This week, U.S. Senator Marco Rubio addressed...

This week, U.S. Senator Marco Rubio addressed the Conservative Political Action Conference 2013 (CPAC 2013), stopped in Orlando to highlight a major entrepreneurship education initiative, praised the House GOP budget and supported the Senate effort to defund ObamaCare. Marco also introduced legislation to determine the costs of federal regulations on small businesses and a measure to block key aid to Egypt unless significant reforms are made.

For more ways to stay connected with Marco’s office, be sure to “like” his Facebook page, follow the office Twitter account, check out his mobile apps, and subscribe to his YouTube channel.

Rubio Speaks at CPAC 2013

Yesterday, Marco addressed the Conservative Political Action Conference 2013. Watch here.



Rubio Highlights Entrepreneurship Education Initiative In Orlando

On Monday, Marco delivered remarks at the Blackstone Charitable Foundation’s LaunchPad Central Florida announcement in Orlando. Blackstone LaunchPad is a national model for fostering entrepreneurship through higher education, which Rubio has made a central pillar of his agenda for building a strong and vibrant 21 st century middle class. Watch News 13’s coverage of the event here.

Rubio Praises House Republican Budget

On Tuesday, Marco praised the House Republican budget as a serious plan to grow the economy and solve America’s debt problem.

Rubio: “Paul Ryan and House Republicans have once again offered serious solutions to our nation’s growing debt and challenging job market. We need to save our Medicare and Social Security programs, and this is a way to do it without affecting current retirees like my mom or those who are close to retiring. This plan is also right to call for the end of ObamaCare, which will only become a bigger job-destroying and debt-busting nightmare as it is implemented. To accept that ObamaCare is here to stay is to accept another anchor that threatens to sink our kids’ dreams.”

Keep reading here.

Rubio Introduces Legislation To Expose Costs Of Federal Regulations For Small Businesses

This week, Marco introduced two bills to help alleviate the crushing burden of regulations on small businesses. The “Regulation Costs to Small Business Act” requires the Small Business Administration (SBA) to conduct an annual study determining the total cost of federal regulations specifically to small businesses. The “Regulation Costs to America Act” requires the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct an annual study determining the total cost of all federal regulations.

Rubio: “Currently there is no up-to-date assessment by the government showing what its federal regulations are costing small businesses and the American taxpayer. By requiring annual reports, we will have a sense of the cost of all the hurdles small businesses have to jump over and can determine just how excessive current regulations are on business owners.”

Read more about these legislative efforts here.

Rubio Calls For Defunding of ObamaCare

On Wednesday, Marco spoke on the Senate floor in favor of defunding of ObamaCare.

Rubio: “When they start to fully implement this over the next 12-18 months, it is going to be an epic disaster. An epic disaster. Not because it was ill-intentioned, per se. I think the goal of providing an environment where everybody can buy affordable health insurance is something we should take very seriously and we have to work on. You can’t have a strong, stable middle class if people can’t afford the cost of living. You can’t have a strong and stable middle class if people don’t have access to quality health care at an affordable price. And we should work on that. We should work on that really hard.”

Watch his full speech here.

Rubio Introduces Measure To Block Key Aid To Egypt Absent Reforms

Marco introduced an amendment to the Continuing Resolution that would block two key forms of U.S. assistance to Egypt unless economic reforms and human rights safeguards are adopted, while also initiating a more thorough, longer term reevaluation of U.S. military assistance to Egypt. Among other measures, The Egypt Accountability and Democracy Amendment would block the disbursement of additional economic support funds and new foreign military financing (FMF) contracts until Egypt begins to enact economic reforms and the Obama administration certifies that Egypt is protecting basic freedoms and human rights.

Rubio: “Our foreign policy programs must make clear that the era of blank checks in exchange for little or nothing that advances America’s interests is over.”

On Tuesday, Marco spoke on the Senate floor regarding this amendment. Watch here.

Constituent Corner

This week, Rubio’s staff assisted Ms. Brown, a resident of the Treasure Coast who has stage IV cancer and had recently applied for Social Security disability benefits. Ms. Brown contacted our office for assistance expediting her case. As a result of our Congressional inquiry, we discovered that Ms. Brown’s claim was not yet entered for processing. Our staff worked diligently with the Social Security Administration and Ms. Brown’s claim was immediately processed with a favorable outcome.

Mobile Office Hours

Our staff will be hosting “ Mobile Office Hours” to meet with constituents and assist them with federal issues in their own communities. For constituents who cannot visit the regional offices, these Mobile Office Hours offer a more convenient way to seek federal casework assistance. All times listed below are local:

Tuesday - March 19, 2013
Miami-Dade County
10:00 A.M. - 1:00 P.M.
Stephen P. Clark Government Center
111 NW 1st Street
Lobby Area
Miami, FL 33128

Thursday - March 21, 2013
Miami-Dade County
10:00 A.M. - 12:00 P.M.
Miami-Dade County Public Library
West Flagler Branch
5050 West Flagler Street
Miami, FL 33134

Monday - March 25, 2013
Dixie County
11:00 A.M. - 12:30 P.M.
Dixie County Public Library
16328 SE Highway 19
Cross City, FL 32628

Levy County
2:30 P.M. - 4:00 P.M.
Tommy Usher Community Center
506 SW 4th Ave
Chiefland, FL 32626

Gilchrist County
4:30 P.M. - 6:00 P.M.
Trenton Public Library
105 Northeast 11th Avenue
Trenton, FL 32693

Tuesday - March 26, 2013
Alachua County
10:00 A.M. - 11:30 A.M.
Alachua City Hall
15100 NW 142nd Terrace
Alachua, FL 32615

Union County
12:30 P.M. - 2:00 P.M.
Union County Library
250 Southeast 5th Avenue
Lake Butler, FL 32054

Bradford County
2:30 P.M. - 4:00 P.M.
Bradford County Public Library
456 West Pratt Street
Starke, FL 32091

Osceola County
9:30 A.M. - 12:00 P.M.
Poinciana Community Center
395 Marigold Ave.
Kissimmee, FL 34759

Wednesday - March 27, 2013
Orange County
10:00 A.M. - 1:00 P.M.
Renaissance Senior Community Center
Orange County Parks & Recreation
3800 S. Econlockhatchee Trail
Orlando, FL 32829


Senator Marco Rubio
United States Senate Washington DC, 20510

Phone: (202) 224-3041
Fax: n/a