The News with Sen. Cruz - December 20, 2013
As Christmas approaches, I am moved by all the Texans who have given their time and resources to help those in need. Please watch my Christmas message to hear a handful of the ways people in the Lone Star State are spreading Christmas cheer.
Please keep reading below for an update on the latest in the Senate.
I hope you and your family have a merry Christmas and a blessed New Year.
All the best,
Ted Cruz
The Nuclear Weapon Free Iran Act of 2013
On Friday, Sen. Cruz joined a bipartisan effort to curb Iran’s nuclear activity.
"The single most important thing Congress can do to defend the national security interests of the United States is send a clear and unequivocal message that we will not tolerate a nuclear-armed Iran that would pose an existential threat to our nation, the state of Israel, and our Gulf allies in the region. The United States must lead the international community to ensure the most dangerous regime in the world does not possess the world’s most dangerous weapon.”
NDAA Does Not Ensure our Most Basic Rights as American Citizens are Protected
On Thursday evening, Sen. Cruz voted against the National Defense Authorization Act and released a statement regarding his concern that the NDAA fails to protect American citizens’ individual liberties.
"The Constitution does not allow President Obama, or any President, to apprehend an American citizen, arrested on U.S. soil, and detain these citizens indefinitely without a trial. When I ran for office, I promised the people of Texas I would oppose any National Defense Authorization Act that did not explicitly prohibit the indefinite detention of U.S. citizens. Although this legislation does contain several positive provisions that I support, it does not ensure our most basic rights as American citizens are protected.”
Budget Bill Exemplifies What is Wrong with Washington
After the Senate passed the budget bill on Wednesday, Sen. Cruz expressed his disappointment with the budget deal.
"This budget bill exemplifies what is wrong with Washington. Nothing is getting fixed. No important reforms are being addressed. The people get little in return except more debt, more taxes, and no change to the Obamacare disaster. The Senate majority voted to allow Sen. Reid to ignore all Republican amendments. Over and over, this is the roughshod style of leadership that characterizes this Senate and underscores why Washington badly needs to listen to the people."
Senate Passes Bill to Rename Federal Courthouse for Judge Paul Brown
On Tuesday, the Senate passed legislation to rename the federal courthouse in Sherman, Texas the “Paul Brown United States Courthouse.”
“Judge Paul Brown admirably served the Great State of Texas and our nation in many roles, notably and most recently as a federal judge for the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas from 1985 to 2012,” Cruz said. “He served the court and the people of Texas with dignity, honor and humility. His contributions to our state have left a lasting legacy that all Texans can be proud of.”
Highlighting Obama Administration's Continued Disregard For Civil Liberties
This week, Sen. Cruz released a statement regarding U.S. District Court Judge Richard Leon's ruling that the NSA phone metadata program is likely unconstitutional under the Fourth Amendment.
"The government has no business conducting overbroad surveillance of ordinary, law-abiding citizens. At the same time, we must provide for national security and thwart terrorist plots against our homeland and our citizens.
"Unfortunately, the Obama Administration has failed in both regards. It has repeatedly been unable to connect the dots when there's credible evidence of threats in preventable terrorism cases, as with Major Hasan at Fort Hood or with the Boston bombers. And, at the same time, the Administration seems to consistently favor undermining the rights of law-abiding Americans, such as by targeting citizens with the IRS.
"The NSA's massive data mining program raises serious civil liberties concerns, and Judge Leon deserves praise for giving the program a close review. The Senate too must carefully scrutinize our surveillance programs to ensure that they protect American citizens without infringing on their constitutional rights."
