Senator Rick Scott’s Week in Review
| This week, Senator Rick Scott led five of his Senate colleagues to introduce a resolution supporting Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai, who recently disappeared and is being censored by the Chinese Communist Party after making public allegations of sexual abuse by a former Chinese Communist Party official.
In his resolution, Senator Scott expressed the Senate’s condemnation of Communist China’s human rights abuses and silencing of Ms. Shuai, as well as the International Olympics Committee’s (IOC) complicity in Ms. Shuai’s oppression. It also applauds the actions of the Women’s Tennis Organization (WTA) to end its involvement in Communist China and demand a full investigation into Ms. Shuai’s allegations. On Wednesday, Senator Scott asked for unanimous consent on the Senate floor to pass his resolution. Instead of standing with Senator Scott and demanding accountability for victims of sexual assault, Senate Democrats blocked its passage. Watch more HERE or in the video below. — See more of what Senator Scott has been up to this week below. |
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| Sen. Rick Scott & Sen. Mike Braun Lead Bipartisan Colleagues in Blocking Biden’s Unconstitutional Vaccine Mandate
Senator Rick Scott and Senator Mike Braun led every Republican senator and two Democrats in blocking President Joe Biden’s unconstitutional vaccine mandate by passing S.J. Res. 29. This resolution, which now goes to the House of Representatives, nullifies Biden’s vaccine mandate on private sector employers under the Congressional Review Act. Senator Rick Scott said, “Joe Biden’s attempt to force an unconstitutional ultimatum on the American people to get the vaccine, or lose your job, is horrible. Under his mandate, if you work for a supermarket, a car dealership, or bank – any company with more than 100 employees – Biden wants to force you into a personal health decision and bring you in line with his socialist doctrine. That’s why today’s passage of our resolution is so important. Today we sent a clear message to President Biden: His unconstitutional vaccine mandates have no place in the United States. “I had COVID, I got the vaccine and I support people talking to their doctors and making informed decisions, but I am absolutely opposed to a government mandate. Joe Biden has shown that he wants to use the federal government to control every aspect of our lives. We know that’s wrong, and we know that the government doesn’t know better than the American people. I am proud to have joined Senator Braun and a bipartisan group of our colleagues in fighting to repeal this harmful mandate. I’ll never stop working to protect American workers and job creators from ridiculous, burdensome regulations and government overreach.” Read more HERE. — Senators Rick Scott and Jacky Rosen applauded the Senate passage of their No Congressionally-Obligated Recurring Revenue Used as Pensions To Incarcerated Officials Now (No CORRUPTION) Act.This legislation bars former Members of Congress convicted of serious criminal charges from collecting taxpayer-funded pensions. Senator Rick Scott said, “Members of Congress who have been convicted of a crime committed while in elected office have no right to collect taxpayer dollars. Our bill, the No CORRUPTION Act, will stop those elected officials convicted of crimes, like bribery or those linked to their official duties, from collecting a taxpayer-funded pension. Americans work hard for their paychecks, and they shouldn’t be bankrolling corrupt politicians who violate the law in office, so I thank my colleagues for their unanimous support of this important legislation.” Read more from Senator Rosen’s office HERE. — Sen. Rick Scott: Biden the Grinch is Stealing Christmas As families prepare for the holiday season and face higher and higher prices, Senator Rick Scott spoke on the Senate floor to call out the Biden administration’s total lack of action to fix the supply chain and inflation crises it has created. Senator Rick Scott said, “We’re just a few weeks away from Christmas, and Joe Biden the Grinch is running this economy deeper and deeper into the ground. I’m hearing about the consequences of Biden’s failed leadership every week from Florida families. They’re struggling as they try to keep up with the rising prices from Biden’s raging inflation crisis and find the products they need on a growing number of empty shelves. Just this week, I got a letter from a grandmother in New Smyrna Beach. She told me that she’s really worried