WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Senator Rick Scott spoke on the Senate floor ahead of a vote on his bipartisan, bicameral Block Grant Assistance Act, urging his colleagues to support this needed legislation. This bill, which was passed by the House of Representatives earlier this year, provides the authority needed for the U.S. Department of Agriculture to issue block grants to Florida’s growers and all U.S. agriculture producers devastated by recent natural disasters. 

Senator Scott’s Block Grant Assistance Act has been endorsed by AmericanHort, North American Blueberry Council, International Fresh Produce Association, Florida Farm Bureau, Georgia Fruit and Vegetable Growers Association, Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association, Florida Citrus Mutual, Feeding Florida, Florida Strawberry Growers Association, Florida Nursery, Growers & Landscapers Association and the Florida Tomato Exchange.

Senator Rick Scott said, “As we work to get the agriculture community back on their feet from the natural disasters, I won’t stop fighting to make sure that the federal government keeps showing up. Following natural disasters in prior years, USDA has administered block grants to give states more flexibility to meet the needs of their growers and producers, but additional congressional action is needed to do that for farmers fighting now to recover from recent storms. After refusing to take action to help this community for 14 MONTHS, Biden’s Agriculture Department waited until this bill was coming up for a vote to open a ‘portal’ for growers and ranchers to apply for assistance.

“Here’s the thing: my constituents don’t trust this process or this administration, and I sure don’t either. And, the assistance being offered is anything close to what’s needed for our farmers to actually recover. The House previously passed the Block Grant Assistance Act, but today the Senate Democrats again failed to advance this urgently needed bill and I can’t understand why anyone voted against it. This bill helps farmers all across the country, but let me speak for Florida: we’ve been waiting for more than a year for our farmers to get desperately needed disaster aid. Folks around the country that put food on our tables and create jobs in our states are hurting, and I won’t stop fighting to get this bill passed for them.”

See more from Senator Scott’s speech HERE or below.

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