The lives of Marco’s parents were forever changed in 1956 when they came to America from Cuba. Early on, Mario and Oria Rubio struggled being in the United States and wondered whether they had made the right decision. But in the decades that followed, America proved to be that shining city on the hill as they worked their way into the middle class and were able to provide opportunities for their children that had previously been out of reach.

Marco’s parents came from a place where this would have never been possible. In Cuba, they were not born into the right privilege that so few in that country enjoyed. But in the United States, their story became part of the historic tale we all know as the American Dream.

Growing up in West Miami and Las Vegas, Marco saw all of this develop from an early age. He saw that hard work and sacrifice led to achievement. He knew, firsthand, what his parents did to succeed. He watched his mother, Oria, work as a maid, cashier and stock clerk. He saw his father, Mario, work as a bartender, only to come home from work so late at night.

Above all, he saw how their hard work transformed his family and he knew that in America, anything was possible.

As a U.S. Senator, Marco has led a bold offensive to institute innovative, conservative ideas to address these fundamental issues and to restore hope in the American Dream. His ideas are firmly rooted in this simple truth – the American economy has changed significantly in recent decades and our policies must change with it. He has proposed conservative reforms to our nation’s anti-poverty laws, tax code, regulatory policies, higher education system, vital senior safety net programs and national defense.

All of these efforts are aimed squarely at one thing – restoring the hope and promise that the American Dream is real and that every American can achieve their own unique version of that dream. He believes that with a smart, limited government approach, Americans can work together to revive the founding principles that made this country great. He wants to bring it into reach of more people than ever before, and usher in a New American Century even more brilliant and prosperous than the last.