Today, Florida Democratic Party Chair, Terrie Rizzo, released the following statement after Republicans in the US Senate blocked the Venezuela Temporary Protected Status Act of 2019:

“It is outrageous the way Republicans in the Senate have blocked the TPS for Venezuelans — and even worse, our own Florida Senators, Marco Rubio and Rick Scott, have not done anything to urge Senator McConnell to bring this bill to the Senate. The real story is that Republicans are paying lip service to the Venezuelan community, and while the time passes, Venezuelan asylum-seekers are being detained and deported from the United States to a precarious situation. Venezuelans wish to stay in the United States in safety, but inaction from the Republicans are not allowing them to do that.”

Last week, the Venezuela Temporary Protected Status Act of 2019, sponsored by Congressman Darren Soto, passed the House of Representatives, under the Leadership of Florida Democratic members of Congress.