CNN fact-checks Marco Rubio over disaster relief

Not one Florida Republican lawmaker in the United States Congress voted in favor of disaster relief after Category 4 Hurricane Ian barreled its way across the Sunshine State last week, which killed dozens as it inundated entire coastal cities and wiped out low-lying communities. The lone exception was Senator Marco Rubio, with his political career on the line in the November midterm elections, who did not bother to show up.

On Sunday, Rubio appeared on CNN's State of the Union where he was confronted by host Dana Bash over having opposed the very funds that the GOP requested from the Senate Appropriations Committee:

After Hurricane Sandy hit Northeastern states in 2012, you voted 'no' on a $50 billion relief package. I know you supported a smaller version, but why should other senators vote for relief for your state when you didn't vote for a package to help theirs?

Rubio attempted to explain:

Oh, I've always voted for hurricane and disaster relief. I've even voted for it without pay-fors. What I didn't vote for in Sandy's was because they had included things like a roof for a museum in Washington DC, for fisheries in Alaska. It had been loaded up with a bunch of things that had nothing to do with disaster relief. And I wouldn't support disaster relief efforts – I would never put out there that was should use a disaster relief package for Florida as a way to pay for all kinds of other things people want around the country.

READ MORE: Florida GOP lawmakers request hurricane relief after state GOP votes to strike down FEMA funding

He continued:

So I think that’s the key in moments like this. And Sandy, unfortunately, they loaded it up — they really did — with a bunch of things that had nothing to do with Sandy. But I voted for every disaster relief package especially that’s clean, and I’ll continue to do so when it comes to Florida. I'll do that again and we'll make sure that that package is clean and doesn't have stuff for other people in there.

Bash noted the inaccuracy of Rubio's claim and sought clarification:

I read the congressional research report last night. It sounds like that roof actually was damaged by the hurricane and what happened in Alaska was the result of another disaster. But in any event, my question is about the future. Are you telling me that if Hurricane Ian relief contains anything that smells like pork, you'll vote no?

Rubio repeated his stance:

Sure. I'll fight against it having pork in it. That's the key. We shouldn't have that in there because it undermines the ability to come back and do this in the future.

Watch below or at this link.

READ MORE: Florida GOP senator cornered on CNN over delayed evacuation order before Hurricane Ian hit