Sunshine Sentinel

During a Senate Committee on Foreign Relations business meeting, two bills authored or co-led by U.S. Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL) were favorably reported and now head to the full Senate.

• “It’s in our national and regional security interests to firmly support Taiwan, a valued ally of the United States. Congress must continue to closely monitor the CCP’s hostile acts against our democratic ally and remain firm in our strategy to deter any aggression against Taiwan.”

• “As the Committee on Foreign Relations favorably reported the bipartisan International Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act, we are reminded of the urgent global crisis that human trafficking represents. This bill will provide important tools to better combat this crime and hold perpetrators accountable. I urge my Senate colleagues to swiftly pass this legislation.”— Senator Rubio

• Taiwan Protection and National Resilience Act of 2023: The bill would require the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), the Department of Commerce, the Department of State, and other federal agencies to report to Congress on the United States’ non-kinetic options to both prepare for, and respond to, a Chinese Communist Party (CCP) attack on Taiwan, including opportunities to sanction the CCP and preempt Beijing’s retaliatory measures. Senator Gary Peters (D-MI) is an original cosponsor. Representatives Chris Smith (R-NJ) and Brad Schneider (D-IL) led the House companion.

• International Trafficking Victims Protection Reauthorization Act of 2023:  The bill would reauthorize and enhance critical programming, policy, and funding essential to the United States’ efforts to combat human trafficking around the world. Senators Bob Menendez (D-NJ), Jim Risch (R-ID), and Tim Kaine (D-VA) are co-leading this bipartisan bill.

Original source can be found here.