newsletter

  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...

  April 15, 2018 Greetings, On Tuesday, I questioned Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg in a joint Senate hearing on whether Facebook considers itself a neutral public forum and the pervasive pattern of bias and political censorship demonstrated by it and other social media platforms. In radio interviews with KTSA’s Michael Berry and WOAI’s Joe Pags, I discussed the unprecedented power and influence social media has in our political discourse, and the legal...

  April 8, 2018 Greetings, This Wednesday marked the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It was a heartbreaking moment in our Nation’s history. But death could not conquer his vital message of peace and love. As an extraordinary champion for freedom and equality, Dr. King fought tirelessly for America to fully embrace her founding promise — to ensure life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for those who had so long been denied them. May we...

  March 24, 2018 Greetings, The entire Lone Star State joins both Austin and Schertz in breathing a little easier, now that the Austin, Round Rock, and Schertz Police Departments, Texas DPS, FBI, ATF, and other law enforcement agencies have identified the Austin bomber. We continue to pray for the families and the victims and remain ever grateful for local, state, and federal officials and their dedicated efforts to ensure the safety and security of our communities.This week, I was...

  March 18, 2018 Greetings, Last year, we rolled back burdensome regulations and passed historic tax cuts for middle class families all across the country. In Texas, we’re seeing opportunities expanding, wages rising, and unemployment at an all-time low. Though we’ve gotten the economy working again for the American people, there are troubling reports that both Democrats and Republicans in Congress are considering including an Internet sales tax in the upcoming omnibus spending...

  March 11, 2018 Greetings, On Tuesday, I was proud to join my colleague Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) in reintroducing the Protecting Communities and Preserving the Second Amendment Act. We continue to witness horrific shootings across the country, including in Sutherland Springs, Texas, and Parkland, Florida. This bill seeks to prevent similar tragedies from happening in the future by significantly increasing funding for school safety, creating a federal task force to prosecute the...

  March 4, 2018 Greetings, This week, I participated in two positive and productive meetings to fix the broken RINs system at the White House with President Trump and my colleagues in the Senate, along with representatives from the unions, ethanol and refining industries, and motor fuel retailers. Why is this issue so important to Texas? Because our state is home to nearly 100,000 refinery workers - the backbone of our state’s economy and our national security. I remain...

  February 25, 2018 Greetings, On Wednesday, I participated in a town hall with employees from Pennsylvania Energy Solutions (PES) and other refineries along the East Coast. There, I heard the stories of generations of Americans whose jobs and livelihoods are threatened by a broken government regulatory system. Why was I in Pennsylvania, you may ask? Because PES filed for bankruptcy a few weeks ago as a result of skyrocketing costs associated with the federal Renewable Fuels Standard. The...

  February 18, 2018 Greetings, This week, I delivered remarks on the Senate floor, where I urged my colleagues to stand with the working men and women of America, oppose amnesty, respect the rule of law, and to vote against misguided immigration proposals. On Friday, I visited the RGV with Vice President Mike Pence, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, and other local and Border Patrol officials to tour the U.S.-Mexico border. There, we met with local...

  February 11, 2018 Greetings, Hurricane relief and military funding are critical measures for Texas and the entire country. They were the key victories in the Senate budget agreement this week, but were unfortunately held hostage to legislation that busts the non-defense budget cap by over $130 billion and irresponsibly suspends the debt limit to allow for unfettered spending for another year. This is wrong, cynical, and a bad deal for the American taxpayer. Instead, we should have the...

  February 3, 2018 Greetings, This week, I was honored to have Pam Willeford of Sutherland Springs, Texas, attend as my guest to the State of the Union. Last November, in the wake of unspeakable evil, we mourned those lost in the mass shooting at First Baptist Church. Her husband, Stephen, demonstrated heroic bravery and courage as he engaged the shooter and risked his own life to save the lives of his neighbors and friends. Stephen and Pam’s commitment to the Sutherland Springs...

  January 28, 2018 Greetings, This week, I was proud to join Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) in introducing a bipartisan resolution declaring this week “National School Choice Week.” In recognition of “National School Choice Week,” I penned an op-ed for National Review, highlighting the renewed sense of urgency to ensure current students and the next generation are equipped and empowered with opportunity. Texans gathered to celebrate this movement at over 3,900 school...

  January 13, 2018 Greetings, This week, I introduced the Veterans, Employees, and Taxpayers (VET) Protection Act to address a troubling report from the Government Accountability Office concerning the abuse of official time practices and union activities by employees at the VA. This bill would ensure that union activity at the VA is not subsidized by taxpayers, and more importantly, does not undermine the service and care of our brave veterans. No veteran should have to wait to receive the...

  January 6, 2018 Greetings, From confirming Justice Neil Gorsuch to the Supreme Court and strong constitutionalist judges to the federal bench, to passing major tax reform and repealing Obamacare’s individual mandate - 2017 was a tremendous year for the American people. In the last few weeks, hardworking men and women across the country have received pay raises and bonuses as a result of this historic tax reform bill, and it is just the beginning. Virtually every taxpayer in...

December 23, 2017 Greetings, This week, Congress passed historic and meaningful tax reform. This bill provides significant relief for working men and women, and job creators. For middle class families across Texas and the country, Christmas has come early. These tax cuts champion small business owners, job creators, and farmers and ranchers by taking our high corporate tax rate – the highest in the developed world – and bringing it back down to a level that will generate jobs here at...

December 16, 2017 Greetings, This week, I was thrilled that the Senate confirmed both Texas Supreme Court Justice Don Willett and former Texas Solicitor General Jim Ho to fill the vacancies in Texas on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit. I’ve been friends with Don and Jim for decades, and know them personally to be principled defenders of the Constitution and the rule of law. They will be exceptional appellate judges, which is why I was proud to recommend them to the...

December 9, 2017 Greetings, On Monday morning, I was pleased to address Texas farmers at the Texas Farm Bureau’s 84th annual meeting in Frisco. There, I discussed the Senate’s recent passage of the tax reform bill, which included my amendment to expand the use of 529 Educational Savings Plans. 529 plans are a popular way for parents and grandparents to save after-tax money for their kids’ and grandkids’ college education. My amendment expands these...

December 2, 2017 Greetings, On Friday, I was proud to vote for tax reform legislation that passed the United States Senate and helps fulfill our promise to provide genuine tax relief for hardworking Americans and their families. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act will provide meaningful relief and bring more good paying jobs back to our great nation from across the globe. This historic bill significantly lowers our corporate tax rate – currently the highest in the developed world – which will...

November 25, 2017 Greetings, At Thanksgiving, we pause and thank God for the gift of freedom. This gift, first sought by the Pilgrims in their courageous journey to the New World, has been woven into the very fabric of our nation. We are grateful for the sacrifices of generations of Americans who have defended the liberty we all enjoy. All across America this week, families and loved ones gather to reflect, and celebrate our abundant blessings. In Texas, we’ve seen our share of heartbreak...