Senator Rick Scott’s Week in Review February 27

This week, Senator Rick Scott spoke on the Senate floor about Democrats’ refusal to reopen schools, despite overwhelming data that school re-openings are safe and in-person learning is critical for the well-being of children. Watch his speech HERE or below.

Also this week, Senator Rick Scott introduced:
• The Fly Safe Canine COVID Detection Act, which directs the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to conduct a feasibility study on the use of canine units to screen airport travelers for COVID-19;
• The Save Democracy Act to improve our election system and restore confidence in our nation’s democracy; and
• The Fly Safe and Healthy Act to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 by launching a pilot program to require temperature checks at TSA screenings for air travelers
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See more of what Senator Scott has been up to this week below.

Sen. Rick Scott: UN Human Rights Council Decision to Host Maduro is Unforgivable
Senator Rick Scott released the below statement following the decision by the United Nations Human Rights Council to include Nicolas Maduro as a speaker at its forty-sixth regular session in Geneva.

Senator Rick Scott said, “The UN Human Rights Council has been a joke ever since its decision to allow Maduro, who is committing a genocide against the people of Venezuela, to be a member. Now, they are taking it even further and giving Maduro an open platform to spew his hate and propaganda. I travelled to Cúcuta to visit the Venezuelan border and saw the devastation firsthand. Venezuelan children walking for hours through dense forest, across rivers and over terrorist-controlled territory just to get to a school in Colombia for an education and a meal. Mothers with young children coming to Cúcuta to get the only meal they’d eat for three days. It’s horrific. The UN Human Rights Council should have the words ‘human rights’ stripped from its title, and explain its decision to the millions of Venezuelans suffering under Maduro’s regime.

“Maduro’s invitation to speak should be rescinded immediately. If not, every freedom-loving nation in attendance should walk out. In the meantime, the U.S. must closely examine our relationship with the UN. American taxpayer dollars should not be used to prop up dangerous dictators, and no more funding should go to the UN until this decision is explained.” Read more HERE.
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Sen. Rick Scott: The Biden Administration Must Hold the UN Accountable
Senator Rick Scott released the following statement after the United Nations Human Rights Council’s decision to include Nicolas Maduro, a murderous dictator, as a speaker during its 46th Session this week.

Senator Rick Scott said, “Time and time again I have called out the United Nations’ (UN) hypocrisy for allowing oppressive regimes like Cuba, Venezuela and Communist China to have a seat at a council that is supposed to stand for human rights. The UN has continuously given a platform to dictators like Nicolas Maduro, who jail dissidents, strip citizens of their basic rights and starve their own people. It’s time that the Biden Administration gets serious about our commitment to freedom and democracy and hold the UN accountable.

“President Biden and Linda Thomas-Greenfield, his UN Ambassador nominee, must immediately call on to the UN to rescind Venezuela’s seat at the table and refuse to participate in any session that provides a platform to murderous dictators. They also need to rethink their decision to rejoin the disastrous UN Human Rights Council. All funding to the UN should be suspended until we can reassure American taxpayers that they are not funding an organization that turns a blind eye to the atrocities perpetrated by these regimes. Today, the Senate will vote on whether to proceed with Nominee Thomas-Greenfield’s confirmation. Should the Administration stay silent on this today, I urge my colleagues to strongly consider that cowardice as they vote. It’s time for the United States to unapologetically stand for human rights and hold all who don’t fully accountable.” Read more HERE.

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Sens. Rick Scott, Kyrsten Sinema Announce Fly Safe Canine COVID Detection Act
Senators Rick Scott and Kyrsten Sinema announced the Fly Safe Canine COVID Detection Act, which directs the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) to conduct a feasibility study on the use of canine units to screen airport travelers for COVID-19.

Senator Rick Scott said, “As Americans begin traveling more, we have to ensure families are safe. We’ve seen reports that dogs can be effective in detecting COVID-19, and having canine units could provide an important additional level of screening at our airports. I’m proud to join Senator Sinema today to announce legislation directing TSA to conduct a feasibility study on the use of canine units, and will keep working to make sure Americans can travel safely.” Read more HERE.
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Sen. Rick Scott: Fed Chairman Jay Powell Must Address Rising Inflation
Senator Rick Scott released the below statement ahead of Federal Reserve Chairman Jay Powell’s testimony before the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs.

Senator Rick Scott said, “For months, I have been warning my colleagues and others about the dangers associated with our rising and unsustainable $27 trillion national debt. America’s debt crisis hurts our citizens in many ways but the most immediate problem it creates is a rise in inflation, which disproportionately hurts America’s low and fixed-income families, like mine growing up.

“While I have been clear on the need for immediate action and spending reform, my Democrat colleagues as well as Chairman Powell and the Biden Administration continue to blindly disregard this incredibly urgent matter. In fact, President Biden, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, and others are arguing against the data and saying we must plunge our nation deeper into debt with no explanation of the benefit or how we’ll actually pay for it.

