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October 9, 2015
Greetings,
Americans every day face the daunting problems caused by overregulation. It appears that the federal government has forgotten the Jeffersonian standard of leaving the people "free to regulate their own pursuits of industry and improvement." Instead, bureaucrats in Washington now seemingly regulate everything under the sun. In order to bring more attention to the problems of overregulation, I chaired a hearing this week, which examined the harmful effects onerous government regulations impose on underprivileged communities. This hearing revealed what many of us already know: unelected, regulatory bureaucrats seek to dictate nearly every aspect of our lives.
There is no greater obstacle to growth, to opportunity, and prosperity for all Americans than an invasive and bloated government. Congress must act to curb excessive government regulation, and I remain committed to finding ways to stem the tide of red tape.
Please keep reading for an update on the latest in the Senate.
Keep Texas strong,
Ted Cruz
Sen. Cruz Proves There Is Still a Vigorous Debate About Climate Change in Exchange with Sierra Club President
On Tuesday, Sen. Cruz spoke with Sierra Club president Aaron Mair during a Senate Judiciary subcommittee hearing in an exchange that proved, contrary to liberal assertions that man-caused climate change is “settled science,” that there is still a healthy and vigorous debate about the causes and nature of climate change based on the data and scientific evidence.
“While Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and climate-related regulations were not designed to occupy a greater focus than other types of government regulation during this hearing, Mr. Mair of the Sierra Club made it a central focus of his testimony. However, in an exchange that has been widely covered by the media, Mr. Mair was unable to square the Sierra Club’s assertion that climate change is threatening the Earth with the observed satellite temperature data that have shown no significant warming trend over the last 18 years.”
Watch the full exchange and read coverage of the hearing here.
Sen. Cruz Hearing Illustrates the Harmful Effects of Government Overregulation on Underprivileged Communities
Sen. Cruz on Tuesday chaired a hearing of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Oversight, Agency Action, Federal Rights and Federal Courts titled “Opportunity Denied: How Overregulation Harms Minorities” that investigated the harmful effects of government overregulation on people and businesses who lack the resources and political connections to deal effectively with mountains of red tape.
“The hearing provided several vivid illustrations of liberal blindness to the harmful effects of government regulation, including a memorable exchange in which none of the Democrat witnesses could name just a single example of a harmful government regulation.
Read the full release, including Sen. Cruz’s opening statement, here.
Sen. Cruz, Others Introduce Bill to End Sanctuary Cities and Combat Illegal Reentry
This week Sen. Cruz introduced as a lead cosponsor the Stop Sanctuary Policies and Protect Americans Act. The bill would withhold federal funds from sanctuary jurisdictions. The legislation also incorporates critical elements of Kate’s Law, which Sen. Cruz introduced earlier this year, by imposing a five-year mandatory minimum sentence on any alien who illegally reenters the country after having been convicted of an aggravated felony or two prior illegal reentry offenses.
“In light of the threat criminal aliens pose to the safety and security of our communities, we can no longer allow states and municipalities to take federal taxpayer money while turning a blind eye to the illegal aliens in their midst,” said Sen. Cruz. “What happened to Kate Steinle is heartbreaking. And the heartbreak is even more tragic given the circumstances. Clearly, our laws are not adequately deterring those who have already been deported from illegally reentering the country. I'm proud to join with my colleagues in sending the message that defiance of our nation's laws will no longer be tolerated.”
Read the full statement here.
Sen. Cruz: The U.S. and International Community Must Hold Palestinians Accountable for Terror
On Thursday, Sen. Cruz submitted the following statement into the Congressional Record concerning the recent Palestinian attacks on Israeli civilians:
“…It is long past time for the United States and the international community to hold the Palestinians accountable for their incitement and support for terrorism, including through the financial payment to Palestinian terrorists who are jailed in Israel for committing acts of terrorism…There is no moral equivalence between Palestinian terrorism and the obligation of Israel to act in defense of its people. To the Israeli people, especially those who are victims of terrorism and their families: I proudly stand in solidarity with you during this challenging time.”
Read the full release here.
Sen. Cruz: Final 2016 NDAA Reaffirms Our Commitment to Our Men and Women in Uniform
On Wednesday, Sen. Cruz issued the following statement regarding the final vote on the conference report of the 2016 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA):
“The Fiscal Year 2016 NDAA provides the minimum necessary funding authorities for the Department of Defense,” said Sen. Cruz. “While I would like to see additional funding dedicated to our military, this bill points us in the right direction and begins to address the damaging deficiencies that were created by the irresponsible priorities of this Administration.”
Read Sen. Cruz’s full statement here.
A Regional Update from Central Texas Regional Director Carl Mica
This week, Sen. Cruz welcomed Carl Mica to the state staff as Central Texas Regional Director.
Prior to joining Senator Cruz’s team, Mica served as Director of Business Relations for The University of Texas System. Mica was the chief liaison to local, state and national business-related groups, associations and organizations. Promoting the System’s vast resources available to all sectors of the business community was a chief priority in his position.
A native central Texan, Carl also served as an aide to U.S. Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison in both Washington, D.C., and Austin. Notably, he acted as Senator Hutchison’s Central Texas Regional Director, serving much of the same area that he does today.
Carl’s extensive experience and strong central Texas background will ensure that our state continues to be well served.
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