Dear Fellow Floridian,

With the start of the 2023 Hurricane Season around the corner, I kicked off my hurricane preparedness tour across Florida to send one very clear message: Now is the time for every family to make a plan and get prepared.

Throughout my eight years as governor and now as senator, I’ve seen the destruction left behind by multiple devastating hurricanes. If there’s one lesson I’ve learned – it’s that preparedness saves lives.

Last year, we saw terrible devastation and loss of life with Hurricane Ian’s landfall in Florida. I know so many families are still working to recover and get back to their homes and businesses. But recovery would not be possible without incredible organizations like the American Red Cross Florida Regions and Meals on Wheels, which operates 126 programs throughout the state. Both of these organizations play a critical role in serving our communities, especially during hurricane season, to help families and our senior citizens receive much-needed resources and support. Ann and I were proud to give back to these organizations and donate my first quarter Senate salary to advance their work.

Now is also a great opportunity for your family to stock your disaster supply kits with vital supplies like a first aid kit, a radio, flashlights, batteries and other necessities. As I always say, you can rebuild your home, but you can’t rebuild your life. Don’t put your family and loved ones at risk. Don’t wait to take action.

Get prepared today.

For resources on how you and your family can stay safe, click HERE.

Sincerely,

Rick Scott

United States Senator

To be the first to find out about Senator Scott’s actions and statements, follow him on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

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See more of what Senator Scott has been up to this week below.

Sen. Rick Scott to Donate Senate Salary to American Red Cross and Meals on Wheels in Support of Hurricane Preparedness Efforts

Senator Rick Scott and Mrs. Ann Scott announced that the senator will be donating his quarterly Senate salary to the American Red Cross Florida Regions and Meals on Wheels, which operates 126 programs throughout the state. Both of these organizations play a critical role in serving our communities, especially during hurricane season, to help families and our senior citizens receive much-needed resources and support. Senator Scott has donated his Senate salary every quarter since taking office.

Later this week, Senator Rick Scott be traveling the state on a hurricane preparedness tour across Florida to emphasize the importance of planning ahead for the 2023 hurricane season beginning June 1.

Senator Rick Scott said, “The 2023 hurricane season is around the corner, and there’s no better time to get prepared than TODAY for any potential weather. As I travel the state this week to encourage Floridians to get prepared, Ann and I are proud to announce that we will be donating my Senate quarterly salary to Florida sectors of American Red Cross and Meals on Wheels to support the great work they’re doing throughout our state during this Hurricane season. Right now, so many families are continuing to struggle to make ends meet with inflation, and often turning to organizations like these for help with extra supplies for their emergency supply kits and stocking up for potential weather. One of the best things about the state of Florida is that when Floridians are in need, there’s always a helping hand available – these organizations and their many committed volunteers are a prime example of that.”

Read more HERE. Lea más en español AQUÍ.

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WHAT THEY ARE SAYING… Nationwide Law Enforcement & School Safety Leaders Applaud Sen. Rick Scott’s School Guardian Act

Law enforcement and school safety leaders across the nation are applauding Senator Rick Scott’s School Guardian Act. This bill, which was introduced last month following the horrific shooting at the Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee, would create a block grant program administered by the U.S. Department of Justice supporting the hiring of one or more law enforcement officers to provide full-time security at every K-12 school in the country, including all public, private and religious schools. This bill builds on Senator Scott’s efforts as Governor of Florida to improve school safety with increased law enforcement and security measures following the horrific shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in 2018.

Senator Scott’s School Guardian Act has been endorsed by:

Stand With Parkland
The Florida Sheriffs Association
The Florida Police Chiefs Association
The National Association of School Resource Officers
The National Sheriffs’ Association
The Florida Association of School Resource Officers
Citrus County Sheriff Mike Prendergast
The Indiana Sheriffs’ Association
The Pennsylvania Association of School Resource Officers

Read more HERE.

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Sen. Rick Scott Kicks Off Statewide Hurricane Preparedness Tour in Doral

Senator Rick Scott kicked off his hurricane preparedness tour in Doral where he emphasized the importance of planning ahead for the 2023 hurricane season which begins next week on June 1. This was Senator Scott’s first stop on his two-day tour across the Sunshine State where he is getting the word out about the upcoming hurricane season with local elected leaders, emergency management officials and business owners.

Yesterday, Senator Scott and Mrs. Ann Scott announced that they will be donating his first quarter Senate salary to the American Red Cross Florida Regions and Meals on Wheels, which operates 126 programs throughout the state. Both of these organizations play a critical role in serving our communities, especially during hurricane season, to help families and our senior citizens receive much-needed resources and support. Senator Scott has donated his Senate salary every quarter since taking office.

Senator Rick Scott said, “With the start of the 2023 Hurricane Season around the corner, I am here to send one very clear message: Now is the time for every family to make a plan and get prepared. Throughout my eight years as governor and now as senator, I’ve seen the destruction left behind by multiple devastating hurricanes. If there’s one lesson I’ve learned – it’s that preparedness saves lives. Last year, we saw terrible devastation and loss of life with Hurricane Ian’s landfall in Florida. I know so many families are still working to recover and get back to their homes and businesses. Now is also a great opportunity for your family to stock your disaster supply kits with vital supplies like a first aid kit, a radio, flashlights, batteries and other necessities. As I always say, you can rebuild your home, but you can’t rebuild your life. Don’t put your family and loved ones at risk. Don’t wait to take action. Get prepared today.”