about inflation and struggling to keep up with her expenses. But even as Floridians suffer, Joe Biden and Democrats in Washington continue to force policies that make life more difficult and more expensive. It’s time for Joe Biden to ditch his socialist agenda, focus on actually fixing the problems facing American families and do what it takes to save Christmas.” Watch more HERE or in the video below. — Sen. Rick Scott: While Biden Hides, Inflation is Devouring the Incomes of American Families Today, following the latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) release from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), Senator Rick Scott released the below statement highlighting the need to implement substantive fiscal reforms to end the ongoing inflation crisis fueled by the Biden administration’s tax-and-spend agenda. November’s CPI data shows that there has been a significant increase in inflation every month of Biden’s presidency. Year over year consumer prices increased 6.8% in November—the highest increase on record in 39 years. Additionally, inflation has increased by over 5.0% for seven consecutive months, another historic record. Senator Rick Scott said, “Every month this year we’ve watched inflation get worse, prices surge higher and Joe Biden does absolutely nothing to fix it. First, he denied there was a problem, then his White House tried to write this off as just a ‘high-class problem,’ and now he’s trying to lie to and mislead American families by saying the plain data doesn’t tell the full story. IT’S ALL A LIE. To make matters worse, Democrats keep trying to force through their trillion dollar tax-and-spend agenda that will only throw gasoline on Biden’s inflation fire. People are worried how they will make ends meet. But where is Joe Biden? HIDING—and so is his administration. They still haven’t shown up to committee to discuss the supply chain crisis even though I have been asking for months. I grew up poor and watched my mom struggle to put food on the table as prices went up so I know just how serious and devastating Joe Biden’s inflation crisis is for working families. “I’m no longer surprised that Joe Biden is incapable of leading, I’m just disgusted and furious. If the president is going to continue to fail in his duty to lead, he needs to step away and let someone else do it for him. I’ve said it before, and I will say it again: I will not stand for Biden’s harmful socialist doctrine that he continues to push on families in Florida, and I will continue to fight against this inflation crisis with commonsense solutions that make Washington work for everyone.” Read more HERE. — Senator Rick Scott sent a letter to Florida hospitals warning them of the dangerous provision within Democrats’ reckless tax-and-spending bill that includes $34.5 BILLION in cuts to Disproportionate Share Hospital Payments (DSH) and states’ Uncompensated Care Pool (UCP) programs. These programs are used to fund charity care by hospitals for patients who are uninsured and underinsured. Senator Scott is requesting that hospitals provide additional information on the impacts these cuts will have on their ability to care for Florida’s more vulnerable and at-need patients who rely on these programs. Read more HERE. — Senator Rick Scott joined Senator Gary Peters to announce their bipartisan legislation, the Securing Semiconductor Supply Chains Act, to streamline federal efforts to strengthen and expand domestic manufacturing of semiconductor chips. Senator Rick Scott said “Our nation’s crippling chip shortage is not only devastating to hardworking American businesses, but poses a threat to our national security by Communist China’s increasing aggression in this industry. Now more than ever, it’s critical that we bolster the United States’ ability to be self-sufficient in our domestic semiconductor supply chain and help our nation become more competitive on a global scale. I urge my colleagues to support this important bill.” Read more from Senator Peters’ office HERE. — Sen. Rick Scott Fights to Protect Benefits for Seniors, Reject Reckless Debt Limit Bailout Senator Rick Scott released the following statement ahead of the Senate’s consideration of legislation that would allow Democrats to lift the nation’s debt limit and push off self-induced cuts for Medicare that resulted from the passage of the Democrat’s reckless $1.9 TRILLION “COVID” bill. The legislation being considered today contains no reforms whatsoever to ensure Medicare’s long term solvency and allows even more reckless government spending