Commercial Space Transportation must ensure its regulatory framework keeps pace with the rapidly evolving commercial space industry to ensure that regulatory restrictions do not inhibit the United States’ leadership in the face of global competition from China and Russia. The senators write, “As near-peer competitors continue to make significant strides in their space capabilities, in both developing new vehicles and vast new infrastructure, it is more crucial than ever that our regulatory processes enable commercial and government stakeholders to ensure the United States continues to lead the way.” Read more HERE. — IN CASE YOU MISSED IT… Democrats Block Sen. Rick Scott’s IVF Bill Senator Rick Scott spoke on the Senate floor requesting immediate passage of his bill, the Increasing Value for Families (IVF) with HSAs Act. Senate Democrats blocked its passage. This bill would help individuals and families better plan and pay for medical expenses, like in vitro fertilization (IVF), by decoupling Health Savings Accounts (HSA) from high-deductible health plans, and doubling the current contribution limits on HSAs from $4,300 to $8,600 for individuals and $8,550 to $17,100 for families. The IVF with HSAs Act is being led by Representative Kat Cammack in the House of Representatives. Senator Rick Scott said, “I have been called many names, some nice and some not so nice over the years – Governor, Senator, husband, dad… but my favorite is grandpa to my seven beautiful grandkids. Right now, my daughter is using in vitro fertilization, or IVF, to grow her family. I support IVF 100%, and the truth about IVF is that it is one of the few unifying policies almost all Democrats and Republicans agree with. It’s a wonderful thing that helps bring beautiful babies into the world and I’m fighting to make it more accessible and affordable for millions of Americans with my IVF with HSAs Act to expand access to IVF by doubling the contribution limits of Health Savings Accounts, or HSAs, and expanding eligibility to utilize them by decoupling them from traditional high-deductible health plans. The real world impact of my bill is that millions of Americans will be able to save more money in tax free accounts to pay for medical expenses like IVF. If the Democrats and the Senate are serious about ensuring opportunities for families, we can start today by allowing this good bill to pass. Unfortunately, Democrats refused to do so today. I’ll keep fighting to get it passed the Senate, then sent to the House where I’m confident it will pass and we can send it to the President’s desk for signature.” Read more HERE. — Senator Rick Scott and Senator Elizabeth Warren, ranking member and chair of the Senate Armed Service Subcommittee on Personnel, led their colleagues, Senators Marco Rubio, Chris Murphy, Joni Ernst and Mike Rounds, in writing to the Department of Defense (DoD) for an update on its pharmaceutical acquisition strategy following the decision in Acetris Health, LLC v. United States (Acetris), which loosened requirements on federal agencies to preference American-made products in purchasing decisions. The lawmakers raised concerns about the decision’s potential to increase DoD’s reliance on foreign pharmaceuticals. Additionally, Senator Scott is fighting to pass his Accelerating Movement of Essential Rx Items to Create Access to National Drug Resources for US Government Services Act (AMERICAN DRUGS Act) to create a strong incentive for companies to invest in domestic pharmaceutical production; address the ongoing and prevent future drug shortages; and shift away from reliance on Communist China. Currently, about 90% of drugs dispensed at U.S. pharmacies are generic drugs that overwhelmingly come from Communist China and India. The AMERICAN DRUGS Act seeks to fix this problem by leveraging the buying power of the federal government and requiring federal health programs to purchase American-manufactured generic drugs, if there are two or more American manufacturers of a generic drug. Read more HERE. — Senator Rick Scott joined Senator Roger Marshall, M.D. and Senator Tommy Tuberville in calling for additional protective resources for President Donald Trump’s security detail following the second assassination attempt against President Trump in West Palm Beach, Florida on September 15th. In the letter to acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe, Senator Scott and his colleagues are demanding the same level of protection as President Biden and Vice President Harris, and also asking for answers as to why the Secret Service has failed to allocate sufficient resources to President Trump’s security detail. Read more HERE. — Ahead of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly voting on a disgusting and flagrant resolution submitted by the Palestinian Mission to the UN targeting the Jewish State of Israel and its rightful control over its historic homeland, Senator Rick Scott joined Senator Marco Rubio and their colleagues in releasing a joint