Yesterday, Senator Scott and Mrs. Ann Scott announced that they will be donating his first quarter Senate salary to the American Red Cross Florida Regions and Meals on Wheels, which operates 126 programs throughout the state. Both of these organizations play a critical role in serving our communities, especially during hurricane season, to help families and our senior citizens receive much-needed resources and support. Senator Scott has donated his Senate salary every quarter since taking office.

Senator Rick Scott continued his hurricane preparedness tour in Kissimmee where he emphasized the importance of planning ahead for the 2023 hurricane season which begins next week on June 1. This was Senator Scott’s second stop on his two-day tour across the Sunshine State where he is getting the word out about the upcoming hurricane season with local elected leaders, emergency management officials and business owners.

Senator Rick Scott said, “With the start of the 2023 Hurricane Season around the corner, I am here to send one very clear message: Now is the time for every family to make a plan and get prepared. Last year, we saw terrible devastation with Hurricane Ian’s landfall, and it reminded us that severe weather can approach and change course so quickly – even without a direct hit, we still saw massive flooding, road closures and outings here in Central Florida. Many folks here remember Hurricane Maria just a few years ago, and had families come here to Florida after their homes were devastated in Puerto Rico. Now is a great opportunity for your family to stock your disaster supply kits with vital supplies like a first aid kit, a radio, flashlights, batteries and other necessities. As I always say, you can rebuild your home, but you can’t rebuild your life. Don’t put your family and loved ones at risk. Don’t wait to take action. Get prepared today.”

Read more HERE. Lea más en español AQUÍ.

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Sen. Rick Scott Hosts Hurricane Preparedness Press Conference in Ft. Myers

Senator Rick Scott continued his hurricane preparedness tour in Ft. Myers where he emphasized the importance of planning ahead for the 2023 hurricane season which begins next week on June 1. This was Senator Scott’s third stop on his two-day tour across the Sunshine State where he is getting the word out about the upcoming hurricane season with local elected leaders, emergency management officials and business owners.

Senator Rick Scott said, “With the start of the 2023 Hurricane Season around the corner, I am here to send one very clear message: Now is the time for every family to make a plan and get prepared. Last year, we saw terrible devastation with Hurricane Ian in Southwest Florida. I know so many families are still working to recover and get back to their homes and businesses. In Washington, I am working hard to get you all the relief you deserve by passing my Hurricane Tax Relief Act to provide disaster-loss tax relief to families impacted by Hurricanes Ian, Nicole and Fiona. I am hopeful we can get it done and get Floridians the help they need.

“In these seven months since Ian, I’ve talked to countless families, businesses, and officials on every level – we’ve worked hand in hand to make sure you have the resources you need to get back on your feet and on the way to a full recovery. But we always need to be ready for the next storm. Now is a great opportunity for your family to stock your disaster supply kits with vital supplies like a first aid kit, a radio, flashlights, batteries and other necessities. As I always say, you can rebuild your home, but you can’t rebuild your life. Don’t put your family and loved ones at risk. Don’t wait to take action. Get prepared today.”

Read more HERE. Lea más en español AQUÍ.

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Sen. Rick Scott Hosts Hurricane Preparedness Press Conference in Tampa

Senator Rick Scott continued his hurricane preparedness tour in Tampa where he emphasized the importance of planning ahead for the 2023 hurricane season which begins next week on June 1. This was Senator Scott’s fourth stop on his tour across the Sunshine State where he is getting the word out about the upcoming hurricane season with local elected leaders, emergency management officials and business owners.

Senator Rick Scott said, “With the start of the 2023 Hurricane Season around the corner, I am here to send one very clear message: Now is the time for every family to make a plan and get prepared. Ian reminded us that severe weather can approach and change course so quickly—just days before landfall, the eye of the storm shifted and was heading right here for Tampa Bay before shifting back south. Tampa got lucky with that storm, but we cannot count on that again. We have to take all storms seriously. Now is a great opportunity for you and your family to stock your disaster supply kits with vital supplies like a first aid kit, a radio, flashlights, batteries, and other necessities. As I always say, you can rebuild your home, but you can’t rebuild your life. Don’t put your family and loved ones at risk. Don’t wait to take action. Get prepared today.”

Read more HERE. Lea más en español AQUÍ.

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Sen. Rick Scott Hosts Hurricane Preparedness Press Conference in Mexico Beach

Senator Rick Scott continued his hurricane preparedness tour in Mexico Beach where he emphasized the importance of planning ahead for the 2023 hurricane season which begins next week on June 1. This was Senator Scott’s fifth stop on his tour across the Sunshine State where he has been getting the word out about the upcoming hurricane season with local elected leaders, emergency management officials and business owners.

Senator Rick Scott said, “With the start of the 2023 Hurricane Season around the corner, I am here to send one very clear message: Now is the time for every family to make a plan and get prepared. I’ll never forget a family I met here in Mexico Beach after Hurricane Michael devastated that community and much of the panhandle. They ignored the evacuation order and stayed home. They almost lost everything in the storm—including their lives. They pledged to never take that chance again. We have to take all storms seriously.

“I know Michael is still fresh in the minds of families and businesses here in Mexico Beach. It is hard to imagine going through that again, so now is a great opportunity for you and your family to stock your disaster supply kits with vital supplies like a first aid kit, a radio, flashlights, batteries, and other necessities. As I always say, you can rebuild your home, but you can’t rebuild your life. Don’t put your family and loved ones at risk. Don’t wait to take action. Get prepared today.”

Read more HERE. Lea más en español AQUÍ.