by Congressional Democrats. Yesterday, Senator Scott joined his colleague, Senator John Kennedy, in introducing a clean bill to protect Medicare providers from spending cuts without helping Democrats increase the debt limit. Senate Democrats blocked its passage. Senator Scott has been clear that he does not support any cuts to Medicare benefits, which this bill does not touch, and cannot support raising the debt limit without structural spending reforms that would ensure the protection and long-term solvency of important programs like Medicare. Senator Rick Scott said, “I’ve never voted to raise the debt limit and I won’t do it now. Democrats are intent on digging a deeper and deeper financial hole, spending trillions more that we don’t have on liberal priorities with no accountability to American taxpayers. I will never support cuts to Medicare benefits for our seniors and my vote today has no impact on benefits, but if we continue down this path of reckless spending and never-ending debt, that’s exactly what will happen. In typical Washington fashion, Democrats are again asking us to bail them out from the provider cuts that they caused, kick the can down the road and give them a pass for more reckless spending and more debt. It’s time for Congress to live within its means and balance the budget – like every family and business has to – and finally put our nation on a financially secure path.” Read more HERE. — Senator Rick Scott asked for unanimous consent on the Senate floor to pass his resolution supporting tennis player Peng Shuai, who recently disappeared and is being censored by the Chinese Communist Party after making public allegations of sexual abuse by a former Chinese Communist Party official. In his resolution, Senator Scott expressed the Senate’s condemnation of Communist China’s human rights abuses and silencing of Ms. Shuai, as well as the International Olympics Committee’s (IOC) complicity in Ms. Shuai’s oppression. The resolution also applauds the actions of the Women’s Tennis Organization (WTA) to end its involvement in Communist China and demand a full investigation into Ms. Shuai’s allegations. Senator Scott’s resolution was cosponsored by Senators Cynthia Lummis, Marco Rubio, Mike Braun, Josh Hawley and Ted Cruz. Senate Democrats blocked its passage. Senator Rick Scott said, “Instead of demanding accountability for victims of sexual assault, Senate Democrats today chose to block my simple resolution in support of Chinese tennis player Peng Shuai and basic human rights. It shouldn’t be hard to say that what the Women’s Tennis Association is doing is right. Communist China’s silencing of Ms. Shuai is wrong and the IOC’s cooperation with the authoritarian communist Chinese regime in covering up this alleged assault is unacceptable. Right now, Ms. Shuai is holed up in a room somewhere in Communist China under constant surveillance, yet Senate Democrats can’t be bothered to stand with her, demand accountability and condemn the horrific abuses of the Chinese Communist Party. The United States Senate should be standing with Ms. Shuai – not the Communist Party officials abusing and silencing her. It’s a sad day in the U.S. Senate when a resolution like this cannot be agreed to.” Read more HERE. — Sen. Rick Scott Requests Meeting with NBA Commissioner to Discuss Communist China Senator Rick Scott sent a letter to National Basketball Association (NBA) Commissioner Adam Silver requesting a meeting to discuss the NBA’s involvement in Communist China. The letter follows Senator Scott’s conversation with Boston Celtics player, Enes Kanter Freedom, about their fight against Communist China’s horrific human rights abuses and oppression. Read more HERE. — Senator Rick Scott released the below statement on President Joe Biden’s announcement of a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games. For months, Senator Scott has been requesting a meeting with President Biden to discuss the horrific human rights atrocities occurring across Communist China and the Senator’s continued calls for the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to select a new site for the 2022 Winter Olympics Games. Those requests have been met with total silence from President Biden. Last month, Senator Scott slammed reports that Biden was considering a diplomatic boycott and reiterated his call for Biden to outline his plan to protect the safety and personal information of American athletes. Senator Rick Scott said, “President Biden had the chance to actually stand up to Beijing’s genocide and human rights