Marco Rubio, Rick Scott urge Senate leaders for more funds to recover, rebuild FL

[GMDino]

...then Scott voted against it and Rubio didn't vote at all.

https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/2022/09/30/marco-rubio-rick-scott-urge-senate-leaders-money-rebuild-state-hurricane-ian/8138004001/

Quote:Sen. Marco Rubio and Sen. Rick Scott sent a joint letter on Friday to the Senate Appropriations Committee chairs to secure funding “provide much needed assistance to Florida.”


“Hurricane Ian will be remembered and studied as one of the most devastating hurricanes to hit the United States,” wrote the Republican senators. “Communities across Florida have been completely destroyed, and lives have been forever changed.


“A robust and timely federal response, including through supplemental programs and funding, will be required to ensure that sufficient resources are provided to rebuild critical infrastructure and public services capacity, and to assist our fellow Floridians in rebuilding their lives.”


Disappeared:'Fort Myers Beach is gone': Waterfront workers recount Hurricane Ian devastation
Devastating storm:Destruction and desperation: See Hurricane Ian damage city by city across Florida
Ferocious storm:Aerial images show Hurricane Ian's extensive damage in Fort Myers and Fort Myers Beach


The Senate passed a short-term spending bill on Thursday that includes an additional $18.8 billion for the Federal Emergency Management Agency to respond to Hurricane Ian and future disasters. The vote was 72-25. Scott, however, voted against it, while Rubio was not present for the vote, according to the U.S. Senate roll call.


The Democratic-led House followed up Friday with its approval, 230-201. The measure next goes to President Joe Biden’s desk to be signed into law. Republicans overwhelmingly opposed the measure.

Democrats said passing the bill was important to helping victims of recent natural disasters in the U.S., including Hurricane Ian, as it provides a Federal Emergency Management Agency disaster fund with a year’s worth of money up front rather than for two-and-a-half months.


Florida Democratic Party Chair Manny Diaz blasted Florida Republican House members — all of whom voted against the stopgap spending measure to help storm victims — for not supporting Floridians.

“The same week that Hurricane Ian brought so much chaos and destruction to Florida, not a single Florida Republican cared enough to vote in favor of Hurricane relief for the people in their own state hit hardest by the storm," he said. "That is a level of callous indifference and political opportunism that boggles the mind."


"Thankfully, President Biden and Florida Democrats are doing the right thing when it counts, and we appreciate their efforts to help Florida rebuild once again,” he added.


More is certain to be needed from Congress because Hurricane Ian alone devastated southwest Florida and flooding caused damages throughout much of the state. One estimates the insurance losses to be $25 billion to $40 billion.


Hurricane Ian, Category 4 storm, roared ashore Wednesday in Cayo Costa in southwest Florida and swept across the state, bringing torrential rain, high winds and unprecedented flooding.


Rubio and Scott also urged the Senate appropriations leaders to help Puerto Rico. Hurricane Fiona pummeled Puerto Rico’s southwest region as a Category 1 storm on Sept. 18.


Florida is home to nearly 1.2 million Puerto Ricans and represents the second-largest Hispanic group behind Cubans.

[BigPapaKain]

Of course they did. If they vote for it, then they might be actually accused of doing their jobs. People will expect them to continue to do so, and the Republican plan of 'we tried nothing and are all out of ideas' goes up in smoke.

[GMDino]

How does this guy get elected?

DANA BASH: You're asking for disaster relief money for Florida, but you voted against a relief package after Sandy

MARCO RUBIO: It included stuff like a roof for a museum in DC

BASH: I read the congressional research report and it sounds like the roof was damaged by the storm pic.twitter.com/iZ9zNcFexT

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 2, 2022

 

[WiregrassBenGal]

In the next 10 to 20 years, I expect a mass exodus from Florida because people will just get fed up with hurricanes destroying huge swaths of it every fall. Then, there are 9 months of unrelenting, steamy heat. A little-known fact is the medical system down there suffers from overload, especially during the snowbird months. The only way I'd ever move back there is if someone paid me $10 grand a year. Well, maybe that might not be enough!

[*pally*]

(10-02-2022, 12:24 PM)WiregrassBenGal Wrote: In the next 10 to 20 years, I expect a mass exodus from Florida because people will just get fed up with hurricanes destroying huge swaths of it every fall. Then, there are 9 months of unrelenting, steamy heat. A little-known fact is the medical system down there suffers from overload, especially during the snowbird months. The only way I'd ever move back there is if someone paid me $10 grand a year. Well, maybe that might not be enough!

Many will leave sooner than that, because they can't get home owner's insurance on their houses which means, in most cases, they can't get mortgages.

Don't you love the anti-federal government Florida GOP, screaming for help from the Feds the minute something happens.  Those Floridaians who were campaigning on ridding Florida of all federal presence after the search at Mar a Lago are awfully quiet right now.
 

[CarolinaBengalFanGuy]

(10-02-2022, 12:24 PM)WiregrassBenGal Wrote: In the next 10 to 20 years, I expect a mass exodus from Florida because people will just get fed up with hurricanes destroying huge swaths of it every fall. Then, there are 9 months of unrelenting, steamy heat. A little-known fact is the medical system down there suffers from overload, especially during the snowbird months. The only way I'd ever move back there is if someone paid me $10 grand a year. Well, maybe that might not be enough!

If it ain’t happened by now it will never happen at this point. But I wouldn’t want to live anywhere where hurricanes would hit every few years