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Sens. Rick Scott & Elizabeth Warren Criticize Failures of Fed IG, Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Eliminate Conflicts of Interest and Promote Accountability at the Fed

Senator Rick Scott joined Senator Elizabeth Warren in sending a letter to Federal Reserve (Fed) Inspector General (IG) Mark Bialek, reiterating the need to make his position a presidentially-appointed, Senate-confirmed role to provide greater accountability at the Fed. Mr. Bialek testified in front of the senators at a Senate Banking Subcommittee hearing last Wednesday. The letter was sent in response to several concerns he had raised about S. 915, the Senators’ bipartisan Fed IG reform legislation.

Additionally, the lawmakers introduced the Strengthening Federal Reserve System Accountability Act, to improve the governance of the Federal Reserve System and make the Fed more transparent and accountable. The senators’ new legislation would prohibit executives from large banks from serving on Reserve Bank boards of directors, require the Board of Governors and Reserve Banks to disclose more information about the Reserve Bank president and director selection processes, and subject Reserve Bank directors to ethics and financial conflict of interest rules.

Read more HERE.

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Sen. Rick Scott Issues Weekly Update on Biden’s Inflation

As the Bureau of Economic Analysis’ April Personal Consumer Expenditures (PCE) release showed prices paid by consumers for goods and services rose 4.4% over the year, Senator Rick Scott released a weekly update on his actions to address America’s debt crisis and rising inflation. The PCE data released today is further proof that President Biden’s inflation crisis, caused by his and Democrats’ socialist policies and reckless government spending, continues to wreak havoc on the economy and shrink budgets for families as the prices of everyday goods continue to skyrocket.

Senator Rick Scott said, “I have said it before, and I will say it again: reckless government spending causes inflation. The events that have unfolded recently are further proof that we have real and serious economic issues at hand. When it comes to negotiating our debt ceiling, every American has a dog in this fight. Families are being forced to dip into their savings just to keep up with rising costs. We cannot continue to make reckless decisions that will saddle future generations with debt. We have to come to an agreement and get this country back on the path of fiscal sanity. We cannot continue to raise taxes, and we certainly cannot continue spending the way Washington has been. I stand firmly behind my House Republican colleagues and their effort to pass a solid, commonsense plan. The time for fiscal sanity is now.”

Read more HERE. Lea más en español AQUÍ.

Additionally, click HERE for Senator Scott’s monthly Economic Snapshot.