abuses, but again, he has chosen appeasement and weakness over strength and resolve. Time and time again, Biden does the bare minimum when it comes to dealing with China and it’s absolutely unacceptable. Now, the Biden administration is going to engage in a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Olympic Games, distracting from the fact that Biden has spent months ignoring calls from me, human rights groups and others to demand that the International Olympic Committee to move the Games to a country that actually respects human rights. Biden’s weak choice for a diplomatic boycott also does NOTHING to ensure the safety of American athletes who will undoubtedly be targets for Communist China to surveil and steal data and personal information. “As a member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, I am calling on the Department of Homeland Security to explain to the Committee what they are doing to ensure athletes are protected while traveling to Beijing. Their safety and security cannot be put in jeopardy.”Read more HERE. — Sen. Rick Scott: The World Must Stand with Lithuania in the Face of Communist China’s Aggression Senator Rick Scott released the following statement after reports revealed that the Communist Chinese Government is giving multinational corporations an ultimatum: end business with Lithuania, or lose all business in Communist China. This comes after Lithuania has shown support for Taiwan and opened a representative office for the democratic nation in its capital city of Vilnius. Senator Rick Scott said, “I applaud Lithuania for standing up for freedom and democracy – first for the people of Cuba, and now for Taiwan as it faces increased aggression from Communist China. We all need to be clear-eyed about what the Chinese Communist Party is: authoritarian thugs. It behaves like a corrupt, organized crime syndicate that pressures the Chinese people into obedience and threatens foreign nations with economic destruction unless they do exactly what General Secretary Xi says. Communist China has spent the past year harassing and intimidating Australia because it dared to inquire about the origins of COVID-19. Now that Lithuania is treating Taiwan as the democratic and self-governing nation that it is, Beijing is throwing a fit and threatening corporations with economic ultimatums targeted at devastating the Lithuanian people and its economy. Communist China’s thin-skinned bullying shows nothing but weakness and cannot be tolerated. Every freedom-loving country must stand up to Communist China and support the people of Lithuania.” Read more HERE. — Sen. Rick Scott Invites Secretaries Buttigieg and Raimondo to Open Meeting on Supply Chain Crisis Senator Rick Scott sent a letter to Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg and Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo inviting them to an open meeting with him and other members of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation (CST) to discuss the ongoing supply chain crisis. This meeting invite follows Senator Scott’s earlier request made in October when, on the Senate floor, Senator Scott requested that the secretaries testify before the CST Committee. Following this initial request, last month Senator Scott sent a letter to CST Chair, Senator Maria Cantwell, where he noted he would hold the confirmation of all nominees through the Senate’s expedited process until the secretaries testified before the committee and addressed the crisis impacting families and businesses everywhere. As of today, Secretaries Buttigieg and Raimondo, and Chair Cantwell have failed to respond to Senator Scott’s requests. Read more HERE. — Senator Rick Scott released the following statement after reports that José Daniel Ferrer, the Cuban freedom and human rights activist, is being psychologically and physically tortured by the illegitimate communist Cuban regime in an attempt to end his life. Senator Scott continues to stand with the Cuban people fighting for freedom and condemning the brutal torture and inhumane treatment of José Daniel Ferrer by the Diaz-Canel and Castro regime, and urges President Biden and human rights groups in Europe and across the world to join him in calling the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for a humanitarian medical visit to José Daniel Ferrer immediately. Senator Rick Scott said, “Today marks 150 days of José Daniel Ferrer being unjustly detained in isolation, where he is subjected to physical and psychological torture by the brutal communist Cuban regime in an attempt to end his