Following Hurricane Milton’s catastrophic landfall, Governor Ron DeSantis has requested an Expedited Major Disaster Declaration to support Florida's response and recovery efforts. U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), U.S. Representative Vern Buchanan (R-FL), and members...
Following Hurricane Milton’s catastrophic landfall in Florida, U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) joined the U.S. Coast Guard to survey impacted areas across the State. Photos are courtesy of Senator Rubio’s office. Senator Rubio joins the U.S. Coast Guard for a flyover...
U.S. Senator Marco Rubio’s (R-FL) office will host in-person Mobile Office Hours next week to assist constituents with federal casework issues in their respective local communities. These office hours offer constituents who do not live close to one of Senator Rubio’s...
Major Hurricane Milton is expected to make landfall in Florida, bringing with it devastating storm surge, winds, and inland flooding. The Seminole Tribe of Florida should have access to the federal resources required for emergency response and recovery preparations on...
Major Hurricane Milton is forecasted to potentially hinder or obstruct the Port of Tampa Bay, which receives more than 40 percent of Florida’s petroleum products. It’s crucial for the federal government to expedite all requested measures to protect Florida’s economy...
Major Hurricane Milton is forecasted to impact Florida with devastating storm surge, winds, and inland flooding. After just being hit by Hurricane Helene, it’s crucial for the State of Florida to have the support of the federal government. U.S. Senators Marco Rubio...
Washington, D.C. —U.S. Senators Marco Rubio (R-FL) and Ben Cardin (D-MD) reintroduced the World Press Freedom Protection and Reciprocity Act, which seeks to protect and promote worldwide press freedom and enhance reciprocity for U.S. news and media outlets. The bill was introduced ahead of World Press Freedom Day.
“As authoritarian regimes worldwide continue to repress and censor members of the independent media, I’m proud to reintroduce the bipartisan World Press Freedom Protection and Reciprocity Act,” Rubio said. “From Russia, to Cuba, to Iran, to Venezuela, to Turkey, and especially in China, journalists continue to be targeted and freedom of the press remains under attack. I thank Senator Cardin for his partnership on this important issue as we continue to advance the freedoms critical for healthy democracies.”
“We extend our thanks to the countless journalists in the U.S. and across the globe who safeguard the values of truth, democracy and justice through their work despite the risks, hardships and obstacles in their path, including campaigns to flood the zone with disinformation and propaganda” Cardin said. “A deadly pandemic and authoritarian repression have made it more urgent that the public receives the truth and clear information to keep them and their loved ones safe and government accountable to its people. For the future of our democracy, the United States must be a leader in the effort to protect the freedom of the press at home and abroad.”
The World Press Freedom Protection and Reciprocity Act:
(1) Provides a statement of U.S. policy on protecting journalists worldwide;
(2) Requires the administration to establish a plan to negotiate reciprocal access for U.S. news and media organizations, and their employees, globally;
(3) Authorizes sanctions against foreign persons responsible for jailing, killing, or torturing journalists and those that threaten the safety of U.S. journalists and media personnel;
(4) Requires clear labeling of information distributed by foreign governments; and
(5) Enhances reporting requirements on press freedom concerns in the State Department’s annual human rights reports