Citrus County Sheriff Michael Prendergast shared his support for Senator Rick Scott’s School Guardian Act in a recent Citrus County Chronicle op-ed. Senator Scott’s legislation would create a block grant program administered by the U.S. Department of Justice supporting the hiring of one or more law enforcement officers to provide full-time security at every K-12 school in the country, including all public, private and religious schools. In addition to Sheriff Prendergast’s recent endorsement, Senator Scott’s proposal has been endorsed by Stand With Parkland, the Florida Sheriffs Association, the Florida Police Chiefs Association, the National Association of School Resource Officers, the National Sheriffs’ Association, the Florida Association of School Resource Officers, the Indiana Sheriffs’ Association, and the Pennsylvania Association of School Resource Officers. Sheriff Michael Prendergast writes, “Recent tragic events around the country have once again brought the issue of school safety to the forefront of the national conversation. As Sheriff of Citrus County, I have seen firsthand the importance of having well-trained, armed law enforcement officers in our schools to protect our students and staff. It is vital that we take immediate action to protect our children and provide a safe learning environment. For these very reasons, I am expressing my full support for Sen. Rick Scott’s recent proposal placing a sworn law enforcement officer on every school campus in the country. Following the horrific mass shooting at The Covenant School in Nashville, Sen. Scott has introduced a new bill in the U.S. Senate called the School Guardian Act of 2023… “Sen. Scott seeks to build upon his efforts as governor of Florida, where he helped pass the Marjory Stoneman Douglas Public Safety Act in 2018 to improve school safety across the state with increased law enforcement and security measures. Since passage of that legislation five years ago, Florida has been extremely successful in improving school safety and continues to set the standard for the rest of the nation. I have no doubt that this model could be expanded and enhanced to a national level to ensure consistency of services, effectiveness in deployment, and afford top-quality protection across all K-12 campuses in the country. Law enforcement officers who are assigned to a school build positive relationships with students, staff, and parents. These interactions can help to prevent incidents of violence or other criminal activity, and identify potential threats before they escalate. In Citrus County, we have sworn deputies assigned to nearly every public school in our community and one contracted at Seven Rivers Christian School. While each one is acutely focused on safety and security, they also work diligently on educating and working with our schools in preparing students to make good life choices along with instructing them on the consequences of violating the law…  “Over the past several years, our School Resource Deputy Program has undergone extensive training in areas such as de-escalation, crisis response tactics, use of force, criminal investigation and the handling of high-pressure situations. They work tirelessly to prepare for any potential threats through annual joint trainings on critical responses and mock drills at school facilities with their staff. In 2019, the Sheriff’s Office invited the US Department of Homeland Security to provide their weeklong, in-depth Active Shooter Threat Training Program to all our SRDs. To further bolster our continuous preparedness, we had the Florida Department of Law Enforcement provide their Active Threat Response course to all of our SRDs just last summer. Later this year, we have the U.S. Secret Service coming in to train our deputies and other sheriff’s office staff on their course, Enhancing School Safety Using a Threat Assessment Model and Key Findings of Averted and Targeted School Violence…  “Sen. Scott’s School Guardian Act is a common-sense approach to ensuring the safety of our schools by having a sworn, law enforcement officer in every public and private school across the U.S. I pledge my full support to Sen. Rick Scott and his School Guardian Act. I urge everyone to back this important legislation which has already received endorsements from the Florida Sheriffs Association, the Florida Police Chiefs Association, and Stand with Parkland – The National Association of Families for Safe Schools. We have an obligation to our children and our communities to do everything we can to prevent another tragic school shooting and keep our schools safe…” Read the full op-ed in the Citrus County Chronicle HERE. — WTSP 10 Tampa Bay: Sen. Rick Scott’s Bill to Combat Fentanyl Crisis, Shares Heartbreaking Stories of Floridians Impacted In case you missed it, WTSP 10 Tampa Bay highlighted Senator Rick Scott’s Uniform Postal Data Acquisition for Transparency and Early Detection within the United States Postal Service (UPDATED USPS) Act to curb the flow of fentanyl through the U.S. mail. The bill strengthens advance electronic data requirements on shipments from foreign adversaries, allowing the postal service to block the transmission of packages that lack digital tracking data. If passed, this bill would make it easier for the U.S. to stop foreign cartels from circumventing border patrol agents and curb the delivery of fentanyl into American communities. In 2021, more than 70,000 Americans have died from fentanyl overdoses. When announcing the reintroduction of his bill Senator Rick Scott said, “Every day, fentanyl is pouring into American communities and killing our neighbors and loved ones. More than 70,000 Americans died in 2021 from fentanyl overdoses – and every one of these deaths was 100% preventable. Today, I am continuing my work to combat the deadly fentanyl crisis by reintroducing the UPDATED USPS Act, giving officials another desperately needed tool to use in the fight to keep these deadly drugs out of our country. We know that Communist China is feeding the Mexican Cartels the precursors they need to make fentanyl and then smuggle it over the border, but it’s also coming in through the mail. By strengthening requirements on shipments from foreign adversaries, we’ll be able to stop shipments of fentanyl before they reach our communities and kill our citizens. Americans are dying every day. We don’t have time to wait, and I won’t stop fighting in the Senate to bring an end to this horrible crisis.” Watch the full clip from WTSP 10 Tampa Bay HERE. — Fox News: Rick Scott leads push to help parents keep kids safe from unrestricted AI As artificial intelligence developments continue to advance and concerns with the technology grow, Fox News published an article highlighting Senator Rick Scott’s newly introduced Artificial Intelligence Shield for Kids (ASK) Act. Senator Scott’s legislation would prevent children from accessing artificial intelligence features on social media sites without the consent of a parent or guardian. Additionally, the bill requires the Federal Communications Commission, in consultation with the Federal Trade Commission, to issue rules prohibiting social media companies from charging a fee or mandating a paid subscription, as Snapchat has recently done, before allowing parents or kids to remove artificial intelligence features from products used by minors. Reporting for Fox News, Liz Elkind writes, “Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., is hoping to give parents more control over their kids’ access to AI chatbots as Congress starts to wrestle with how to put guardrails around rapidly advancing artificial intelligence systems… [He’s] already winning support for the bill from Senate colleagues as well as American parents… ‘Part of government’s responsibility is to keep people safe. And I think this is the basic premise of what government ought to be doing, is keeping kids safe,’ he said… ‘I think about how my wife and I raised our daughters, you know, we signed off if they were gonna go to a school trip. If they were going to stay all night, we made sure we knew the family. We tried to make sure they’re around people that put them in a situation that kept them safe. And I think every parent probably thinks that way,’ the senator said. ‘So I think we’ve got to do the same thing with regard to technology,’ he said. ‘I don’t think that our children ought to be subjected to AI technology without parental consent.’ …He added that he expects the legislation to move forward in committee, which would set it up for an eventual Senate floor vote.” Read the full story on Fox News HERE. — Fox News: Sen. Scott responds to NAACP’s Florida ‘travel advisory’ with one of his own for ‘socialists’ The Hill: Rick Scott issues travel advisory for ‘socialists,’ warning Florida is ‘openly hostile’ to them Washington Examiner: Rick Scott mocks NAACP with travel advisory for socialists heading to Florida The Floridian: Rick Scott Receives Citrus County Sheriff’s Support of School Safety Bill The Floridian: Rick Scott Issues His Own Florida Travel Advisory for ‘Socialists’ and ‘Leftists’ News Channel 8: Sen. Rick Scott issues travel advisory warning Florida is ‘openly hostile toward Socialists’ Florida Daily: Rick Scott to Donate Senate Salary to American Red Cross and Meals on Wheels in Support of Hurricane Preparedness Efforts Florida Daily: Rick Scott Brings Back Proposal Targeting Fentanyl Transport Through U.S. Mail WTSP: Sen. Rick Scott issues travel advisory for ‘socialists visiting Florida’

Senator Scott’s Team in Tallahassee This week, Senator Scott’s team attended the North Florida District Court Naturalization Ceremony. — Senator Scott’s Team in Deltona Senator Scott’s team also attended the Deltona Puerto Rican Multicultural Festival. “¡Sigamos Trabajando!” — Senator Scott’s Team in Punta Gorda Another event Senator Scott’s team attended was the Punta Gorda Police Department’s 2023 DARE Graduation. —

Dear Fellow Floridian,

As your U.S. Senator, I work every day to Make Washington Work for Florida families and fight for what matters most to you. That starts with ensuring the policies in place up here to restore fiscal sanity in Washington, stand for what’s right and keep your communities safe.

Restoring Fiscal Sanity

On Wednesday, I led 18 of my Republican colleagues in a press conference amid debt ceiling negotiations on Capitol Hill, where we continued our calls for substantial reforms that return Washington to fiscal sanity the American people deserve.

For a recap of the press conference, click HERE. To watch the full event click HERE.

