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Washington, D.C. — U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) joined Senators Chris Coons (D-DE), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), and Chris Murphy (D-CT) in reintroducing the Libya Stabilization Act. This bipartisan bill seeks to strengthen U.S. policy in support of a diplomatic solution to the conflict in Libya. 

The Libya Stabilization Act sanctions those who commit human rights violations, support foreign military intervention, or threaten the peace, security, and stability in Libya; requires a report on foreign government involvement in the conflict; and requires a strategy to counter Russian influence. The bill would also marshal U.S. resources, including humanitarian assistance, to strengthen good governance, promote anti-corruption, support free and fair elections, and foster economic recovery in Libya. 

Representatives Ted Deutch (D-FL), Joe Wilson (R-SC), Ted Lieu (D-CA), and Tom Malinowski (D-NJ) reintroduced similar legislation in the House. 

“I’m proud to once again join Senator Coons in re-introducing this important bill which seeks to strengthen U.S. policy towards Libya in support of a peaceful resolution to the on-going conflict,” Rubio said. “It’s in our interest, as well as those of our allies and partners, to have a stable and secure Libya. We must continue working to hold accountable and impose serious costs on those who are destabilizing Libya.”
 
“The bipartisan Libya Stabilization Act imposes costs on those seeking to stand in the way of a diplomatic solution in Libya while signaling to parties on the ground that the United States is committed to supporting peace and stability for the Libyan people,” Coons said. “Recent progress, facilitated by the United Nations, has led to the creation of an interim government and elections are on track to take place at the end of this year. The United States should be doing all we can to maintain this positive momentum and ensure that foreign meddling or another crisis does not derail the political process.”
 
“I am pleased to be a part of this bipartisan effort to focus on a peaceful solution to the conflict in Libya,” Graham said. “Our goal is to prevent the Libyan conflict from spreading and allowing the entire region to become breeding ground for terrorists. I appreciate Senator Coons’ hard work and am glad to join him in this effort to end the conflict and promote stability for the Libyan people.”

“The war in Libya has plunged the country into a humanitarian crisis and provided a vacuum for extremist groups to operate,” Murphy said. “A whole host of outside actors have poured in money and weapons to rival groups in the conflict, making it more deadly and even harder to resolve. We need to hold all those that seek to spoil Libya’s democratic transition accountable, and support democratic institutions in Libya with funding and high-level diplomacy for them to succeed. I’m glad to support the Libya Stabilization Act that does just that.”

Rubio is the Vice Chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and is a member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations.