Tenure as Senator Marco Rubio

shortly after taking office in 2011, rubio said had no interest in running president or vice president in 2012 presidential election. in march 2012, when endorsed mitt romney president, rubio said did not expect or want selected vice presidential running mate, vetted vice president romney campaign. former romney aide beth myers has said vetting process turned nothing disqualifying rubio.

upon taking office, rubio hired cesar conda chief of staff. conda, former adviser vice president dick cheney, , former top aide sens. spencer abraham (r-mich.) , robert kasten (r-wis.), succeeded in 2014 rubio s chief of staff deputy, alberto martinez, conda remained part-time adviser.

during first year in office, rubio became influential defender of united states embargo against cuba, , induced state department withdraw ambassadorial nomination of jonathan d. farrar, chief of mission of united states interests section in havana 2008 2011. rubio believed farrar not assertive enough toward castro regime. in 2011, invited visit reagan library, during gave well-publicized speech praising namesake, , rescued nancy reagan falling.

meeting in february 2013 israeli president shimon peres during trip jordan , israel.

in march 2011, rubio supported u.s. participation in military campaign in libya oust libyan leader muammar gaddafi. urged senate leaders bring bi-partisan resolution senate floor authorizing president s decision participate in allied military action in libya . administration decided no congressional authorization needed under war powers resolution; senator joe lieberman (i-ct) joined rubio in writing opinion piece wall street journal in june 2011 again urging passage of such authorization. in october 2011, rubio joined several other senators in pushing continued engagement libya lay foundation sustainable security. after gadhafi ousted, rubio warned there serious threat posed spread of militias , weapons, , called more u.s. involvement counter threat.

rubio voted against budget control act of 2011, included mandatory automatic budget cuts sequestration. later said defense spending should never have been linked taxes , deficit, calling policy terrible idea based on false choice.

the following month, rubio , senator chris coons, democrat of delaware, co-sponsored american growth, recovery, empowerment , entrepreneurship act (agree act), have extended many tax credits , exemptions businesses investing in research , development, equipment, , other capital; provided tax credit veterans start business franchise; allowed increase in immigration types of work visas; , strengthened copyright protections.

in 2012, rubio introduced bill, co-sponsored joe manchin, democrat of west virginia, allow employers exempted newly mandated coverage contraception based on religious or moral grounds, not adopted in senate.

rubio voted against 2012 fiscal cliff resolutions. although received criticism position, responded: thousands of small businesses, not wealthy, forced decide how ll pay new tax, and, chances are, ll firing employees, cutting hours , benefits, or postponing new hires looking make. , make matters worse, nothing bring our dangerous debt under control.

touring us-mexican border in november 2011 border patrol officials

in 2013, rubio part of bipartisan gang of 8 senators crafted comprehensive immigration reform legislation. rubio proposed plan providing path citizenship undocumented immigrants living in united states involving payment of fines , taxes, background checks, , probationary period; pathway implemented after strengthening border security. bill passed senate 68 32 support, rubio signaled bill should not taken house because other priorities, repealing obamacare, higher priority him; house never did take bill. rubio has since explained still supports reform, different approach instead of single comprehensive bill.

about give response state of union address in february 2013

rubio chosen deliver republican response president obama’s 2013 state of union address. marked first time response delivered in english , spanish. rubio s attempt draw strong line against looming defense sequestration undercut fellow republican senator rand paul s additional response obama s speech called sequester carried out.

in april 2013, rubio voted against expansion of background checks gun purchases, contending such increased regulatory measures little capture criminals.

in may 2013, rubio proposed regulation costs small businesses act have required small business administration conduct annual study estimate total cost of regulations on small businesses.

in july 2013, rubio , senator ben cardin, democrat of maryland, introduced foreign aid transparency , accountability act of 2013. bill require federal agencies monitor , regularly report on performance of foreign assistance programs based on specified goals , metrics. reports published publicly. according rubio: america’s foreign assistance programs need greater transparency ensure advancing our values , interests overseas.

in 2014, rubio co-sponsored legislation senator mark warner, democrat of virginia, revise process calculating , collecting student loans. legislation base student loan payments on student s subsequent income , automatically collect payments paychecks in order simplify process , eliminate loan servicer fees.

in majority

rubio in november 2015

republicans took control of u.s. senate result of elections in november 2014. new period of republican control began, rubio pushed elimination of risk corridors used federal government compensate insurers losses part of patient protection , affordable care act (ppaca). risk corridors intended funded profitable insurers participating in ppaca. however, since insurer losses have exceeded profits in program, risk corridors have been depleted. efforts contributed inclusion of provision in 2014 federal budget prevented other funding sources being tapped replenish risk corridors.

in february 2015, rubio took position united states department of veterans affairs buckling under weight of own bureaucracy , , endorsed proposal open veterans care private providers.

in march 2015, rubio , senator mike lee, republican of utah, proposed tax plan which, according wall street journal, combined thinking old-fashioned, reagan-era supply siders , breed of largely younger conservative reform thinkers concerned tax burden on middle-class. plan lower top corporate income tax rate 38% 25%, eliminate taxes on capital gains, dividends , inherited estates, , create new child tax credit worth $2,500 per child. plan set top individual income tax rate @ 35%. included proposal replace means-tested welfare system, including food stamps , earned income tax credit, new consolidated system of benefits .

according analysis vocativ reported fox news, rubio has missed 8.3 percent of total votes since taking office, january 2011 february 2015. october 27, 2014, october 26, 2015, rubio voted in 74 percent of senate votes, according analysis govtrack.us, tracks congressional voting records. in 2015, rubio absent 35 percent of senate votes. in historical context rubio s attendance record senate votes not exceptional among senators seeking presidential nomination, such senator john mccain percentage of missed votes in 2007 higher. worst of 3 senators campaigned presidency in 2015.

during senate tenure, rubio has co-sponsored bills on issues ranging humanitarian crises in haiti russian incursion ukraine, , has been frequent , prominent critic of president obama s efforts in field of national security.

on may 17, 2016, rubio broke republican majority in support of president obama s request $2 billion funding emergency spending toward zika virus @ time when florida accounted 20% of recorded cases of zika in u.s., acknowledging president s request furthering it’s scientists’ requests, doctors’ request, public health sector’s request how address issue. on august 6, rubio stated not believe in terminating zika-infected pregnancies.

on december 13, after president-elect trump announced rex tillerson pick secretary of state in incoming administration, rubio expressed concerns selection. on january 11, rubio questioned tillerson during senate committee hearing on confirmation, saying afterward s right . on january 23, rubio confirmed vote tillerson, stating delay in appointment counter national interests.

on april 5, 2017, rubio said bashar al-assad felt act impunity in knowing united states not prioritizing removing him office. following day, rubio praised trump s ordered strike: acting decisively against facility assad launched murderous chemical weapons attack, president trump has made clear assad , empower him days of committing war crimes impunity over.

on may 21, 2017, rubio said wanted know entire truth possible ties between trump s presidential campaign , russia while on cnn s state of union.

on june 18, 2017, rubio said new sanctions passed senate against russia not being opposed trump, , did not believe president himself has problem additional sanctions on russia .

in august 2017, after raise act unveiled, bill aimed @ reforming immigration, rubio predicted not approved in senate , noted similarities bipartisan attempt @ comprehensive immigration reform legislation 4 years prior.

in september 2017, after president trump rescinded deferred action childhood arrivals program 6 months, rubio called outline on kind of legislation president willing sign prevent unwanted proposals.