Standing up for Human Rights

This week, I led the effort in the Senate to rescind a recent Biden administration rule that allowed Chinese solar manufacturers, many of which are proven to use child and slave labor, to circumvent U.S. tariffs. This change will support American solar manufacturers and workers, stand up for human rights and hold the Chinese Communist Party accountable for breaking American trade laws. I was proud to this measure pass with bipartisan support and see the U.S. Senate affirm that the United States will never tolerate a hostile takeover of our industries and will always stand against slave and child labor. Now, this legislation heads to the president’s desk, and I urge President Biden to stand up to Communist China and sign it.

Read more HERE.

Keeping our Communities Safe by Securing the Southern Border

With Title 42 expected to expire next week, I was in Texas to receive a briefing from Customs and Border Protection officials in the Del Rio Sector about the migrant crisis on our southern border. I wanted to see the problem firsthand and ask them what we could do to help since Joe Biden won’t.

For an update from the border and what I saw, click HERE.

Sincerely,

Rick Scott

United States Senator

To be the first to find out about Senator Scott’s actions and statements, follow him on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

See more of what Senator Scott has been up to this week below.

Sen. Rick Scott & Colleagues Send Letter to Biden Administration Blasting Proposal to Punish Borrowers with High Credit Scores

Senator Rick Scott joined Senators Roger Marshall, Thom Tillis and 15 of their colleagues in leading a letter to the Biden administration’s Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) Director Sandra Thompson. This letter expressed the senators’ outrage at Thompson’s proposal to penalize Americans who have managed their money responsibly in order to subsidize high-risk borrowers with low credit.

Proposals like these set a dangerous precedent. In their letter, the senators wrote, “This shortsighted and counterproductive policy demonstrates a profound misunderstanding of the necessity of accurately tailoring housing finance products to credit risk and establishes a perverse incentive that punishes hardworking Americans for their fiscal prudence,” the letter said. “Under your leadership, FHFA has pushed forward a number of policy proposals and changes that seek to social-engineer the U.S. housing market in ways that increase riskiness and promote discrimination…The fact that a proposal flaunting credit risk is being openly pushed by FHFA just a decade-and-a-half after the housing-led 2008 financial crisis is staggering…The housing market should not be exploited as a means to pander to targeted demographics that you have chosen, nor an instrument to secure political favoritism.”

Read more HERE.

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Sen. Rick Scott on Senate Republicans’ Role in Debt Ceiling Negotiations: Stand United with House and Demand Fiscal Sanity

Senator Rick Scott led 18 of his Republican colleagues in a press conference as debt ceiling negotiations continue on Capitol Hill where he continued his calls for substantial reforms that return Washington to fiscal sanity the American people deserve. Senator Scott fully supports Speaker McCarthy’s sweeping debt limit package that repeals President Biden and Washington Democrats’ obsession with over-taxing and over-spending while reforming the wasteful practices responsible for bringing America’s debt to $31 trillion.

Watch more HERE.

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U.S. Senate Passes Sen. Rick Scott’s Bipartisan Measure to Eliminate Biden Waiver for Chinese Solar Companies Using Slave and Child Labor

The United States Senate passed bipartisan legislation to support American solar manufacturers and workers and to hold the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) accountable for breaking American trade laws and using slave and child labor to produce these products. Senator Scott led the measure in the Senate where it passed with bipartisan support. Today’s vote follows the House passage of this measure last week, which was led by Congressman Bill Posey. The measure now heads to President Joe Biden’s desk.

Senator Rick Scott said, “Communist China’s solar panel manufacturing is based on slave and child labor, government subsidies and trade abuses. Today, in a bipartisan vote, the U.S. Senate affirmed that the United States will never tolerate a hostile takeover of our industries and will always stand against slave and child labor. Today’s vote is good for American jobs, protects U.S. national security and holds accountable those who commit horrific human rights abuses. When you break American trade laws and use slave labor, you pay the price. I want to thank all my colleagues who supported this CRA and Congressman Bill Posey for his hard work getting it passed in the House of Representatives. Now, this CRA heads to the president’s desk, and I urge President Biden to sign it and stand up to Communist China.”

Read more HERE.

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Sen. Rick Scott Leads Colleagues in Bill to Stop Human Trafficking of Migrant Children

Senators Rick Scott, Tom Cotton and Marco Rubio introduced the Stop Human Trafficking of Unaccompanied Migrant Children Act. This bill addresses the recent reports of unaccompanied migrant children being released to sponsors who have not received proper screening from the Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR).

Senator Rick Scott said, “No one is safe from the suffering caused by President Biden’s border crisis, especially children. The savage cartels don’t care about a child’s life, they happily traffic them across Biden’s wide open border and collect the payment without a minute of regret. That must end NOW. I have seven grandkids and I cannot imagine them ever being put at risk. Every child is worth protecting. Hundreds of thousands of migrant children have entered the federal government’s shelter system and President Biden’s administration is not doing nearly enough to keep them safe. We must ensure that these unaccompanied children placed with a sponsor by this administration are not being trafficked. I’m proud to lead my colleagues in introducing this good bill and implement real vetting that protects kids.”

Read more HERE.

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Sen. Rick Scott: Joe Biden is Missing in Action on Debt Ceiling Talks

Senator Rick Scott led 18 of his Senate Republican colleagues in a press conference showing unified support of the House Republicans’ proposal to address the debt ceiling with a responsible solution that reins in spending, reduces waste and lowers costs. Yesterday, Senator Scott and his colleagues made clear that Senate Republicans will be active players in this fight.

While Republicans are putting forward solutions that return fiscal sanity to the nation, Joe Biden and Senate Democrats are refusing to negotiate or change their broken ways of high taxes and reckless spending that are putting the American dream at risk.

Watch the video HERE.

