Cruz News: April 22, 2018

April 22, 2018

Greetings,

This week, America lost former First Lady Barbara Bush. She was as much a public servant as her husband and children: traveling the world as advisor and ambassador, campaigning for adult literacy programs at home and, of course, making George Senior eat his broccoli. An eternal First Lady in the heart of every Texan, Mrs. Bush approached her public role with a class and grace seldom matched in our nation’s capital. This weekend, countless mourners will gather in Houston to pay their respects, as she gave her family, the people of Texas, and all Americans a lifetime worth celebrating.

Tuesday marked the last Tax Day where Uncle Sam uses the outdated system Texans have struggled under for decades. Thanks to the historic tax cuts passed last year, Texans are seeing their savings increase dramatically, and an average family of four will save over $1,100 more this year compared to 2017. But we’re just getting started. This week, I introduced two bills on behalf of hardworking Texans. The first is a comprehensive bill to make the federal tax cuts and provisions for individuals permanent. The second is a bill that ends the capital gains tax on inflation, which will expand economic growth and encourage more investment into the economy.

I held several meetings in my D.C. office with Texas groups, Chambers of Commerce, and local city leaders, including the Dallas, Fort Worth, and Richardson Chambers of Commerce, city officials from Irving, and the Port-to-Plains Alliance. In the meetings, I listened to their concerns and ideas, and outlined my priorities for NAFTA renegotiation, including my letter to President Trump urging him to direct his trade negotiators to take a much broader view of the economic potential of NAFTA negotiations and use it to reduce the burden of federal regulations on job creators.

Last week, President Trump signed the Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act (SESTA), into law. This week, I penned an op-ed for the Texas Tribune highlighting this bill, which is a victory for Texas, as it ensures websites such as Backpage.com – based in Dallas, Texas – that knowingly facilitate sex trafficking, can be held liable for their crimes against victims of sex trafficking and brought to justice.

Friday, I joined Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson, Governor Greg Abbott, U.S. Rep. John Culberson (R-Texas), and Southside Place Mayor Pat Patterson in celebrating the heroes of Hurricane Harvey. There, Secretary Carson presented a check for $4.7 billion in Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) funds to Governor Abbott for unmet needs and mitigation efforts following Hurricane Harvey. Texas is rebuilding, and we’ll come out of this stronger than before, because of the toughness, the strength, and the character of Texas.

My Senate office continues to work to ensure swift and effective service to Texans and Texas communities in need of federal assistance following the devastation of Hurricane Harvey. If you need additional information or assistance during the recovery and rebuilding process, please do not hesitate to contact my office or use the federal and state resources listed here.

Please read below for an update from this last week.

Keep Texas Strong,

Ted Cruz

The Supreme Court announced it would release an audio recording of arguments in the highly anticipated Trump v. Hawaii case on April 25. Read more...

Sen. Cruz released the following video highlighting the savings Texans are seeing following the historic tax cuts passed in December, noting the average family of four will save over $1,000 more this year compared to 2017. Read more...

Sen. Cruz penned an op-ed for the Texas Tribune highlighting the Stop Enabling Sex Traffickers Act (SESTA), which was signed into law by President Trump last week. Read more...

Sen. Cruz addressed members of the Dallas Regional Chamber and Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce during their biennial fly-in to Washington, D.C. Read more...

Sen. Cruz was featured in the Skimm’s ‘Sip ‘n Skimm’ series. Read more...

Sen. Cruz, on Tax Day, introduced a comprehensive bill to make the federal tax cuts and provisions on the individual side permanent. Read more...

Sens. Cruz and Jim Inhofe (R-Okla.), on Tax Day, introduced the Capital Gains Inflation Relief Act of 2018. Read more...

Sen. Cruz met with Irving Mayor Rick Stopfer and other city officials, before meeting with members of the Port-to-Plains Alliance. Read more...

Sen. Cruz, member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, today participated in the nomination hearing to consider Vice Admiral Karl Schultz to be promoted to Admiral and to consider his nomination to be Commandant of the United States Coast Guard. Read more...

Sen. Cruz issued the following statement on the passing of former First Lady Barbara Bush. Read more...

Sen. Cruz addressed the Congressional Pastors’ Briefing, following a meeting in his D.C. Senate office with Richardson Mayor Paul Voelker, city officials and members of the Chamber of Commerce. Read more...

Sen. Cruz spoke on the Senate floor, urging his Senate colleagues to put aside partisan politics and confirm Jim Bridenstine as the NASA administrator. Read more...

Sen. Cruz issued the following statement regarding the Cuban National Assembly’s elevation of First Vice President Miguel Díaz-Canel to be the new president. Read more...

Sen. Cruz, member of the Senate Committee on Armed Services, participated in a Subcommittee on Airland hearing regarding Air Force modernization and readiness efforts. Read more...

Sen. Cruz delivered a floor speech recognizing the 70th anniversary of Israel’s Independence Day. Read more...

Sens. Cruz and John Cornyn (R-Texas) introduced legislation to award a Congressional Gold Medal to Don and Deyon Stephens, founders of the non-profit Mercy Ships of Garden Valley, Texas, in recognition of their nearly 40 years of service. Read more...

Sen. Cruz, chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Space, Science and Competitiveness issued the following statement after voting in favor of the confirmation of Jim Bridenstine as the next NASA administrator. Read more...

Sen. Cruz joined Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson, Governor Greg Abbott, U.S. Rep. John Culberson (R-Texas), and Southside Place Mayor Pat Patterson in a press conference following a meeting with first responders, where they thanked them for their heroic efforts during Hurricane Harvey. Read more...

The full press releases may be viewed here.