Committee Assignments

“I’m honored to be a member of these important committees that address some of our nation’s and state’s most important issues. This committee portfolio enables me to work directly on policies to promote private sector job creation, keep Americans safe and maintain our strong standing in the world.

“In addition to continuing my work with small businesses entrepreneurs I’ve met throughout Florida, I am especially encouraged by the fact that these assignments allow me to work on many issues of great interest to Floridians, including NASA, free trade agreements with Colombia and Panama, our missions in Afghanistan and Iraq, and relations with key allies in our hemisphere and across the world." - Senator Marco Rubio

 

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Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation:

The Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation oversees a vast range of issues under its jurisdiction. These include communications, highways, aviation, rail, shipping, transportation security, merchant marine, the Coast Guard, oceans, fisheries, disasters, science, space, interstate commerce, tourism, consumer issues, economic development, export promotion, technology, competitiveness, product safety, and insurance. Senator Rubio is the chairman of the Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast Guard and sits on the following subcommittees:

  • Subcommittee on Oceans, Atmosphere, Fisheries, and Coast Guard: The Subcommittee is responsible for legislation and oversight of matters that impact our oceans and coasts including: coastal zone management; marine fisheries and marine mammals; oceans, weather and atmospheric activities; marine and ocean navigation; ocean policy and NOAA. The Subcommittee is responsible for overseeing the Coast Guard, which includes the safe and secure operations of vessels entering the United States or transiting through our Exclusive Economic Zone and the enforcement of maritime laws to support maritime commerce and protect marine living resources.
  • Subcommittee on Aviation Operations, Safety, and Security: The Subcommittee has jurisdiction over civil aviation safety and security, with specific oversight responsibility for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and the Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA) aviation security initiatives. The Subcommittee directs the authorization levels for FAA and TSA programs.  It monitors the agencies’ procurement activities for safety, capacity, and security upgrades, as well as the FAA’s efforts to modernize air traffic control to increase the safety and efficiency of the National Airspace System (NAS) through the Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen).  The Subcommittee oversees FAA’s stewardship of the NAS with safety as the top priority, including equitable access from all users, including commercial operators, general aviation, and the emerging unmanned aircraft sector.   The Subcommittee also oversees aviation consumer protection initiatives within the Office of the Secretary of Transportation, as well as the Department of Transportation’s responsibilities related to international aviation.  Finally, the Subcommittee stands watch over TSA’s efforts to confront the terrorist threat to civil aviation in the post-9/11 era.
  • Subcommittee on Communications, Technology and the Internet: The Subcommittee has jurisdiction over legislation, Congressional action, and other matters relating to communications. For these purposes, “communications” includes telephones, cell phones, the Internet, commercial and noncommercial television, cable, satellite broadcast, satellite communications, wireline and wireless broadband, radio, consumer electronic equipment associated with such services, and public safety communications. The Subcommittee also is responsible for oversight of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) at the Department of Commerce, which is the federal agency primarily responsible for the management of government spectrum and advising the President on telecommunications policy.
  • Subcommittee on Science And Space: The Subcommittee has responsibility for science, engineering, and technology research and development and policy; calibration and measurement standards; and civilian aeronautical and space science and policy. The Subcommittee conducts oversight on the National Science Foundation, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the National Institute of Standards and Technology, and the Office of Science and Technology Policy.

 

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Committee on Foreign Relations:

The Foreign Relations Committee is instrumental in developing and influencing United States foreign policy. The committee has considered, debated, and reported important treaties and legislation, ranging from the purchase of Alaska in 1867 to the establishment of the United Nations in 1945. It also holds jurisdiction over all diplomatic nominations. Through these powers, the committee has helped shape foreign policy of broad significance, in matters of war and peace and international relations. Senator Rubio is the chairman of the Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Transnational Crime, Civilian Security,Democracy, Human Rights, And Global Women’s Issues and sits on the following subcommittees:

  • Subcommittee on Western Hemisphere, Transnational Crime, Civilian Security,Democracy, Human Rights, And Global Women’s Issues: This subcommittee deals with all matters concerning U.S. relations with the countries of the Western Hemisphere, including Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, Cuba, and the other countries in the Caribbean, as well as the Organization of American States.  This subcommittee’s regional responsibilities include all matters within the geographic region, including matters relating to: (1) terrorism and non-proliferation; (2) crime and illicit narcotics; (3) U.S. foreign assistance programs; and (4) the promotion of U.S. trade and exports. In addition, this subcommittee has global responsibility for transnational crime, trafficking in persons (also known as modern slavery or human trafficking), global narcotics flows, civilian security, democracy, human rights, and global women’s issues.
  • Subcommittee on Near East, South Asia, Central Asia, And Counterterrorism: This subcommittee deals with all matters concerning U.S. relations with the countries of the Middle East, North Africa, South Asia, and Central Asia, as well as regional intergovernmental organizations.  This subcommittee’s regional responsibilities include all matters within the geographic region, including matters relating to: (1) terrorism and non-proliferation; (2) crime and illicit narcotics; (3) U.S. foreign assistance programs; and (4) the promotion of U.S. trade and exports. In addition, this subcommittee has global responsibility for counterterrorism matters.
  • Subcommittee on Africa And Global Health Policy: The subcommittee deals with all matters concerning U.S. relations with countries in Africa (except those, like the countries of North Africa, specifically covered by other subcommittees), as well as regional intergovernmental organizations like the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States.  This subcommittee’s regional responsibilities include all matters within the geographic region, including matters relating to: (1) terrorism and non-proliferation; (2) crime and illicit narcotics; (3) U.S. foreign assistance programs; and (4) the promotion of U.S. trade and exports. In addition, this subcommittee has global responsibility for health-related policy, including disease outbreak and response.
  • Subcommittee on East Asia, The Pacific, And International Cybersecurity Policy: The subcommittee deals with all matters concerning U.S. relations with the countries of East Asia and the Pacific as well as regional intergovernmental organizations like the Association of South East Asian Nations and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum.  This subcommittee’s regional responsibilities include all matters within the geographic region, including matters relating to: (1) terrorism and non-proliferation; (2) crime and illicit narcotics; (3) U.S. foreign assistance programs; and (4) the promotion of U.S. trade and exports. In addition, this subcommittee has global responsibility for international cybersecurity and space policy.

 

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Select Committee on Intelligence:

The Select Committee on Intelligence is dedicated to overseeing the U.S. intelligence community – the federal agencies and bureaus that provide information and analysis for leaders of the executive and legislative branches. The Committee is "select" in that membership is temporary and rotated among members of the chamber. As part of its oversight responsibilities, the Committee performs an annual review of the intelligence budget submitted by the President and prepares legislation authorizing appropriations for the various civilian and military agencies and departments comprising the intelligence community. These entities include the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, Central Intelligence Agency, Defense Intelligence Agency, National Security Agency, National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, National Reconnaissance Office, as well as the intelligence-related components of Department of State, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Department of the Treasury, and Department of Energy. The Committee makes recommendations to the Senate Armed Services Committee on authorizations for the intelligence-related components of the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, U.S. Air Force, and U.S. Marine Corps. The Committee also conducts periodic investigations, audits, and inspections of intelligence activities and programs.

 

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Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship:

The Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship oversees all legislation and issues relating to the Small Business Administration (SBA), as well as studying issues affecting the function of American small business enterprises.