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As Title 42 Nears Expiration, Sen. Rick Scott Visits Southern Border in Del Rio

Senator Rick Scott visited the United States’ border with Mexico near Del Rio, Texas. Senator Scott received a briefing from state and federal law enforcement officers, including U.S. Border Patrol and Customs and Border Protection’s (CBP) Air & Marine Operations and the Texas Department of Public Safety, on the massive national security and humanitarian crisis along the southern border being fueled by President Biden’s disastrous policies of amnesty and open borders. He also participated in an aerial tour with CBP of the Del Rio sector. Due to Biden’s open-border policies and refusal to uphold our laws, Title 42 is one of our last defenses at the border. Unfortunately, President Biden is allowing it to expire in the middle of this crisis.

Senator Rick Scott said, “I have been to the southern border three times since President Biden took office, and the crisis is worse each time I visit. It is a fact that the horrific amnesty policies and open border agenda of President Biden, along with the incompetent leadership of DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas, has caused a humanitarian crisis. America’s brave border patrol is working around the clock to keep Americans safe, and today I got to see that work firsthand. Unfortunately, they have zero support from Washington and now the one tool that was doing some good, Title 42, is going away. Fentanyl is flowing into U.S. communities and killing tens of thousands of our citizens. Reports continue to come in about migrants illegally entering our country committing horrifying crimes and known terrorists are walking into American communities. Joe Biden has surrendered control of America’s border to the savage cartels and this is the result. Enough is enough. It’s time for the Biden administration to secure the border and send a clear message of law and order. It would be great for Biden to make that announcement himself and come here and see the crisis he’s created.”

Read more HERE. Lea más en español AQUÍ.

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Sen. Rick Scott Issues Weekly Update on Biden’s Inflation

Senator Rick Scott led 18 of his Senate Republican colleagues in a press conference showing unified support for the House Republicans’ proposal to address the debt ceiling with a responsible solution that reins in spending, reduces waste and lowers costs. The Senator and his colleagues made clear that Senate Republicans will be active players in this fight.

See more in the video HERE. Read more HERE. Lea más en español AQUÍ.

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Fox News: Republicans unleash effort making it easier to fire federal bureaucrats

Fox News: Rick Scott’s advice to McCarthy on the debt ceiling talks: Remember the American public

Fox News: Senate passes bipartisan bill to override Biden’s handout to Chinese solar companies

Washington Examiner: Rick Scott calls for greater Senate GOP involvement in debt ceiling fight

Daily Caller: Senate Votes To Bring Back China Tariffs That Biden Blocked

The Hill: Senate set for bipartisan rebuke of Biden on solar tariffs

Politico: How McCarthy mollified the right on his debt plan — for now

Florida Daily: Marco Rubio, Rick Scott: Biden Administration Neglected Child Labor Trafficking

Florida Voice: Scott leads effort to nix Biden waiver for CCP-linked solar companies using ‘slave and child labor’

The Floridian: Rick Scott, Marco Rubio Reintroduce Bill to Counter China’s Civil-Military Fusion Agenda

Senator Scott’s Team in Punta Gorda

This week, Senator Scott’s team had the privilege of handing out the trophies to award recipients at the last Punta Gorda Do the Right Thing ceremony for 2023.

Senator Scott’s Team in Orlando

Senator Scott’s team also attended the grand opening of the Oh Que Bueno Colombian Restaurant.

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Senator Scott’s Team in Orange Park

Senator Scott’s team also attended the Police Memorial Ceremony in Orange Park.

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Senator Scott’s Team in Winter Park

Additionally, Senator Scott’s team attended the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office National Day of Prayer service.

Dear Fellow Floridian,

When I came to Washington, I promised my top priority would be to make Washington work for Florida’s families. It’s total dysfunction up here, and what’s worse is Washington politicians think they should be able to do and spend whatever they want with no concern for the American taxpayer.

I spend every day fighting back against this reckless spending and big government overreach, and I’m thankful to say House Republicans released a responsible debt limit package plan that would help us accomplish this.

Senators Mike Lee, Ron Johnson, Mike Braun and myself applauded Speaker Kevin McCarthy and House Republicans’ plan to repeal President Biden and Washington Democrats’ obsession with over-taxing and over-spending while reforming the wasteful practices responsible for bringing America’s debt to $31 trillion. Read our full statement HERE or below.

Sincerely, Rick Scott United States Senator P.S. If you or someone you know is interested in a military service academy nomination, visit my website to apply. To be the first to find out about Senator Scott’s actions and statements, follow him on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. — See more of what Senator Scott has been up to this week below.

