WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, following Senate Democrats’ objection to Senator Rick Scott’s amendment that would immediately grant TPS to Venezuelans, he released the following statement.

Senator Rick Scott said, “Let’s be very clear about what we just saw. Senate Democrats just came to the floor to object to my amendment that would grant TPS to Venezuelans and reform the TPS program. That’s shameful. It’s incredibly disappointing that my Democrat colleagues would stand in the way of a common-sense compromise. Republicans support it. The sponsor of the House-passed bill supports it. I believe the President would sign it. 

“It’s clear that the Democrats don’t actually want to get anything done on this issue. Unfortunately, they’ve decided to use the Venezuelan community as a political prop instead of working with us to find a solution. Their rhetoric over the last few months was just political nonsense. Even though the Democrats stood up and blocked TPS for Venezuelans today, I will never stop fighting to support the Venezuelan community here.”

Senator Scott’s amendment to Rep. Diaz-Balart’s House-passed TPS bill:

• Grants TPS to Venezuelans for 18 months;
• Requires Congressional approval for TPS extensions, no more than 18 months at a time;
• Limits the ability of illegal aliens with no connection to the TPS designation to benefit from TPS;
• Ensures that human rights violators identified under the Magnitsky Act are not eligible for TPS;
• Includes provisions to distinguish that TPS does not count as an admission for purposes of the Immigration and Nationality Act;
• Prevents TPS recipients from returning to the TPS country during the period of designation;
• And requires current TPS designations will come up for Congressional review two years after the enactment of this amendment.

###