Marco Rubio talks infrastructure during Wake Up Naples

JENNA BUZZACCO-FOERSTER, DIRECTOR OF GOVERNMENT RELATIONS

United States Sen. Marco Rubio discussed a wide variety of topics during Wake Up Naples, sponsored by Florida Power & Light, at the Hilton Naples on Wednesday, April 7. Photo credit: John Eder/Marker4Photos

For United States Sen. Marco Rubio, infrastructure is more than just roads and bridges. It’s water management systems and broadband, an expansive network to better prepare communities across Florida and the nation for the future.

Infrastructure was among the topics Rubio touched on during a wide-ranging discussion during Wake Up Naples on April 7. Sponsored by Florida Power & Light, the event was a chance for Rubio to provide Greater Naples Chamber members with an update from Washington, D.C. and talk about some of the issues facing the nation.

“The most important question we have to ask all the time is: what direction is our country headed in and what do we need to do to change the course if we’re (headed) in the wrong direction,” he told the crowd of about 80 people at the Hilton Naples. “I think it’s easy to take for granted some of the things that make us special and unique.”

Rubio went on to say that he thinks the two things that make America unique is opportunity and freedom. He said his background as a son of Cuban immigrants has shaped what his views of what it means to have opportunity and freedom.

“It’s the ability to go out and find a good job that allows you to provide for your family and live the life that you wanted. It isn’t about wealth. It isn’t about how many things you own,” he said. “That may be someone’s definition of happiness, but for millions of Americans happiness is basically the ability to live in a safe neighborhood, in a home you own, start a family … retire with some level of dignity. And for my parents, they lived to see all four of their kids have better lives than theirs.”

Rubio touched on several hot button issues during his remarks, including freedom of speech and voter identification laws. He also talked about the Biden administration’s $2 trillion infrastructure plan, and needs of communities across the nation. Rubio said when talking about infrastructure needs it comes down to whether communities are “willing to define infrastructure in responsible ways that are more expansive.”

“If we wanted to do a bipartisan bill, we could,” he said. “It (would be) very meaningful and it would fund a lot of infrastructure and it would create a revenue structure and responsible and would pay for most of it.”

For more information or to register for an upcoming Chamber event, visit www.napleschamber.org/events.

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