Sen. Rick Scott Blasts DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Government Censorship and Disinformation During a hearing in the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, Senator Rick Scott blasted Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on the Biden administration’s censorship of American citizens, a violation of their First Amendment right. Under the leadership of Secretary Mayorkas, the department and others in the Biden administration are implementing this censorship on the basis of “disinformation.” Yet, the narratives Secretary Mayorkas and the administration peddle, like “the border is secure,” “Hunter Biden’s laptop is not real,” “the withdrawal from Afghanistan was successful,” and a “Chinese spy balloon over the United States is not a threat,” are all actual disinformation. We now know, thanks to the Twitter Files exposing it, that the government is working with and funding non-governmental organizations to censor millions of Americans via Big Tech in direct violation of their First Amendment right. The American people deserve better from this administration. Federal bureaucrats who subvert the law should be held accountable. Watch more HERE or in the video below. Read more HERE. — Sen. Rick Scott Joins Colleagues in Leading Bicameral Push to Ban Members of Congress From Using TikTok Senator Rick Scott joined a group of Republican senators and representatives, led by Senator Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Representative Dan Crenshaw (R-TX), to call on all members of Congress “to lead by example” by ceasing the use of the China-based app TikTok and urge the House and Senate rules be amended to ban members of Congress from continued use of TikTok. Read the full letter HERE. Read more HERE. — Sen. Rick Scott and Mrs. Ann Scott Support March of Dimes at Gourmet Gala Reception Kick Off Senator Rick Scott and his wife, Mrs. Ann Scott are proud to support the March of Dimes. Senator and Mrs. Scott serve as co-chairs for the March of Dimes’ Gourmet Gala and donated his 2022 fourth quarter Senate salary to the organization. Senator Rick Scott and Mrs. Ann Scott said, “It is a true honor to serve as co-chairs for March of Dimes’ Gourmet Gala and support its incredible work. One of the greatest joys is to bring life into this world and hold your precious child for the first time – an experience more families have thanks to the wonderful work of March of Dimes.” Read more HERE. — Sens. Rick Scott, Marco Rubio & Colleagues Reintroduce Bill to Restore Holocaust Survivors’ Rights Senator Rick Scott joined Senator Marco Rubio and their colleagues to reintroduce the Holocaust Insurance Accountability Act. This legislation would allow beneficiaries of Holocaust-era insurance policies to bring civil action in U.S. district courts against the insurer for the covered policy to recover proceeds due or otherwise enforce any rights under the policy. Currently, countless Holocaust survivors, and their descendants, have been unable to recover their unpaid pre-Holocaust insurance policies. Senator Rick Scott said, “I’m proud to join my colleagues to reintroduce the Holocaust Insurance Accountability Act to continue our support for survivors and their families. The Holocaust is more than a history lesson, it is a stark reminder that evil and hate exist in this world. Our memory and support of all of those who suffered must never weaken. Every generation must heed the call to action in the face of evil, and as U.S. Senator, I will continue to support Israel and take action against those who wish to do them harm.” Read more HERE. — Sen. Rick Scott Leads Reintroduction of Broadband Buildout Accountability Act to Make Sure Taxpayers Know How Their Money is Spent Senators Rick Scott, Ron Johnson, Marsha Blackburn, Mike Lee, Todd Young, Roger Wicker, John Thune, Jerry Moran and Dan Sullivan reintroduced the Broadband Buildout Accountability Act to increase transparency for a $42 billion Bipartisan Infrastructure Package (BIF) broadband buildout grant awarded to the National Technology Information Administration (NTIA). This grant is currently exempted from transparency requirements under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). Senator Scott’s Broadband Buildout Accountability Act would remove the FOIA exemption and require a full accounting of how the $42 billion of taxpayer money is spent to ensure these dollars are not subjected to fraud, waste, or misuse. Senator Rick Scott said, “Americans deserve to know how the government is spending their money—especially on a $42 billion grant that will help get essential internet services to those that need it most. This is not the government’s money, it is the hard-earned dollars of American taxpayers and they should know exactly how every cent is being spent. My Broadband Buildout Accountability Act will increase transparency and help ensure this taxpayer money is spent with maximum accountability and return on investment. Spending taxpayer dollars should be a crystal clear process. I urge my colleagues to support this bill which increases government accountability and transparency to Americans everywhere.” Read more HERE. — Sens. Rick Scott & Marco Rubio Urge Corps to Reassess Misguided Easement Policies Harming Florida’s Coasts Senator Rick Scott joined Senator Marco Rubio in sending a letter to Assistant Secretary of the Army for Civil Works Michael Connor and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Chief of Engineers Lt. General Scott Spellmon requesting them to reassess misguided shoreline easement policies under a Congressionally-directed policy review to allow hurricane risk reduction and coastal storm risk management projects to move forward. Earlier this year, the USACE significantly reduced the scope of a federally-authorized hurricane risk reduction project for Fort Myers Beach, which was one of the communities most severely affected by Hurricane Ian. Read more HERE. — Sen. Rick Scott & Colleagues Introduce Resolution Commemorating 62nd Anniversary of The Bay of Pigs Invasion and Remembering the Members of Assault Brigade 2506 Senator Rick Scott joined Senators Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz to introduce a resolution commemorating the 62nd anniversary of the Bay of Pigs operation and remembering the members of Brigada de Asalto 2506 (Assault Brigade 2506). Representative Mario Díaz-Balart will introduce companion legislation in the House of Representatives. Read more HERE. — Sens. Rick Scott, Marco Rubio Send Letter to EPA in Support of Florida’s Request for Temporary Gasoline Waivers Following last week’s devastating flooding in South Florida, the distribution of fuel has been significantly impacted; causing gasoline shortages across the region. In an effort to help Floridians, Senators Rick Scott and Marco Rubio sent a letter to U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Michael Regan supporting the approval of the state’s request for temporary waivers for the distribution of gasoline. Read more HERE. — Sen. Rick Scott & HSGAC Colleagues Press Mayorkas over Department Failures During this week’s Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC) hearing to consider the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) FY24 Budget, HSGAC Republicans pressed DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas over his department’s dangerous abuses of power and policies that have caused an unprecedented surge in illegal border crossings. Senator Scott pointed out that there has been little to no accountability on the department’s crackdown on disinformation online. During his questions, Senator Scott pressed the secretary on the department violating the law by censoring Americans, as well as the Biden administration’s coordinated effort to spread false narratives online. He referenced the Twitter Files which revealed the government was working with and funding NGOs to censor millions of Americans through Big Tech, a direct violation of our First Amendment rights. When asked, Secretary Mayorkas refused to accept responsibility for the department’s censorship of Americans. Watch Senator Scott’s questions HERE. — Sen. Rick Scott Issues Weekly Update on Biden’s Inflation Senator Rick Scott released a weekly update on his actions to address America’s debt crisis and rising inflation. Earlier this week, Senators Scott, Mike Lee, Ron Johnson and Mike Braun released a joint statement applauding Speaker Kevin McCarthy and House Republicans on their sweeping debt limit package that repeals President Biden and Washington Democrats’ obsession with over-taxing and over-spending while reforming the wasteful practices responsible for bringing America’s debt to $31 trillion. Read more HERE. Lea más en español AQUÍ. —

