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November 13, 2015
Greetings,
This week, I was honored to continue making strides for the state of Texas, in both the space industry and on behalf of our nation’s selfless veterans. The Senate unanimously passed the U.S. Commercial Space Launch Competitiveness Act, a bill I co-authored that encourages development of the commercial space sector in Texas and across the country.
Additionally, I worked with Sen. John Cornyn to address the long wait times for veterans seeking care at the South Texas Veterans Health Care System in San Antonio by successfully adding an amendment to the Military Construction and Veterans’ Affairs Appropriations bill.
I’m proud to serve the Lone Star State, and I remain committed to fighting for Texas values.
Please keep reading for an update on the latest in the Senate.
Keep Texas strong,
Ted Cruz
Senate Passes U.S. Commercial Space Launch Competitiveness Act
On Tuesday, the Senate unanimously passed the U.S. Commercial Space Launch Competitiveness Act (H.R. 2262), a bicameral, bipartisan bill that recognizes the need for development of the commercial space industry and the major role space exploration plays in Texas. Sen. Cruz led the effort in the Senate to get this legislation passed.
“This legislation makes a commitment to supporting the continued development of a strong commercial space sector and recognizes the major stake Texas has in space exploration,” Sen. Cruz said. “It also provides NASA and the International Space Station with nearly a decade of mission certainty by extending the operation and utilization of the International Space Station until 2024. Most importantly, it solidifies and builds upon President Reagan’s efforts to establish America’s leading role in the commercial space sector.”
Read the full release and bill text here.
Cruz, Cornyn Amendment Requires VA Plan to Reduce Wait Times at San Antonio VA
Sen. Cruz and Sen. Cornyn on Tuesday successfully added a provision to the Military Construction and Veterans’ Affairs Appropriations bill requiring the VA Secretary to provide Congress with a plan to address the long wait times for veterans seeking health care at the South Texas Veterans Health Care System. The final bill, with the amendment included, passed the Senate unanimously.
“Our veterans deserve the very best care our nation can provide. Unfortunately, veterans in South Texas often do not receive timely access to health care,” stated Sen. Cruz. “Sen. Cornyn and I will continue to work together to hold VA administrators accountable.”
Read the full release here.
Cruz Service Academy Nominations Board Annual Meeting Convenes
Today, the Service Academy Nominations Board, established by Sen. Cruz in 2013, conducted its annual meeting to review applications and recommend the most qualified Texas candidates for nomination.
“I am honored to have the privilege to nominate exceptional young men and women from across the state of Texas to compete for an appointment to the United States service academies,” Sen. Cruz said. “With the importance of this responsibility and respect for the tradition of the selection process in mind, I have assembled a diverse panel of Texans to serve on the Board. This review and selection process allows each member of the committee to find the very best applicants and to ensure an objective, independent process that’s free from outside influence to find the most talented Texans. I want to thank Chairman Birdwell and all of the members who serve on the Board for their hard work and dedication.”
Read the full release here.
Sens. Cruz and Gillibrand Lead Bipartisan Letter to the EU Opposing New Guidelines for Israeli Product Labeling
On Monday, Sens. Ted Cruz and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) sent a bipartisan letter signed by 36 senators to Federica Mogherini, vice president of the European Commission. The letter expressed concern over reports that the European Union (EU) intended to move forward with new guidelines this week to label certain products made by Israeli companies imported into the EU. The EU did proceed with the harmful, anti-Israel labeling practices. Discussions of further action by Sen. Cruz and other opponents of the labeling are underway.
“As allies, elected representatives of the American people, and strong supporters of Israel, we urge you not to implement this labeling policy, which appears intended to discourage Europeans from purchasing these products and promote a de-facto boycott of Israel, a key ally and the only true democracy in the Middle East,” the letter states. “We believe strongly that these efforts are unwarranted, dangerous, and damaging to the prospects of a negotiated solution to [the Israeli-Palestinian] conflict.”
Read the full release and letter here.
Sen. Cruz Cosponsors ‘Audit the Fed’ Legislation
Last week, Sen. Cruz, along with 20 of his colleagues, cosponsored Sen. Rand Paul’s (R-Ky.) most recent Federal Reserve Transparency Act of 2015 (S. 2232), establishing congressional oversight of the Federal Reserve and requiring a full audit by the Government Accountability Office (GAO).
“The Federal Reserve needs to fully open its books so Congress and the American people can see what has been going on. This is a crucial first step to getting back to a more stable dollar and a healthy economy for the long term,” Sen. Cruz said.
“Right now, the Fed is adjusting monetary policy according to whims, getting it wrong over and over again, and causing booms and busts. If you look at the crash of 2008, the Fed’s policy destabilizing our money contributed powerfully both to the bubble and collapse. By auditing the Fed, the American people can fully understand the scope and consequences of the agency’s extraordinary monetary policy since 2008—and then know what reforms are needed to improve the Fed’s operations and accountability.”
Read the full release here.
Blackshear Elementary Fine Arts Academy Visits the Office of Sen. Cruz
On Monday, educators from Blackshear Fine Arts Academy in Austin, Texas visited the office of Sen. Ted Cruz in Washington, D.C. Blackshear Elementary was recently recognized as a 2015 National Blue Ribbon School.
A Regional Update from Service Academy Nominations Coordinator Joel Garcia and Austin Office Staff Assistant Emily Ellebracht
Each year, Sen. Cruz has the honor of nominating students to attend our nation’s military service academies. Sen. Cruz’s office receives roughly 1,000 applications from students across the state of Texas. As the Service Academy Nominations Coordinator, Joel Garcia, with the help of Staff Assistant Emily Ellebracht, processes and organizes the applications for Sen. Cruz’s Service Academy Nominations Board.
Today, the Board is reviewing the applications of hundreds of highly qualified Texans and will share their recommended nominees with Sen. Cruz. With the help of the Board, Sen. Cruz is able to nominate a group of remarkable young men and women to the United States Military Academy, the United States Naval Academy, the United States Merchant Marine Academy, and the United States Air Force Academy.
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