As President Biden signs the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act into law today, Florida Democratic Party Chair Manny Diaz released the following statement:
“This infrastructure bill is a big deal for Florida. After four years of broken promises to deliver ‘infrastructure week’ under Trump, President Biden made good on his promise to bring Democrats and Republicans together to secure critical investments in our infrastructure.
“Yet Florida Republicans shamefully voted against these popular proposals that will put our state on the right track. Marco Rubio, Rick Scott, and every Florida Republican in the House of Representatives voted against ensuring every Floridian has access to clean water, high speed internet, and safe roads to drive on.
“They opposed measures to protect communities from climate change. And they voted against a plan that will create good-paying jobs and help Florida businesses stay competitive. Their craven failure to put aside their own political agendas and do the right thing for the Floridians they represent is unconscionable.
“Every community across Florida stands to gain from this bill. Investments in Florida’s infrastructure will make travel safer, cut commute times, and save Floridians money. I’m proud of our Democratic leaders in Congress for coming together to make these critical investments for the future of our state.”
FDP Chair Manny Diaz calls Special Session on COVID-19 Vaccine Mandates in the Florida Legislature Unhealthy for Floridians and a Waste of Taxpayers Money
In October, Gov. Ron DeSantis demanded the Florida Legislature hold a special session to prevent the government and businesses from requiring COVID-19 vaccinations for their employees. Today, the Florida Legislature is convening in Tallahassee to boost DeSantis’s political agenda. Florida Democratic Party Chairman Manny Diaz issued the following statement on the special session happening this week.
“This so-called special session of the Florida Legislature is nothing more than an effort to advance Ron Desantis’ political agenda, wasting taxpayer money in the process and putting Floridians’ health at risk. The real goals here are nothing more than grabbing headlines on Fox News and generating donations for DeSantis’s political aspirations.
“Sadly this Governor has continuously shown Floridians he does not care about their safety or well being. Just during this summer’s delta wave we lost 21,000 Floridians to COVD-19. Many of these deaths could have been prevented through a robust vaccination campaign. But instead DeSantis and his acolytes decided to turn vaccines into a political issue, despite decades of vaccines being part of our daily lives.
“The business community does not want this. They want the ability to protect themselves, their customers, and their employees. This call for a ban on vaccine requirements endangers their workers, and bottom line, and risks Florida’s reputation around the world as a safe place to bring your family. Vaccines keep Florida’s workforce safe and working which keeps our economy running. A healthy Florida is a prosperous Florida, full stop.
“But instead of addressing real problems facing Floridians such the broken unemployment system, unaffordable housing, underfunded schools, and access to healthcare, the Legislature will be wasting taxpayer money just to give the Governor the political theater he wants for the most extreme elements of his base. This special session is proof that if Floridians don’t throw DeSantis out of office he will continue to work against our health and the livelihood of the residents of this great state.”
Florida Democratic Party Statement On New Orlando Sentinel Report About Marco Rubio Failing To Show Up For Work
Florida Democratic Party Executive Director Marcus L. Dixon released the following statement on a new report that found Marco Rubio is yet again failing to show up and do the job Floridians are paying him to do:
“Marco Rubio’s repeated failures to show up for work leave Florida without a voice on critical issues, including important national security concerns, and they’re an insult to the hardworking people who pay his salary. If Marco Rubio had any other job, he would be immediately fired, and next November Floridians will see to it that he loses his job.”
Rubio has missed over a dozen recent hearings about protecting senior citizens, helping small businesses, and vital issues of national security, including the nomination of an ambassador to China. The recent news is part of Rubio’s long history of failing to show up for his job. During his failed presidential campaign, Rubio skipped critical national security briefings for fundraisers, earning the worst attendance record of any sitting Senator at the time.
