Sen. Cruz Issues Statement on Passing of John Lewis

HOUSTON, Texas - U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) today issued the following statement on the passing of Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.):

"Heidi and I join men and women across the globe in grieving the loss of the great John Lewis. In my first year in the Senate, I had the privilege of traveling with John and much of the Congressional Black Caucus to Nelson Mandela's funeral in Johannesburg.

"During the trip, John regaled us with stories of being alongside Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. As one of the original Freedom Riders, John was a young man at the dawn of the Civil Rights movement, and he survived a brutal beating on the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma. At 23, he was a keynote speaker at the March on Washington, on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial.

"To say he was an icon or a hero is an understatement. He had a quiet grace, a passion for justice, and an indomitable courage that helped transform this nation. I am blessed and humbled to have known John and to have heard his deep wisdom firsthand.

"Heidi and I are lifting up in prayer his family, his loved ones, and all of America as we mourn the loss of a good and great man. His legacy will endure on as we continue to strive for justice for all."

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