Sen. Rick Scott in Market Watch: The Fed isn’t owning up to its failures. We need to make it accountable. Senator Rick Scott wrote an op-ed for Market Watch sharing his new bill calling for an independent inspector general at the Federal Reserve. Read more about Senator Scott’s legislation HERE. In the op-ed, Senator Rick Scott wrote, “The Federal Reserve has become a monster.  The Fed is the world’s largest and most powerful central bank. It spent years buying up trillions in government bonds, mortgage securities, and other financial instruments. Altogether, its assets add up to a staggering $8.6 trillion… When the Inspector General Act was passed in 1978, the Federal Reserve was a shadow of what it is now. Maybe that’s why the Fed was allowed to get away with appointing its own inspector general, who reports to the Fed’s board. That sets it apart from the more than 30 federal agencies that have truly independent IGs appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate. Can anyone make a good argument for why the Federal Reserve doesn’t have that level of oversight? I haven’t heard one yet. Thankfully, oversight isn’t a partisan issue, but when I announced my new bill last month with Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a Democrat from Massachusetts, to put an independent IG at the Fed it shocked the heck out of hyper-partisan Washington… The Fed’s trillions aren’t its only problem. It’s supposed to oversee banks, but Silicon Valley Bank failed on its watch. It’s clear that we need answers and accountability that cannot be provided by the current system… Having little to no accountability at the Fed is not acceptable and has proven to have disastrous consequences. If we do nothing, we risk repeating 2008, when the federal government failed to do its job, no one at the Fed was held accountable, and no changes were made there… For years, Powell has horribly mismanaged the Federal Reserve. I’ve been calling on the Fed to scale down its massive balance sheet after years of maxing out its ability to purchase treasuries and mortgage backed securities. Neither Powell nor any member of the Fed Board has been able to explain the rationale for a nearly $9 trillion balance sheet… We can’t wait any longer for big change at the Fed. Consumers and American families must not bear the brunt of the failures of gross mismanagement and greed at their banks or the incompetence and misdeeds of the government regulators who are there to protect them. It’s time for Congress to stand up and demand accountability.” Read the full op-ed in Market Watch HERE. — Sen. Rick Scott in Wall Street Journal: The Value of Work for Teens as Well as Adults Senator Rick Scott responded to a recent editorial in the Wall Street Journal with a letter to the editor sharing his story about the value of working hard from a young age and highlighting his Let’s Get to Work Act. Senator Scott grew up poor, in public housing, and to make ends meet he got a job in the second grade to help his family. He refers to the jobs as a blessing—not a burden—because of the strong principles he learned from working hard. In the letter, he highlighted his Let’s Get to Work Act which would encourage able-bodied Americans to enter into the workforce. Senator Scott’s Let’s Get to Work Act ends the current suspension of work requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which was put in place during the pandemic, and expands these requirements to apply to all able-bodied adults receiving benefits who are under 60-years-old and do not have children under the age of six or care for incapacitated individuals. This legislation also establishes similar work requirements for individuals receiving federal benefits through the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Public Housing and Tenant-Based Rental Assistance programs. In the letter to the editor, Senator Rick Scott wrote, “When I was in second grade, I got a job selling TV Guides door to door to make a little money… I grew up poor, lived in public housing and watched my parents struggle every day to put food on our table, so having these jobs was a necessity for me. But this early introduction to working was a far greater blessing than a burden… these jobs taught me the values of being dependable and working hard… I recently reintroduced my Let’s Get to Work Act to return work requirements … We need every American who can work to do so… We need more Americans to understand that, and I bet if we had more young people in the workforce, our future generations wouldn’t have the same problems we have today.” Read the full letter to the editor in the Wall Street Journal HERE and read more about Senator Scott’s Let’s Get to Work Act HERE. — Newsmax: Sen. Rick Scott Grills Mayorkas on ‘Disinformation’ Fox News: Sen. Rick Scott: Joe Biden is not doing his job Fox News: GOP senators urge UN ambassador to denounce report they say is supportive of pedophiles Florida Daily: Rick Scott, Anna Paulina Luna Want Members of Congress Not to Use TikTok The Floridian: Scott and Rubio Slam USACE For Slowness Ahead of Hurricane Ian

Senator Scott’s Team in Sanford Senator Scott’s team met with leadership and toured True Health, a Federally Qualified Health Center, at one of their Sanford locations. True Health is a community health center with locations throughout Orange and Seminole Counties. — Senator Scott’s Team in Avon Park Additionally, Senator Scott’s team attended the Homes for Our Troops ribbon cutting and key turning ceremony for Army Specialist Ignacio Arriaga. — Senator Scott’s Team in Orlando Senator Scott’s team also spoke at the National Asian Pacific Islander American Chamber of Commerce during their AAPISTRONG Small Business Roundtable. — Senator Scott’s Team in Kissimmee Senator Scott’s team met with the board of the Dominican American Chamber of Commerce in a roundtable discussion regarding the CAFTA-DR ( Dominican Republic-Central America FTA) free trade agreement. —

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