life. According to José Daniel’s family, his health is dire – he’s suffering from severe headaches, mouth bleeding, malnutrition, cough and insomnia – all products of the cruel torture and inhumane treatment from the regime. The illegitimate authoritarian Cuban regime is clearly terrified of brave and courageous leaders like José Daniel Ferrer who are the face of a free Cuba. They are doing everything they can to persecute, kidnap, torture and kill anyone who stands up against their oppression. The international community can no longer look the other way while Diaz-Canel and Castro commit genocide against their own people. And for all who do business with the communist regime, this should be a wakeup call. Whether it’s tourism, trade or other business – doing business with the regime funds this horrific torture and the stripping of basic human rights. “If Joe Biden truly cares about human rights and takes seriously his job as leader of the free world, he’ll join me in demanding the immediate release of José Daniel Ferrer and calling on the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for a humanitarian medical visit to José Daniel Ferrer immediately. Every freedom-loving nation and human right group across the world must stand with José Daniel Ferrer and the courageous activists who bravely fight to defend human rights, freedom and the democratic movement in Cuba”. Read more HERE. — El Senador Rick Scott emitió la siguiente declaración después de los reportes de que José Daniel Ferrer, el activista cubano por la libertad y los derechos humanos, está siendo torturado psicológica y físicamente por el ilegítimo régimen comunista cubano en un intento de acabar con su vida. El Senador Scott continúa apoyando al pueblo cubano que lucha por la libertad y condena la brutal tortura y el trato inhumano de José Daniel Ferrer por parte del régimen de Díaz-Canel y Castro, e insta al Presidente Biden y a las organizaciones defensoras de derechos humanos en Europa y en todo el mundo a unirse a él en su llamado a la Oficina del Alto Comisionado de las Naciones Unidas a realizar una visita médica humanitaria a José Daniel Ferrer de inmediato. El Senador Rick Scott dijo: “Hoy se cumplen 150 días de la injusta detención en aislamiento de José Daniel Ferrer, donde es sometido a torturas físicas y psicológicas por parte del brutal régimen comunista cubano en un intento de acabar con su vida. Según la familia de José Daniel, su salud es terrible: sufre de fuertes dolores de cabeza, sangrado bucal, desnutrición, tos e insomnio, esto producto de la cruel tortura y el trato inhumano de la dictadura. El ilegítimo régimen autoritario cubano claramente le tiene terror a los líderes valientes como José Daniel Ferrer, que son el rostro de la libertad de Cuba. Están haciendo todo lo posible para perseguir, secuestrar, torturar y matar a cualquiera que se oponga a su opresión. La comunidad internacional ya no puede mirar para otro lado mientras Díaz-Canel y Castro cometen genocidio contra su propio pueblo. “Si Joe Biden realmente se preocupa por los derechos humanos y se toma en serio su trabajo como líder del mundo libre, se sumará a mi llamado para exigir la liberación inmediata de José Daniel Ferrer y pedir a la Oficina del Alto Comisionado de las Naciones Unidas que realice un examen médico humanitario a José Daniel Ferrer de inmediato. Todas las naciones amantes de la libertad y las organizaciones defensoras de los derechos humanos en todo el mundo deben apoyar a José Daniel Ferrer y a los valientes activistas que luchan para defender los derechos humanos, la libertad y el movimiento democrático en Cuba”. Lea más AQUÍ. — Sen. Rick Scott Issues Statement Following Loss of Senator Bob Dole: His Legacy Will Live On Senator Rick Scott issued the following statement on the passing of former U.S. Senator Bob Dole. Senator Rick Scott said, “Ann and I are heartbroken to learn of the loss of Senator Bob Dole. Bob was a tremendous leader, a pillar of the Senate, decorated WWII veteran and a true champion for conservative values. His legacy will live on through the positive change brought to the State of Kansas and our great nation during his decades of public service, the success of all the dedicated public servants he worked with over the years and the countless lives he shaped as a leader of conservatives across America. We join all in mourning this loss and praying for his wife, Elizabeth, daughter, Robin, grandchildren and all who loved him.” Read more HERE. — Sen. Rick Scott Donates Fourth Quarter Senate Salary to the Navy SEAL Foundation