statement regarding this proposal. The senators wrote, “This proposal introduced by the Palestinian delegation, ahead of the United Nations’ General Assembly, is an absolute disgrace that rewards terrorism. It is a clear insult to the Jewish people and anyone who understands history. As we approach the one-year anniversary of the barbaric terrorist attack by Hamas and affiliated Palestinian terrorist groups against innocent Israeli civilians, which involved murder, mutilation, and sexual violence, the international community must unequivocally unite against this evil, one-sided effort to delegitimize Israel. Instead of proposing biased and counter-productive initiatives, which will do nothing to advance a lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians, the international community must focus its energy and resources on ensuring Hamas and other terrorist groups are completely destroyed. We must remain firm to ensure every single hostage held by these terrorists is safely returned to their loved ones.” Read more HERE. — Sen. Rick Scott Hosts Press Conference on Violent Crime Rise Under Biden-Harris Admin Senator Rick Scott hosted a press conference with fellow Republican senators on the dangerous consequences of the Biden-Harris administration’s soft-on-crime policies and border crisis, which have caused violent crime to rise across the United States. While the Biden-Harris administration continues to falsely claim that crime is down, the National Crime Victimization Survey, released by the Department of Justice last Thursday, shows violent crime has actually increased. Violent crime — including rape, robbery and aggravated assault — is up from 5.6 incidents per 1,000 people in 2020 to 8.7 incidents per 1,000 people in 2023. More than 1 in every 44 people reported being the victim of a violent crime in 2023. Robberies rose 52.9% between 2021-2023 under Biden and Harris. Joining Senator Scott at the press conference were Senators John Barrasso, Ron Johnson and Eric Schmitt. Senator Rick Scott said, “The data is clear: under the failed, soft-on-crime policies of the Biden-Harris administration, violent crime is up all across America and our nation is a more dangerous place. Democrats have campaigned on defunding police, allowed millions of potentially dangerous individuals and tons of deadly drugs to come across our border, and stood by in silence as terrorist sympathizers took over college campuses. These failures have consequences and the American people know Vice President Harris and her friends in the media are lying when they falsely claim that violent crime is down. Recently released DOJ data shows when President Trump was in office, violent crime fell by 15 percent and has since soared by 55 percent under the Biden-Harris administration. I talk to parents every week who tell me they are terrified about the safety of their kids. We have the best law enforcement in the nation working hard every day and putting their lives at risk to keep our communities safe. If Democrats care about our country, they will end their soft-on-crime agenda, shut down the border and stand with America’s law enforcement to keep families safe.” Read more HERE. — Senator Rick Scott joined Senator Rand Paul and Congresswoman Kat Cammack to introduce the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act to help put power back in the people’s hands instead of the administrative state. Cosponsors in the Senate include U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn, Steve Daines, Mike Lee, Marco Rubio and Eric Schmitt. Senator Rick Scott said, “After nearly four years of the Biden-Harris administration’s gross expansion of the bureaucracy of the federal government and forcing more burdensome regulations on hardworking families, it is time to cut the red tape and Make Washington Work for the American people. I am proud to stand with Senator Rand Paul to hold Washington accountable, get big government out of the way and put some fiscal sense back into Congress.” Read more HERE. — Following recent reports from South Florida that the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has refused to pursue federal criminal charges against individuals engaged in a human trafficking operation involving Ecuadorian and Chinese nationals smuggled into the Florida Keys, Senator Rick Scott led his colleagues in a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, demanding answers. According to these reports, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida declined to file federal criminal charges against the human traffickers detained in this case for these clear violations of federal law. Joining Senator Scott on the letter are Senator Marco Rubio and Representatives Carlos Giménez, María Elvira Salazar and Mario Díaz-Balart. Read more HERE. — Senator Rick Scott joined House of Representatives’ Western Hemisphere Subcommittee Chairwoman María Elvira Salazar, along with Representatives Carlos A. Giménez, Rich McCormick and Chris Smith, in