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March 10, 2017
Greetings,
My continued prayers are with the farmers, ranchers, families, and communities across the Texas Panhandle who have suffered losses this week from the devastating wildfires. I commend our first responders for rushing to help all of those who have been in harm's way. Congressman Mac Thornberry has helpfully provided several links to resources for individuals who have been impacted by the fires. My staff and I stand ready to assist Congressman Thornberry and Panhandle communities in any way that would be helpful.
Texas communities from Midland to Houston have made substantial economic investment in the space industry, creating new manufacturing facilities and high-tech jobs. The importance of NASA and space exploration to Houston and the state of Texas cannot be underestimated, which is why I was gratified that this week the U.S. House of Represenatives passed the bi-partisan Cruz-Nelson NASA Transition Authorization Act of 2017. This legislation makes a serious commitment to the manned exploration of space and ensures that the Johnson Space Center remains the crown jewel of NASA’s human spaceflight missions. I look forward to the President signing this legislation, which lays the groundwork for the mission to Mars and enables commercial space ventures to flourish, which will foster extraordinary economic growth and job creation throughout Texas.
Early this week the House released its plan for health care reform. While I have serious concerns with the legislation in its existing form, I am working closely with members of the House, members of the Senate and the Administration to make the required fixes so we can pass a repeal bill that lowers health premium costs, that expands insurance choices and empowers patients.
Please read below for an update from this last week.
Keep Texas Strong,
Ted Cruz
Congress Sends Bipartisan Cruz-Nelson NASA Transition Authorization Act to the President’s Desk
This week, Congress passed S. 442, The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Transition Authorization Act of 2017, a bill originally introduced in the U.S. Senate by U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), along with Sens. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Gary Peters (D-Mich.), John Thune (R-S.D.), Tom Udall (D-N.M.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), and John Cornyn (R-Texas). In the House, the chairmen with committees of jurisdiction for the bill are U.S. Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Texas), chairman of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee, and Rep. Brian Babin (R-Texas), chairman of the House Space Subcommittee. The legislation provides stability for NASA to sustain and build upon existing national space investments designed to advance space exploration and science with an overall authorization level of $19.508 billion for fiscal year 2017. With the House’s passage of the bill, the legislation now heads to the White House to await President Donald Trump’s signature.
"The importance of NASA and space exploration to Houston and the state of Texas cannot be underestimated,” said Sen. Cruz. "With the passage of this bipartisan legislation, the future of the U.S. space program is now more secure and stable, and we have provided much-needed certainty to the missions of the International Space Station and Johnson Space Center. We are also making a serious commitment to the manned exploration of space, laying the groundwork for the mission to Mars, and enabling commercial space ventures to flourish, all of which will foster extraordinary economic growth and job creation throughout Texas. I’m grateful for the hard work and collaboration of Senators Bill Nelson, John Thune, and Gary Peters, Congressmen Lamar Smith and Brian Babin, and organizations like the Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership, all of whom all helped forge this legislation to help ensure America continues to lead the way in space exploration.”
Highlights of S. 442, The NASA Transition Authorization Act of 2017:
- Sustaining National Space Commitments and Utilizing the International Space Station
- Advancing Human Deep Space Exploration
- Medical Monitoring of Astronauts
Read the full details of the bill here.
ICYMI: Sen. Cruz and Reps. Smith and Babin Op-Ed in Houston Chronicle: 'A strong step for Texas, and one giant leap for space exploration'
Sen. Cruz and Reps. Lamar Smith (R-Texas) and Brian Babin (R-Texas) penned the following op-ed for the Houston Chronicle celebrating the passage of the bi-partisan Cruz-Nelson NASA Transition Authorization Act. This legislation ensures that the Johnson Space Center remains the crown jewel of NASA’s human spaceflight missions. The Houston Chronicle also featured an article detailing the legislative ambitions of the bill, including exploration of the moon, Mars and beyond.
“ Space exploration is also critical to the global competitiveness of the United States as our nation seeks to remain the leader in space. Unfortunately, in recent years, uncertainty and cancellations of core missions have clouded the future of NASA and the broader space industry. Cancellations to programs such as Constellation, which sought to return astronauts to the moon and beyond, have had lasting negative consequences not only on NASA but on the economy.
…
This legislation, supported broadly by Republicans and Democrats, advances the deep exploration of space by humans, ensures full utilization of the International Space Station and fosters the commercialization and economic development of low Earth orbit. In Texas, this legislation will ensure that the Johnson Space Center remains the crown jewel when it comes to providing mission support to NASA's human spaceflight missions.”
Read the full op-ed here.
Sen. Cruz Re-Introduces Bill Naming Cuban Embassy’s D.C. Address After Dissident Oswaldo Payá
Sen. Cruz reintroduced bipartisan legislation with Sens.Rubio and Menendez to rename the street in front of the Cuban Embassy in Washington, D.C. as "Oswaldo Payá Way," in honor of Cuba's late and celebrated dissident leader. The bill, S. 539, serves as a tribute to those who have contested the cruelty and oppression of the Castro regime and has been reintroduced following Cuba’s recent attempt to stifle efforts to honor those who stand up for human rights across the globe.
