In the News
Tampa Leaders Call Out Marco Rubio For Voting Against Investing In Port Tampa Bay’s Infrastructure
The Infrastructure Investment And Jobs Act’s investments in Florida’s ports will help strengthen supply chains and lower costs for Floridians. In particular, Port Tampa Bay is set to benefit significantly from the new legislation that will help the state’s largest port stay resilient and globally competitive. But Marco Rubio voted against this new funding for the port, calling new infrastructure legislation “wasteful.”
As Marco Rubio visits Port Tampa Bay today, leaders from across the region are calling him out for rejecting legislation to help fix supply chains, improve the port’s infrastructure, and invest in Tampa Bay’s roads and bridges to help alleviate the region’s traffic congestion.
“I have been working to lower costs for families and businesses, and a lot of that is making sure the goods continue to flow into Port Tampa Bay and into Central Florida. Senator Rubio voted against federal funds that would modernize Florida’s largest, most diverse port, which means he voted for higher prices and supply chain issues,” said Congresswoman Kathy Castor. “The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that Rubio voted against lowers costs for families by alleviating supply chain issues by increasing the flow of goods through Tampa Bay. We cannot allow him to take credit for the economic growth he has actively worked against.”
“We’re fixing the damn roads and Senator Rubio is only standing in the way,” said State Representative Andrew Learned (HD-69). “In my two years in office, I’ve worked with local, state, and federal partners in a bipartisan way to secure funding to fix our roads, make our streets safer for our kids, and reduce traffic on I-75. These local successes are the product of local leaders like myself working with the administration to bring the Infrastructure Investment And Jobs Act’s dollars directly to our communities. No matter how Senator Rubio campaigns on improving our infrastructure, don’t be fooled, he was a NO vote. While we’re working together to widen lanes and get people moving, Senator Rubio seems to be more interested in being a speedbump to progress.”
“Port Tampa Bay has been wrestling with supply chain challenges that have driven up the cost of living for Floridians. That’s why local, state, and federal leaders have been working together to meet these challenges by using the Infrastructure Investment And Jobs Act’s resources to invest in places like Port Tampa Bay. But instead of joining this effort to help Florida businesses and lower prices for families, Marco Rubio voted against these new resources in a self-serving attempt to score political points. Once again, he put his own agenda ahead of what’s best for Florida,” said Hillsborough County Commissioner Kimberly Overman
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