a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken urging him to cancel or revoke the visas of Brazilian Supreme Court justices who used their positions to silence free speech. For the last several months, several justices on the Brazilian Supreme Court led by Justice Alexandre de Moraes have led an assault against X (formerly Twitter) and several conservative politicians, culminating in a nationwide ban of the network and all Brazilian citizens from using it. This is a direct violation of the principle of freedom of speech, and the United States government must not reward those public officials responsible with the ability to enjoy our freedoms here. On August 30, 2024, Brazilian Supreme Court justice Alexandre de Moraes ended his months-long legal siege against American social network X by banning it from Brazil entirely, leaving millions of Brazilians without access to the app. He also imposed a fine of up to R$50,000 or nearly $9,000 a day for accessing the app through a VPN. Not long after, the Brazilian government took its war to Elon Musk himself, freezing the accounts of Starlink, a company owned by Musk, in order to coerce him into complying with their unreasonable legal requirements. The legislators wrote, “Justice de Moraes has a well-documented history of curbing free speech, particularly against individuals and groups with conservative political views. His latest actions represent a culmination of a broader pattern of judicial overreach. We respectfully urge you to deny any application for U.S. visas or admission to the United States, including revoking any existing visas, for Justice Alexandre de Moraes and the other members of the Brazilian Supreme Court complicit in these undemocratic practices.” Read more HERE. — Sen. Rick Scott Demands Answers from Biden-Harris Admin on Repeated Downward Job Revisions Senator Rick Scott sent a letter to Erika L. McEntarfer, Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), demanding answers on the Biden-Harris administration’s failed economic policies that have resulted in repeated downward revisions in job growth reporting. In the letter, Senator Scott references the BLS’ significant data revisions that show an astonishing 810,000 fewer jobs than originally reported by the Biden-Harris administration. Furthermore, Senator Scott points out that the pattern of unreliable data if inflated jobs numbers, which are quietly revised, is further evidence of the unfortunate downturn the U.S. economy has taken under this administration causing harm on the American people. Senator Rick Scott writes, “I write to you today regarding serious concerns about the employment data your agency publishes on behalf of the American people. As you know, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) recently released significant data revisions for nonfarm payroll jobs created between April 2023 and March 2024, revising its figures downward by an astonishing 810,000 fewer jobs.” Senator Scott continued, “So far, job gains have been revised downward for five of six months in 2024 for a total of 340,000 fewer jobs created than initially reported. Similarly, job gains were revised downward for 11 of 12 months in 2023, by a monthly average of 30,000 fewer jobs, totaling 360,000 fewer jobs than initially reported last year. These substantial and continual reporting errors certainly do not inspire confidence.” Read more HERE. Lea más en español AQUÍ. — |
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Fox News: Rick Scott leads effort to up Secret Service protections after 2nd assassination attempt on Trump Miami Herald: A U.S. Senate bill will raise bounty for leads on Venezuela’s Maduro to $100 million Local 10 News: Senate bill sets $100 million reward for arrest, conviction of Nicolás Maduro WFLA: Sen. Scott’s IVF Bill Fails But He Vows To Keep Fighting To Help Families Florida’s Voice: Sen. Rick Scott spearheads bill increasing presidential nominees’ security detail The Floridian: Scott to Introduce the Protect Our Presidents Act, Increasing Security for Trump The Floridian: ‘Grandpa’ Scott Urges Senate to Immediately Pass his IVF Bill The Floridian: $100 Million Reward to be Given for Info Leading to Maduro’s Arrest if New Bipartisan Bill Passes The Floridian: Scott, Rubio, and Colleagues Condemn Palestinian UN Resolution Targeting Israel |
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Senator Scott’s Team in Orlando
This week, Senator Rick Scott’s team attended the Medal of Honor Plaque Presentation ceremony at the Lake Baldwin VA Clinic for Sergeant First Class Alwyn Cashe’s Family. — Senator Scott’s Team in Tallahassee
Senator Scott’s team also attended the Naples Take a Soldier Fishing event to recognize and thank soldiers for their service. — Senator Scott’s Team in Orlando
Additionally, Senator Scott’s team met with representatives from Comando con Venezuela to share the Senator’s ongoing efforts to stand with the people of Venezuela. |
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