Florida Republican U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio told Roll Call on Wednesday that he is enjoying the media spotlight -- and buzz about future presidential or vice presidential ambitions -- since it means he is championing the right agenda.

State Senate President Mike Haridopolos, R-Merritt Island, announced on Wednesday that his U.S. Senate campaign team reeled in $2.6 million for the first quarter of 2010 with the bulk of it -- more than $2.5 million -- on hand.

The House and Senate budget talks, originally scheduled for this week, will have to wait until after Easter, as preparations to begin conference meetings broke down.

"We are not ready to go to conference," said Senate Budget Committee Chairman J.D. Alexander, R-Lake Wales.

The differences between the two budgets mainly revolve around the Senate's $69.8 billion budget, which brings in the water management districts, consolidates the Turnpike Enterprise and includes the clerks of court budget, which are left out of the House's $66.5 billion budget.

Florida Republican U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio released a video on Wednesday afternoon, responding to President Barack Obamas address earlier in the day on the debt.

Earlier this week, Florida Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Rooney and New Jersey Democratic U.S. Rep. Rob Andrews reintroduced a measure that would give lenders up to 45 days to decide whether to accept offers. Rooney and Andrews, who introduced a similar bill in 2010, argued that the bill would help jump the real estate economy and lead to an increase of short sales.

On Wednesday, pro-life activist and Democratic presidential candidate Randall Terry, best known for founding Operation Rescue, slammed Republican leadership in Washington for keeping federal funding of Planned Parenthood.

While Terry said that U.S. House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, should be commended for cutting off federal funds for abortion in Washington, D.C., he found little else to cheer in the recent budget agreements.

The Senate Subcommittee on Criminal and Civil Justice Appropriations voted unanimously Wednesday to pass a bill removing several seaport security measures passed by the state in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Federal seaport security laws passed after those provisions were enacted created unnecessary regulations.

On Wednesday morning, state Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam released a statement with his reflections on his first 100 days in office

Putnams team called improving Floridas health and nutrition, fostering expansion of Floridas agriculture industry into renewable energy production and preserving Floridas water quality and quantity their chiefs top three priorities and also noted he was fighting to increase consumer confidence in the states seafood.

A House bill imposing new regulations on doctors and pharmacists passed through the Appropriations Committee Tuesday, a move appreciated by Attorney General Pam Bondi, who has been pushing legislation to fight "pill mills" or physicians who overprescribe powerful narcotics.

Gov. Rick Scott touted the support of Florida business groups and fiscally conservative groups and think tanks Tuesday for his plan to reform the state's pension plans. He announced the formation of Floridians for Sustainable Pensions, a group made up of the Associated Industries of Florida, the Florida Chamber of Commerce, Florida TaxWatch, the National Federation for Independent Businesses, the James Madison Institute and other groups in favor of more strident pension reforms.