U.S. Sen. Rick Scott Fights for Floridians During the 116th Congress

Over the last two years, Senator Rick Scott has worked to represent the great State of Florida and make Washington work better for Florida families by championing issues important to our state. He has fought to rein in Washington’s out-of-control spending, enhance national security, advocate for freedom and democracy in Latin American and around the world, support America’s veterans, police officers and first responders, and protect Florida’s natural resources.

Senator Scott will continue to work every day on behalf of Floridians to ensure Florida and America remain the best place in the world to live, work and raise a family, while remaining the world’s leading example of freedom, prosperity and opportunity.

Learn more about Senator Rick Scott’s efforts to serve Floridians in the U.S. Senate below.

Sen. Rick Scott: America is the Greatest Country in the History of the World; We Need to Fight to Keep it That Way

Senator Rick Scott delivered his maiden speech on the Senate Floor to share his personal story and his vision for America.

Watch Senator Scott’s speech here or below. 

 

 
During the 116th Congress, U.S. Senator Rick Scott fought hard for the priorities that matter most to Floridians, including:
Promoting freedom and democracy in Latin America. Senator Scott fought to include a provision in the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), signed into law in 2019, which holds Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro accountable by prohibiting the Department of Defense from doing business with anyone that supports the oppressive Maduro regime.

Senator Scott also successfully pushed the Trump Administration to reinstate Cuba to the State Sponsors of Terrorism list and fully implement Title III of the Libertad Act to allow American citizens to sue for property stolen by the Cuban regime.

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Supporting our veterans. Senator Scott is a proud co-sponsor of the Military Widow’s Tax Elimination Act of 2019, which was signed into law as part the 2020 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), allowing military spouses nationwide to receive full survivor benefits from the Department of Defense and Veteran Affairs.

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Fighting against Communist China’s oppression. The Senate took a stand against Communist China and unanimously passed Senator Scott’s resolution calling on Americans to buy products made in the U.S. whenever possible to support American jobs and manufacturing, and help build up the U.S. supply chain. Senator Scott co-sponsored the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, which was signed by President Trump and gives the U.S. more authority to re-evaluate Beijing’s influence on Hong Kong. He also joined his colleagues in introducing a bill that became law that prohibits the commercial export of covered munitions items to the Hong Kong Police Force. With Senator Scott’s support, the Senate also passed the Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act of 2020 to impose sanctions on Chinese officials over human rights abuses against Muslim minorities.

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Safeguarding seniors. With Senator Scott’s support, the TRACED Act, which shields Floridians, especially seniors, from abusive robocalls, was signed into law in 2019.

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Standing with our ally Israel and fighting against Anti-Semitism. Senator Scott worked with his colleagues to pass the Strengthening America’s Security in the Middle East Act and the Eastern Mediterranean Security and Energy Partnership Act, which became law, to reinforce important alliances abroad and support Israel.

The Senate also passed the Never Again Education Act  to support Holocaust education across the country by bolstering the educational resources at the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.

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Protecting our men and women in uniform. Senator Scott’s Secure U.S. Bases Act, which was passed and became law as part of the 2021 NDAA, reforms and improves foreign military student training programs following the terrorist attack at Naval Air Station Pensacola on December 6th, 2019. The 2021 NDAA also includes $740.5 billion in defense spending and a 3% pay raise for our troops.

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Supporting Florida’s law enforcement. The Supporting and Treating Officers In Crisis Act was signed into law to provide law enforcement family-support services and establish suicide-prevention programs and mental health services for law enforcement officers.

Senator Scott also joined his colleagues in introducing the Safeguarding America’s First Responders Act, to ensure families of public safety officers lost to COVID-19 can quickly access survivor benefits.

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Preserving Florida’s Natural Resources. Senator Scott worked with President Trump to include $250 million for Everglades Restoration in his Fiscal Year 2021 budget requests to Congress. This funding builds on the $200 million in construction funding for the South Florida Ecosystem Restoration Senator Scott fought for and secured last year. As Governor of Florida, Senator Scott secured a commitment from the Trump Administration to keep oil drilling off Florida’s coasts, and will continue fighting to make sure offshore drilling is off the table for Florida.