News

Washington, D.C. – The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies today approved their FY2019 Appropriations Bill, which included key provisions advanced by U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) that would fund agriculture and medical research in Florida. The bill is scheduled to be considered by the full committee on Thursday.
 
“As a member of the Agriculture subcommittee, I am pleased this bill includes funding for critical research for citrus and specialty crops that will support Florida agriculture,” said Rubio. “I am committed to ensuring that Florida continues to receive the funding it needs for these important programs.”
 
Rubio provisions included the Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration and Related Agencies Appropriations Bill:

• Matching record high funding levels for citrus disease research
• Report language highlighting the continued need for Citrus Greening Disease Research, Citrus Health Response Program, Huanglongbing Emergency Response, Huanglongbing Multi-Agency Coordination, and the Citrus Disease Research Program
• $2 million in directed funding for marine aquaculture seedstock development research
• Instruction to the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to continue conducting a study on the disparate and discriminatory impacts of the current Agricultural Quarantine Inspection Treatment Monitoring Fee structure on ports in Florida
• $11.913 million for the Minor Crop Pest Management (1R-4) program
• $1.3 billion for Agriculture Research Service funding
• Maintaining Floriculture and Nursery Research Initiative funding levels and dedicated funding for a new Floriculture crops report
• Report language to reduce red tape keeping high quality and nutritious ingredients from being used in innovative ways in school meals
• Report language to establish virtual clinical trials to make it easier to enroll patients
• $20 million for the FDA’s Cancer Center of Excellence
• Two sections of report language that are high priorities for the Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy groups – patient experience in drug trials and expertise on drug review panels
• Report language and funding to prevent the illegal importation of opioids and to establish policies to ensure those that need prescription opioids have access to them.