Following Hurricane Helene’s catastrophic damage throughout Florida’s gulf coast, U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) met with the Florida Farm Bureau as well as local agricultural producers, farmers, and growers to discuss the storm’s impact. Photos are courtesy of...
Following Hurricane Helene’s catastrophic damage throughout Florida’s Gulf Coast, U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) met with local officials and volunteers from the barrier islands to discuss the storm’s impact and current recovery efforts. Photos are courtesy of...
Hurricane Helene made landfall as a Category 4 storm, causing catastrophic damage along Florida’s Gulf Coast. It’s crucial for the federal government to expedite state-requested resources and authorize key policy flexibilities in order for Floridians to make a swift...
U.S. Senator Marco Rubio’s (R-FL) office will host two in-person events to assist constituents affected by Hurricane Helene and help navigate applications for FEMA assistance. Food, water, and additional resources will be available at the events. Event...
U.S. Senator Marco Rubio’s (R-FL) office will host in-person and virtual 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...
Following the impacts of Hurricanes Helene and Debby, some local governments in Florida face looming budget shortfalls that could disrupt disaster recovery efforts. If these local governments receive reimbursements for past hurricanes from the Federal Emergency...
Washington, D.C. – U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) issued the following statement today regarding the Administration’s announcement on the first arms sale to Taiwan in four years:
“The U.S.-Taiwan relationship is based on our shared values and our common interest in peace and stability in Asia. That is why the congressional notification of an arms package for Taiwan is a welcome, albeit belated step forward in upholding America’s moral and legal responsibility to help Taipei determine its own political future free from coercion.
“When the Taiwanese people head to the polls next month to exercise their right to peacefully choose a new government, there should be no doubt that America will continue to provide all necessary military and diplomatic support to help them preserve their vibrant democratic system that has achieved so much success.
“While this latest package is a welcome development, I am concerned that it has now been over four years – the longest period since the Taiwan Relations Act was passed in 1979 – since the last notification was made to Congress. In contrast with President Obama, who has shown excessive deference to Beijing, our next President needs to ensure that China is not allowed to hold the process hostage by threatening to link its cooperation on other matters to America’s support for Taiwan. U.S. decisions about what arms to sell Taiwan should be based first and foremost on the island’s legitimate defense needs.
“This package helps to increase and replace or modernize Taiwan’s existing capabilities, but it falls short of truly enhancing Taiwan’s defenses in a way that will give Beijing, which continues to threaten Taiwan with thousands of missiles, pause. Our next President needs to develop a comprehensive plan for helping to strengthen Taiwan’s Armed Forces, including expediting its acquisition of modern air and undersea warfare capabilities, enhancing its asymmetric capabilities, expanding high-level training, and allowing for more joint military planning between the Flag and General Officers of our two countries.
“Taiwan is one of America’s oldest and most dependable security partners in Asia. We need to start investing again in that partnership as our two peoples together pursue a region that is peaceful, prosperous, and free.”