Cruz News: January 20, 2019

January 20, 2019

Greetings, 

This week, millions of Americans are mourning the 46th anniversary of Roe v. Wade — but also celebrating the incredible progress we have made since then, fighting to restore the God-given rights of every American, of every age. I am proud to be leading the fight for pro-life policies in the United States Senate and to continue battling to protect the rights of the unborn.

I believe every child in Texas deserves access to an excellent education. That is why I introduced pro-school choice Student Empowerment Act, alongside Rep. Jason Smith (R-Mo.). This bill builds upon my Student Opportunity Amendment, which was signed into law in December 2017, by allowing all students – including public, private, religious, and homeschool students – to use 529 savings accounts to cover eligible educational expenses. I also introduced a bipartisan resolution with Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) declaring next week ‘National School Choice Week’.

This week I participated in the Judiciary Committee’s confirmation hearings for Attorney General nominee William Barr. There, I questioned Mr. Barr on the rule of law, the First Amendment, and religious liberty. I am confident Mr. Barr will uphold his oath of office and be above the political circus that consumes Washington, and I look forward to casting my vote for him to be the next Attorney General of the United States.

Please read below for an update from this last week.

Ted Cruz

Sen. Cruz released a video message supporting the 2019 March for Life, where millions of Americans rally in D.C. and across the country in support of pro-life policies at all levels of government. Read more...

Sen. Cruz, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, questioned William Barr during his confirmation hearing to be United States Attorney General. Read more...

Sens. Cruz and Tim Scott (R-S.C.) introduced a bipartisan resolution declaring January 20, 2019 through January 26, 2019 as ‘National School Choice Week.’ Read more...

Sens. Cruz and John Cornyn (R-Texas), Governor Greg Abbott, and Texas members of the U.S. House of Representatives sent a letter to President Trump urging him not to use any federal funds already appropriated for Hurricane Harvey recovery for any other purpose. Read more...

Sens. Cruz and John Cornyn (R-Texas) released the following statements after President Trump announced his intention to nominate Wes Hendrix to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas in Lubbock, Mark Pittman to the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas in Fort Worth, and Sean Jordan for the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas in Plano. Read more...

Sen. Cruz, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, questioned a panel of witnesses as a part of the nomination hearings for Attorney General nominee William Barr. Read more...

Sen. Cruz, a member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation has been selected to serve as the chairman of the newly created Subcommittee on Aviation and Space for the 116th Congress. Read more...

Sen. Cruz, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, issued a statement after voting against a Democrat-led resolution blocking a European Union-supported agreement between the Treasury Department and Russian companies to punish a sanctioned Russian oligarch. Read more...

Sen. Cruz and Rep. Jason Smith (R-Mo.) reintroduced the Student Empowerment Act, which would expand 529 College Savings Plans to include K-12 elementary and secondary school expenses for public, private, and religious schools, including homeschool students. Read more...

Sen. Cruz issued a statement applauding President Trump’s Missile Defense Review (MDR). Read more...

On the 46th annual March for Life, Sen. Cruz penned an op-ed for the Daily Signal, where he highlighted various pro-life victories achieved in recent years and his legislative efforts to defend the unborn. Read more...

The full press releases may be viewed here.