Sen. Cruz denounced the regime for denying entry visas to recipients of an award ceremony organized in Havana by Payá’s daughter, Rosa María. The ceremony was intended to honor her father’s legacy and celebrate like-minded activists who have fought for democracy and human rights against authoritarian regimes.
“The Cuban Embassy stands as a testament to the prior Administration's relentless capitulation to oppressive dictatorships across the globe. Though Fidel Castro has died, his repressive legacy has not followed him to the grave,” Sen. Cruz said. “Raúl is not a ‘different’ Castro; he shared Fidel’s tyrannical reign, brutally imprisoning and torturing the people of Cuba. It is my hope and belief that President Trump’s Administration will operate from a posture of strength to reassure those fighting for freedom in Cuba that America stands with them. I commend Rosa María Payá for her brave efforts to honor her father’s fight for freedom by bestowing an award in his name. The Castro regime’s cowardly actions to stifle the first awards ceremony only shines a brighter light on Oswaldo Payá’s legacy and serves as an example for younger generations who seek change among brutal dictatorships.”
Read the full press release here.
Sen. Cruz Issues Statement Regarding President Trump’s Executive Order to Facilitate Stronger Vetting Procedures for Refugees
Sen. Cruz issued the following statement regarding President Trump’s recent executive order to facilitate stronger vetting procedures for refugees:
“As I stated when President Trump’s administration previously took the responsible step of acting to prevent terrorists from infiltrating our refugee programs, we live in a dangerous world. For eight long years the Obama administration remained willfully blind to the threat of radical Islamic terrorism, admitting tens of thousands of refugees whom the FBI expressly told Congress they could not be certain were not terrorists. That Obama policy made no sense, and it made America less safe. If we are serious about combating the threat of radical Islam, we must reform and strengthen our refugee programs to ensure proper vetting of those entering our country—especially when they are coming from nations that are hotbeds of terror. This is crucial to our national security and to protecting American lives, and it is a priority for which I have long advocated.
"I commend President Trump for rejecting Obama's willful blindness. In contrast to the hysteria and mistruths that are still being pushed by the media, President Trump’s executive order implements a four-month pause in refugee admissions so that stronger vetting procedures can be put in place. This is a commonsense step that the American people overwhelmingly support. I am also pleased to see that lawful permanent residents will not be impacted by this order.
“I will continue to call on Congress to pass legislation to further assist in these efforts. For example, the executive order calls for greater influence from the states in this process, and the State Refugee Security Act that I introduced with Rep. Ted Poe (R-Texas) would do just that. This is a commonsense step to help keep us safe, and should be something that all senators and representatives, regardless of political party, can unite behind.”
Read the full statement here.
Sen. Cruz Releases Statement Regarding Recent Threats Against Jewish Institutions
Sen. Cruz released the following statement regarding the recent rise in threats against Jewish Community Centers:
“Today, law enforcement arrested a man in St. Louis, charging him for at least eight bomb threats against Jewish institutions in recent weeks. I commend our law enforcement for their diligent investigative work.
“I categorically condemn all recent threats against Jewish Community Centers (JCCs), Jewish Day Schools, and Jewish institutions across the country. These along with other attacks including the desecration and vandalism of Jewish cemeteries in St. Louis, Philadelphia, and Rochester are reprehensible. There is no place in our society for such vicious hatred and anti-Semitism.
“More than 100 JCCs from California to Texas and New York have been the target of this deliberate and repeated effort to harass, intimidate, and instill fear within our communities. I stand with the American Jewish Community, and with all Texans who have been impacted by the specific threats targeting the Aaron Family Jewish Community Center of Dallas and the Evelyn Rubenstein Jewish Community Center in my hometown of Houston that provide enormous contributions for our communities, friends, and families. We must put an end to these threats and attacks, ensure our Jewish institutions are secure and protected, and all of the perpetrators are brought to justice.”
Read the full statement here.
Sen. Cruz Praises Nomination of Noel Francisco as U.S. Solicitor General
Sen. Ted Cruz praised the nomination of Noel Francisco as U.S. Solicitor General. Sen. Cruz and Francisco worked together as young lawyers at what is now the Cooper & Kirk law firm in Washington, D.C., and also on the legal team supporting former President George W. Bush during the 2000 Florida recount. Francisco also served as a law clerk to Judge J. Michael Luttig of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit, the same judge for whom Cruz clerked the previous year.
“I enthusiastically applaud President Trump’s nomination of Noel Francisco to be Solicitor General of the United States,” Sen. Cruz said. “Noel and I have been close friends for over two decades, and I know him personally to be a brilliant lawyer and a principled conservative. He has cemented his reputation as one of the best appellate advocates of our generation, including arguing and winning the landmark case of National Labor Relations Board v. Noel Canning, in which the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously rebuked President Obama’s unlawful abuse of the President’s recess appointments power. I am confident that Noel will be a tireless champion for the rule of law, and I look forward to his strong leadership at the Department of Justice and skilled advocacy for the United States before the Supreme Court.”
Read the full statement here.
Texans in Washington D.C.
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