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Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) released a list of provisions in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2021 omnibus appropriations bill that will be critical to the State of Florida in the months and years to come.
 
“Floridians are rightly frustrated by the gridlock, chaos, and partisanship in Washington,” Rubio said. “It took far too long for Congress to pass much-needed coronavirus relief and spending bills. But even with the dysfunction, we were able to secure dozens of critically important provisions for the State of Florida and our nation on issues ranging from small business relief and environmental protection to funding our military and combatting China.”
 
In addition to another $285 billion for the Paycheck Protection Program, which former Congressional Budget Office Director Doug Holtz-Eakin called “the single most effective fiscal policy ever undertaken by the United States Government,” the FY 2021 omnibus appropriations bill contained dozens of Rubio-led provisions related to China, the Western Hemisphere, our intelligence community, Florida water resources, and beyond. 
 
Critical provisions for the State of Florida in the fiscal year 2021 omnibus spending bill include:
 
Military Readiness, Training, and Security  

• $1.62 billion for P-8A Poseidon procurement
• $1.129 billion for F-35A aircraft and report language 
• $525 million for F-35B 
• $10 million in funding for Rapid Advanced Deposition (RAD)  
• $73 million for Iron Dome missile defense funding 
• $18 million for SOUTHCOM MMSV operations costs from their UFR 
• $8.5 million for SOUTHCOM Overland Airborne ISR from their UFR 
• $45 million for a SOF Special Tactics Ops Facility at Hurlburt Field
• $38 million for a SOF Combat Aircraft Parking Apron at Hurlburt Field
• $36 million for a ECS TEMF/Warehouse in Gainesville

 
Environmental Protection and Restoration

• $250 million for South Florida Ecosystem Restoration (Everglades)
• Expedites progress on PPA North, PPA New Water, and PPA South
• Clarifies that the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) Storage Reservoir is an element of CEPP
• Modified report language and funding increase of $1.16 million included for the South Florida Geographic Program
• Modified report language and a funding increase of $100,000 are included for Coral Disease Health
• Funding increase of $1.99 million is included for the National Estuary Program
• $33 million for Coral Reef Conservation; including $8.5 million for Mission: Iconic Reefs

 
School Safety

• $132 million for STOP School Violence

 
Space

• $590 million for Exploration Ground Systems, $74 million of which is for a second mobile launch platform
• $2.586 billion for the Space Launch System
• $28 million for FAA Office of Commercial Space Transportation

 
Coast Guard

• Fully funds $546 million request for Offshore Patrol Cutter, which is being built at Panama City-based Eastern Shipbuilding 

 
Agriculture 

• $69.5 million for APHIS’s citrus health programs, including projects for Huanglongbing and support for the HLB Multi-Agency Coordination Group
• Includes Rubio report language for Citrus Disease Research Program
• Maintains funding for ARS’s Marine Aquaculture Seedstock research
• Includes requested report language for Agricultural Quarantine Inspection Treatment Monitoring Fees
• Report language is included for the Florida Grasshopper Sparrow
• Allows for $200 million in payments to timber harvesting and hauling
• $100 million for Specialty Crop Block Grants
• Provides $1.5 billion for the Secretary of Agriculture to purchase food and agriculture products, including seafood.
• Establishes a livestock dealer trust to benefit unpaid sellers of livestock

 
Transportation

• Provides $16 billion in additional assistance through March 31, 2021. This includes $15 billion for passenger air carrier workers and $1 billion for the employees of contractors that provide ground services directly to air carriers, such as catering services or on-airport functions
• Provides $2 billion for passenger transportation services, such as the bus, motor coach, and passenger vessel industries
• Provides $2 billion for airport operations, personnel, and debt service to keep facilities open and staff on payroll through the pandemic

 
Broadband

• Provides over $7 billion for connectivity-related initiatives, including broadband access for unserved Americans, telehealth programs, and telecommunication network security

 
Virus Research

• Increased funding to CDC vector-borne disease programs by $4 million 
• Zika surveillance report language included to continue the CDC’s study on the long-term effects of Zika
• Epidemiology and Lab Capacity program funding increased $7.5 million, in line with Rubio’s SMASH Act to reduce mosquito-borne diseases