newsletter

  November 17, 2018 Greetings, This week, Congress passed my bipartisan National Timing Resilience and Security Act, which establishes a reliable alternative timing system to GPS satellites. Currently, there is no domestic back up system to GPS, and crucial infrastructure – including gas stations, medical devices, and ATMs – could shut down and pose immediate threat to life and the economy in the United States should it be disrupted for even just a few hours. It is...

  November 11, 2018 Greetings, Monday marked the first anniversary of the horrific attack on the First Baptist Church of Sutherland Springs. One year ago, America mourned the 26 innocent lives taken by a madman that Sunday morning. But the light of providence shone through dark clouds. We celebrated the heroism of Stephen Willeford and Johnnie Langendorff, who chased down and stopped the murderer. We prayed with the survivors, and their countrymen came together to offer aid and...

  November 4, 2018 Greetings, Last weekend a horrific act of pure evil took place in Pittsburgh when an anti-Semite murdered eleven Jews who were gathered for Shabbat services at the Tree of Life synagogue. It was the deadliest anti-Semitic attack in the history of our great nation. The ancient hatred that is anti-Semitism has been on the rise all over the world. There is no place for anti-Semitism in our country, and now, more than ever, we must reaffirm our unequivocal condemnation of...

  October 28, 2018 Greetings, This week I addressed members of the National Safety Council at their 2018 NSC Congress and Expo, where I shared my family’s experience with losing my sister to an opioid-related overdose. The scourge of opioid addiction continues to affect countless families across our great nation, and I am proud of Congress’ decision to take action to protect our communities. I was glad to see President Trump sign into law the SUPPORT for Patients and...

  October 20, 2018 Greetings, This week is Texas Chambers of Commerce Week. Chambers across the Lone Star State play a crucial role as advocates for small businesses, job creators, and the hardworking men and women in their communities. I have been proud to meet with and work alongside these men and women to roll back job-killing federal regulations, lower taxes, and create more economic opportunity and good paying jobs for Texans. Small businesses are the backbone of our economy....

  October 13, 2018 Greetings, For far too long, Social Security has been wrongly tied to Medicare Part A enrollment. On Tuesday, I introduced the Retirement Freedom Act with Rep. Gary Palmer (R-Ala.) to address this problem. This bill would empower America’s senior citizens by allowing them to utilize private health insurance without losing their Social Security benefits. Seniors should be able to choose a health insurance plan that fits their needs, without the fear of...

  October 7, 2018 Greetings, On Saturday, I proudly voted with a bipartisan majority of my Senate colleagues to confirm Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the United States Supreme Court. He has proven to be a qualified nominee throughout his time on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, and has a strong record of defending the Second Amendment, safeguarding the separation of powers, reining in the unchecked power of federal agencies, and preserving our precious religious liberties....

  September 30, 2018 Greetings, This week, the Senate Judiciary Committee held a hearing on the nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to the United States Supreme Court. There, Dr. Christine Blasey Ford was given a full and fair opportunity to tell her story, and Judge Kavanaugh was given a full and fair opportunity to defend himself. That was the right thing to do. I expressed my concerns over Senate Judiciary Democrats’ inaction and delay in handling the allegations...

  September 22, 2018 Greetings, On Thursday, during a tour of NASA’s Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston with Presidential Advisor Ivanka Trump and NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine, I had the opportunity to talk with the crew members of Expedition 56, who are stationed on the International Space Station (ISS). Texas has always been a leader in space exploration, and I am grateful for the good work of the men and women at JSC.  I am pleased that this week the Army...

  September 15, 2018 Greetings, Tuesday marked the seventeenth anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on our great country. This week, as we paused to honor the memory of the nearly 3,000 innocent lives lost that day, we also reaffirmed our commitment to defend America from radical Islamic terrorism. Though our freedoms and very way of life came under attack, Americans’ courage and strength have not faltered. May we never forget those lost, and the service...

  September 8, 2018 Greetings, This week, the Senate Judiciary Committee held a series of hearings on Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh. The American people want justices on the Supreme Court who are going to be faithful to the Constitution and protect the Bill of Rights. Over the course of four days, while my Democratic colleagues coordinated with protestors and activists to disrupt the hearings, I questioned Judge Kavanaugh on the issues that matter to Texans,...

  September 1, 2018 Greetings, This week, Heidi and I joined millions of Americans and freedom-loving people around the world in honoring the life and legacy of Senator John McCain. The State of Arizona, and our entire nation, lost a great public servant. Born into a storied Navy family, he spent his entire life in service to his country, including 22 years in the Navy, five and a half of which were spent under the boots of North Vietnamese communists in a Hanoi prison. First elected to...

  August 25, 2018 Greetings, One year ago today, the Texas Gulf Coast was changed forever by Hurricane Harvey. With 135 mph winds and historic flooding, Harvey left in its wake 250 miles of devastation, from Corpus Christi to Louisiana. But we do not mark the anniversary of Harvey only in a spirit of tragedy, but also one of triumph. In the face of enormous destruction, first responders jumped into the floods to save their fellow Texans from harm’s way, and business owners...

  August 19, 2018 Greetings, This week, President Trump signed the National Defense Authorization Act for FY 2019 into law, which includes over 30 provisions benefitting Texas and America’s national security interests at home and abroad. During my statewide 'Texas Defends America' tour, I had the opportunity to visit our brave servicemen and women at some of Texas’ top military installations, and hear firsthand both the challenges and achievements of...

  August 12, 2018 Greetings, This week, I had the pleasure of visiting our brave servicemen and women and Texas military communities during my statewide ‘Texas Defends America’ tour, which included Lackland, Goodfellow and Dyess Air Force Bases and Fort Hood. At these bases, I received updates on training operations and long-term investments that will benefit and improve our military. I am proud to have secured over 30 provisions in FY19...

  August 4, 2018 Greetings, On Wednesday, I voted to pass the John S. McCain National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2019. I am proud to have secured over 30 provisions that will ensure the continued success of Texas’ military communities and address the United States’ national security interests. In the challenging and threatening environment that we live in today, it is imperative that we have a strong, well-funded military to effectively...

  July 28, 2018 Greetings, As Chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Space, Science, and Competitiveness, I chaired a hearing on Wednesday examining America’s future exploration of Mars – the focal point of our national space program. I am confident that the first foot that steps on Mars will be American. NASA has made incredible discoveries over the past few decades through the use of scientific robotic missions to Mars, and there are countless more opportunities on...

  July 21, 2018 Greetings, Supporting law enforcement used to be a bipartisan issue. However, in the last several weeks Americans have been discouraged to see Democrats calling to abolish U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). This week, I spoke on the Senate floor supporting the essential work of ICE, urging my Democratic colleagues to support my resolution denouncing the radical calls for its dissolution and ignore reckless voices within their party. ICE agents risk...

  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...