Cruz News: July 15, 2018

July 15, 2018

Greetings,

On Monday, President Trump announced his nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court of the United States. I look forward to supporting his nomination. Judge Kavanaugh is one of the most respected federal judges in the country. During his time on the nation’s second highest court, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, he developed a distinguished record of defending the separation of powers, the Second Amendment, and religious liberty. He also has a strong record of working to rein in the excesses of federal agencies which have overstepped their congressional mandates. As a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, I look forward to his confirmation hearing, where Judge Kavanaugh will have the opportunity to demonstrate to the American people that he will uphold the rule of law and interpret the Constitution according to its original meaning.

The U.S. Army announced on Friday that Austin, Texas will be the host for the new Army Futures Command. Over the past few months, I have advocated for Texas to host the new Army Futures Command, which is charged with modernizing the Army for the future and integrating emerging technologies to meet future threats. From our universities to technology sector, Texas is ready to partner with the Army and propel the force into the future. Additionally, along with my colleagues from Oklahoma and Arkansas, I penned a letter to General Gustave F. Perna urging the Army to assign the Red River Army Depot in Texas as the depot source of repair (DSOR) for the Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV) program, which will provide enhanced force protection, survivability, mobility and power generation for the next generation warfighter.

For far too long, drawn-out litigation and bureaucratic red tape has left infrastructure projects in Texas unfinished. On Thursday, I was proud to introduce the North Texas Water Supply Security Act with my colleagues from North Texas, including Reps. Sam Johnson (R-Texas), Pete Sessions (R-Texas), John Ratcliffe (R-Texas), and Jeb Hensarling (R-Texas). This bill will ensure prompt resolution of any litigation brought to challenge the Lower Bois d’Arc Creek Reservoir Project so that the it can be completed in a timely manner and address the looming water crisis facing North Texas.

Unfortunately, in recent weeks, Americans have been rightly discouraged to see Democrats calling to abolish U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). ICE plays an instrumental role in protecting American citizens and immigrants from violent criminals, drug cartels, and human traffickers. These agents risk their lives every day to protect us, which is why Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) and I, along with several other senators, introduced a resolution denouncing the radical push for the dissolution of ICE. Calls to abolish ICE not only disregard our immigration laws and give implicit license to those who want to enter our country illegally, but also insult the heroic sacrifices of ICE agents and put Americans at risk, especially in border states like Texas. I will continue to support the brave men and women who serve as ICE agents, and urge my colleagues to stand by ICE and honor the key role it plays in keeping our country safe.

Texas is resilient and continues moving forward in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey to rebuild and recover, and I am grateful for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ (USACE) Disaster Supplemental Funding Plan to provide almost $5 billion in federal support to Texas. Additionally, I was pleased to see President Trump’s swift action to provide support to the Rio Grande Valley by granting Governor Abbott’s request for federal assistance to the South Texas communities recently impacted by extreme flooding. 

As we continue to rebuild from the unprecedented devastation from Hurricane Harvey, we must also take all steps necessary to prepare for the hurricane season ahead. For those seeking 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. For those seeking preparedness information and resources, please refer to the federal and state resources listed here.

Please read below for an update from this last week.

Keep Texas Strong,

Ted Cruz

Sen. Cruz issued a statement in support of President Donald Trump's nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court of the United States. Read more...

Sen. Cruz issued a statement following the release of Liu Xia. Read more...

Following President Trump’s nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court, Sen. Cruz expressed his support and expectations for the Senate to swiftly confirm Judge Kavanaugh. Read more...

Sens. Cruz, Mike Lee (R-Utah), and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) this week reintroduced the Transportation Empowerment Act, a bill which would give states and localities far more control over their infrastructure spending by phasing out the federal gas tax. Read more...

Sen. Cruz participated in the Military Times Service Members of the Year Awards Ceremony to honor outstanding service members from each branch of the military. Read more...

Sen. Cruz, member of the U.S. Senate Rules Committee, participated in a hearing Wednesday titled, ‘Election Security Preparations: Federal and Vendor Perspectives.’ Read more...

Sen. Cruz, member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, participated in a nomination hearing for U.S. District Judge vacancies and the Director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy. Read more...

Sens. Cruz and John Kennedy (R-La.) on Wednesday introduced a resolution denouncing the radical calls for the dissolution of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). Read more...

Sen. Cruz introduced the North Texas Water Supply Security Act which will ensure prompt resolution of any litigation brought to challenge the Lower Bois d’Arc Creek Reservoir Project in order to make certain that the project can be completed in a timely manner. Read more...

Sens. Cruz, John Cornyn (R-Texas), John Boozman (R-Ark.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), James Inhofe (R-Okla.), and James Lankford (R-Okla.) sent a letter to General Gustave F. Perna to support the Army’s assignment of Red River Army Depot in Texas as the depot source of repair (DSOR) for the Armored Multi-Purpose Vehicle (AMPV) program, which provides enhanced force protection, survivability, mobility, and power generation for the next generation warfighter. Read more...

Sen. Cruz addressed the “Change not Chains” rally to honor Nobel Peace Prize winner Dr. Liu Xiaobo and celebrate the freedom of his wife Liu Xia, who have fought ceaselessly to promote democracy and freedom in China. Read more...

U.S. Army announced that Austin, Texas has been selected as the host for the new Army Futures Command. Following the announcement, Sen. Cruz issued a statement in support. Read more...

Sens. Cruz, Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), and Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) sent a letter to Liu Xia following her release from Chinese imprisonment. Read more...

The full press releases may be viewed here.