Dear Mr. Talone,


     Thank you for taking the time to express your thoughts with regard to investing in America’s infrastructure. Understanding your views helps me to better represent Florida in the United States Senate, and I appreciate the opportunity to respond.
     America’s infrastructure challenges are well documented, and a targeted, long-term investment in building more resilient infrastructure could create good paying jobs and lead to a stronger American economy. Such a proposal should provide meaningful and dignified work for American workers, but also enhance our global competitiveness and solidify the building blocks for our new American century.
     Our most critical challenge is maintaining our global competitive edge against an aggressive and belligerent Chinese government that is intent on supplanting the United States as the leading economic and military power. To this end, we must diligently build upon the successes of the previous administration in advancing our leadership in fifth generation (5G) wireless networks. 5G will allow for higher data speeds, reliability, and network capacity. Falling behind on 5G would mean forfeiting critical economic and national security advantages to the Chinese government.
     We must invest in rebuilding our roads, bridges, ports, airports and waterways, utilizing American resources and ingenuity and ensure they are able to withstand extreme weather events. To that end, on April 21, 2021, I joined Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) in reintroducing the Built to Last Act of 2021 (S. 1282). This bill would ensure federal, state, local, and private buildings, roads, and other infrastructure are more resilient to extreme weather events by equipping the organizations that issue building codes and other standards with the best available information on weather-related risks, including floods, hurricanes, and wildfires. The bill was referred to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
     America’s aging energy infrastructure has left us vulnerable to natural disasters, cyber-attacks and other hostile actions. We should use the opportunity of an infrastructure bill to harden our grid against Chinese and Russian state-directed actors, who are targeting our critical energy infrastructure with cyber-attacks, not arbitrarily subsidize or mandate renewable energy, such as wind and solar, in an attempt to implement the Green New Deal.
     Critical water infrastructure, such as for drinking and wastewater, is similarly vulnerable to age-related breakdowns, natural disasters, cyber-attacks, and other hostile actions. This is particularly true in coastal communities as sea levels rise. We should focus our efforts on supporting coastal resilience projects that implement natural coastal infrastructure – such as sand dunes and living shorelines – which is most effective at defending our coastal communities from severe weather and climate impacts.
     That is why, in 2016 through the Water Infrastructure Improvements for the Nation (WIIN) Act (P.L. 114-322), I secured a provision to authorize the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to conduct a South Atlantic Coastal Study (SACS) to better understand Florida’s unique vulnerabilities, and propose mitigation and adaptation projects to counter ongoing coastal change and sea level rise. As a member of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, I secured $16 million in funding through the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2018 (P.L. 115-141) for the Army Corps to carry out the SACS as part of its Long Term Disaster Recovery Investment Plan.  The findings will guide specific planning and actions to protect and enhance Florida’s coastline in the coming decades as we continue to develop advanced technologies and innovate new solutions to the challenges of an ever-changing world.
     Unfortunately, President Biden’s recent $2.25 trillion proposal includes an overly broad definition of infrastructure, unrelated and counterproductive efforts, earmarks for bridges to nowhere, and increases taxes on businesses. The proposal also includes radical labor organizing provisions that empower corrupt, activist union organizers at the expense of hardworking Americans and small business owners. The President’s plan also does not go far enough in strengthening Buy America provisions to ensure our tax dollars do not go to purchasing Chinese equipment, including solar panels made with slave labor.
     Both political parties recognize these are problems that demand to be solved. There is no reason to make the infrastructure package a partisan bill as some have suggested when both parties understand the scope of these problems.
     It is an honor and a privilege to serve you as your United States Senator. As a member of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, I will keep your thoughts in mind as I consider these issues and continue working to ensure America remains a safe and prosperous nation.

Sincerely,




Marco Rubio

U.S. Senator 

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