Sen. Cruz Statement on Continuing Resolution
WASHINGTON, DC - U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, today issued the following statement on H.J. Res. 124, the Continuing Appropriations Resolution for Fiscal Year 2015.
“It would be a serious mistake for House Republicans to pass a Continuing Resolution that would ensure that Harry Reid and the Senate Democrats would come back to Washington, after many of them will have likely lost their seats, for a no-holds barred lame duck session where they will be free to pass legislation that the American people will never be able to hold them responsible for,” said Sen. Cruz. “Americans cannot trust politicians they can no longer hold accountable at the ballot box. The Continuing Resolution should, at a minimum, fund government operations until after the new Congress is sworn in next year; House and Senate Republicans should both insist on this basic principle.
“We need to change the way Washington does business and it is my fervent hope that Americans will speak loud and clear in the next few months, elect a new Senate majority, and give the new Congress a strong mandate to finally exercise some control over government spending and enact the policies we need to create jobs, growth, and opportunity in America.”
Below is text of the letter Sen. Cruz and Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT), sent to Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) stating they will object to any unanimous consent request that in any way advances any non-emergency, substantial, and controversial legislation, nominations, or treaties.
Dear Leader Reid,
The American people expect and deserve the highest level of accountability and transparency from their elected officials. One way to live up to these expectations is to ensure that the American people, when they go to the ballot box this November 4th, can make their electoral choices based on a full knowledge of how their current senators have voted on key legislation.
Yet some lawmakers in Washington have recently suggested that significant legislative matters would deliberately not be addressed during the 113th Congress until after the elections. Presumably, a lame-duck session would be used to try to pass partisan, unpopular bills in November or December that might be indefensible before the federal election on November 4th. Members of Congress, the theory goes, might then be able to vote for sweeping legislation on immigration, corporate cronyism, tax increases, spending increases, and other such matters without any fear of voter accountability this year.
By any measure, deliberately planning to reconvene the Senate in a lame-duck session to address major new legislation would subvert the will of the American people, lessen accountability, and do lasting damage to the dignity and integrity of this body’s proceedings.
Therefore, if a lame-duck session is deemed necessary this year, we urge you only to consider emergency legislation requiring immediate, unforeseeable action or noncontroversial housekeeping measures. If you do call a lame-duck session, we the undersigned will object to any unanimous consent request to in any way advance any non-emergency, substantial, and controversial legislation, nominations, or treaties.
Sincerely,
Ted Cruz
United States Senator
Mike Lee
United States Senator
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