“There are strong indications and projections from economists on both sides of the aisle that inflation will rise. When inflation rises, even marginally, the cost of goods goes up. That means families will pay more for essential goods like gas and groceries. American families cannot be put on the hook for the government’s wasteful spending. Today, Chairman Powell must outline his plan to ensure this doesn’t happen and show how he and the Federal Reserve will properly address the threat our national debt poses to our economy, and families and business across the nation.” Read more HERE.
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Sen. Rick Scott on USDA Nominee Tom Vilsack: We Can’t Go Back to Obama-Era Cuba Appeasement Policies
Senator Rick Scott released the below statement following his vote against the confirmation of Tom Vilsack to lead the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Senator Rick Scott said, “While I appreciate Tom Vilsack’s commitment to supporting Florida’s growers and agriculture industry, I cannot support any nominee that encouraged Obama-era appeasement and open-trade policies with Cuba. We’ve made significant progress to hold the Cuban regime accountable over the past four years and deny them sources of revenue. Under no circumstances can the United States go back to supporting this murderous regime. We know appeasement policies and open-trade do nothing to help the Cuban people in their fight for freedom and democracy and that any revenue to the Cuban regime goes to enrich corrupt communist oppressors. Cuba is the root of the evil we see in Latin America and we must continue to fight until we see a new day of freedom in our hemisphere.” Read more HERE.
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ams Biden Proposal to Raise Taxes
Senator Rick Scott released the below statement following reports of President Biden’s plan to increase the corporate tax rate from 21% to 28%. Estimates show that President Biden’s proposal would kill 159,000 jobs, reduce long-run economic output and reduce wages.

Senator Rick Scott said, “President Biden does not care about getting people back to work, spurring economic growth or helping American families and businesses thrive. Biden’s disastrous plan to increase the corporate tax rate by more than 30 percent will have devastating impacts on American families and businesses. His plan will kill 159,000 jobs. That’s 159,000 opportunities stolen from American families. I grew up in a poor family and I watched my parents struggle to find work. I know the value of a job. Biden’s agenda doesn’t make any sense. Now is not the time to attack our job creators.

“With every one of these bad policies, President Biden hands a victory to Communist China and our other adversaries. The Biden Administration needs to end its job-killing war on the American economy and focus on making the U.S. more competitive and attractive to businesses and manufacturers.” Read more HERE.
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Sens. Rick Scott and Maria Cantwell Re-Introduce Fly Safe and Healthy Act to Protect Against Spread of COVID-19
Senators Rick Scott and Maria Cantwell re-introduced the Fly Safe and Healthy Act to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 by launching a pilot program to require temperature checks at TSA screenings for air travelers.

Senator Rick Scott said, “Florida is a huge tourism state, and thousands of families rely on the success of the industry. To get our economy back on track and fully re-opened, Americans need to trust that they can travel safely. The Fly Safe and Healthy Act will enable a temperature check pilot program to ensure passengers with a fever don’t board a plane and put other passengers and airline employees at risk. It also requires airlines to work with a customer to reschedule or cancel their flight if they’re experiencing a fever, and establishes consumer protections to guard against unfair pricing tactics. I’ve been calling for temperature checks for passengers of mass travel since the beginning of the pandemic as a common-sense measure to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and I urge my colleagues to pass this bipartisan bill immediately.” Read more HERE.
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Sen. Rick Scott, Sen. Tom Cotton and Colleagues Introduce Bill to End China’s Access to Multi-Year Visas
Senator Rick Scott joined Senator Tom Cotton and colleagues to introduce the Visa Security Act to end Communist China’s access to 10-year multi-entry visas.

Senator Rick Scott said, “The Obama/Biden appeasement of Communist China did nothing but bolster General Secretary Xi’s power. We know Communist China will stop at nothing to steal American technology and intellectual property in an attempt to dominate the world. There is no reason Communist China should have been given preferential visa treatment, and I’m proud to work with my colleagues to continue to hold them accountable.” Read more from Senator Cotton’s office HERE.
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Sen. Rick Scott to Biden Administration: Do Not Approve Release of Funds to Iranian Regime
Senator Scott released a statement following reports that the Biden Administration is considering approving the release of $1 billion from Iranian bank accounts in South Korea which are currently frozen by U.S. sanctions.

Senator Rick Scott said, “Iran cannot be trusted. The Iranian regime is the world’s largest state-sponsor of terror, and under no circumstance should the U.S. consider easing or undermining sanctions so that Iran can have more funds to build up their nuclear facilities and further destabilize the Middle East. President Biden and Secretary Blinken’s message on behalf of the United States must be crystal clear: Until Iran fully cooperates and its nuclear program is eliminated, there will not be any changes to sanctions or access granted to these funds.” Read more HERE.
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Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Leaders Announce Subcommittee Membership
Senators Gary Peters and Rob Portman, Chairman and Ranking Member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, announced members that will serve on the committee’s subcommittees in the 117th Congress. Senator Rick Scott will be serving on the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI) and the Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Spending Oversight.

Senator Rick Scott said, “I’m proud to continue serving on the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, including on the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations and the Subcommittee on Emerging Threats and Spending Oversight. I look forward to continuing our work to protect our nation from foreign and domestic threats and to reform Washington so that every taxpayer dollar spent gets a return on investment for Americans.” Read more from the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee HERE.
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Sen. Rick Scott Outlines Priorities in Letter to VA Secretary McDonough
Senator Rick Scott sent a letter to U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Secretary Denis McDonough outlining his priorities for the VA and the importance of providing excellent care and service to those who have served our nation, while ensuring the best possible return on investment for American taxpayers. Read more, including the full letter, HERE.