Senator Rick Scott announced he will donate his fourth quarter Senate salary to the Navy SEAL Foundation, an organization dedicated to providing immediate and ongoing support and assistance to the Naval Special Warfare community and their families. Senator Rick Scott said, “My wife, Ann, and I are proud to both come from hardworking military families. Our upbringing, as well as my own service in the Navy means that we know firsthand the sacrifices our men and women in uniform, and their families, make to serve our nation. With more than 1.5 million veterans calling Florida home, I’ve worked hard as both Governor and now Florida’s U.S. Senator to make sure our state is the most veteran-friendly in the nation and honor the American heroes who protect our freedoms. Today, Ann and I are proud to support the Navy SEAL Foundation and its incredible efforts to support members of the Naval Special Warfare community and their families.” Read more HERE. |
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| Sens. Rick Scott and Ted Cruz in The Hill: Hospitals in Underserved Communities Face Huge Cuts in Reckless ‘Build Back Better’ Plan
Senators Rick Scott and Ted Cruz wrote an op-ed for The Hill highlighting a devastating proposal in President Biden’s Build Back Broke plan that would cut spending for hospitals that provide care to underserved communities, and include tax cuts for the super wealthy. In the op-ed, Senators Rick Scott and Ted Cruz wrote, “Buried deep within Biden’s reckless tax-and-spending-spree package are devastating and vindictive payment cuts to state Uncompensated Care Pool (UCP) programs and a 12.5 percent reduction from Disproportionate Share Hospital Payments (DSH). What does that mean? As we continue to battle the COVID-19 pandemic, Joe Biden and Nancy Pelosi want to slash federal funds to hospitals who care for low-income patients, along with those who are underserved and uninsured. These patients, who are currently eligible for charitable and low-income assistance, may begin seeing medical bills and incurring medical debt. It’s worth noting these cuts are not happening in every state. Rather, Biden and Pelosi have targeted states that have opted to not expand Medicaid. … Even worse, all of this appears to have been done in secret. After receiving a letter from Sen. Scott on Nov. 5 warning about the disastrous impacts of these proposed cuts to charity care providers, House Democrats in the 12 impacted states wrote a letter to Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer saying they had not been informed of this addition to the bill. … You would think that Democrats — with full control of the House, Senate and the White House — would be doing everything they could to slow rising prices and make life more affordable for American families. And you would think that Democrats would want to partner with their Republican colleagues to focus on legislation that expands opportunity and freedom. … For Democrats, the question is simple: are you willing to cut services and hurt families in your own state to appease Pelosi and conform with her tyrannical House? The answer should be easy: ‘No.’ We’ll keep fighting for the families of our states and urge others in Washington to have the courage to do the same.” Read the full op-ed in The Hill HERE. — Fox News: Biden’s China response is ‘bare minimum,’ Olympics should be relocated: Sen. Rick Scott Fox News: Sen. Scott requests meeting with Adam Silver on NBA’s ‘unsettling’ China issues Forbes: Rick Scott Explains Why He’s Blocking Biden Nominees The Hill: ‘They’ve Lied To Us’: Rick Scott Tells Dems To Tell The Truth About BBB Cost The Daily Wire: Sen. Rick Scott: Winter Olympics ‘Should Be Moved’ From China The Daily Caller: Sen. Scott Calls For Meeting With NBA Commissioner Over Silence On China’s ‘Ongoing Genocide’ The Daily Wire: Republican Rick Scott Scorches NBA Commissioner In Letter Calling For Meeting Over China Breitbart: Rick Scott: ‘These Olympics Should Never Be Held in China — They Should Be Moved’ Newsmax: Sen. Rick Scott Urges NBA Support in Moving Olympics Out of China The Capitolist: Florida Senators urge army corps to allocate $1.5 billion for environmental projects Florida Daily: Rick Scott Teams Up With Gary Peters on Bill Expanding U.S. Semiconductor Chips Manufacturing Florida Daily: Rick Scott Will Donate Senate Salary to Navy SEAL Foundation Florida Daily: Florida’s Senators Call on Army Corps to Allocate $1.5 Billion for Everglades Restoration, Fund State Priorities |
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