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March 3, 2017
Greetings,
For years, Obamacare has failed millions of hardworking Texas families. It is a proven disaster. This week, I outlined a path forward for repealing and replacing Obamacare. We have tremendous opportunities before us to repeal this disastrous law, and replace it with free-market, patient centered reforms, which will expand access to health care for every American. I look forward to working with my colleagues in both the House and the Senate to honor our promise to the American people.
This week, we celebrated our great state’s Independence Day. I had the honor of reading Lieutenant Colonel William Barret Travis’ 1836 letter from the Alamo on the Senate floor, commemorating those who with their bravery, courage and sacrifice, helped secure the free Republic of Texas.
Please read below for an update from this last week.
Keep Texas Strong,
Ted Cruz
Sen. Cruz Op-Ed in Politico: ‘The Right Way to Repeal Obamacare’
Sen. Cruz penned an op-ed for Politico, outlining a plan for repealing and replacing Obamacare. Among Sen. Cruz’s prescriptions for healthcare reform, he calls for the repeal of Obamacare's insurance regulations and makes clear that the vice president or Senate majority has the statutory and constitutional authority to ensure the regulations are repealed, regardless of the advice of the Senate parliamentarian.
Read the op-ed in its entirety here.
Sen. Cruz: The President’s Speech Laid Out a Vision Americans Have Been Hungry For – Bringing Back Jobs and Economic Growth
Sen. Cruz appeared on Fox News with Bret Baier and Martha MacCallum and MSNBC’s Morning Joe to discuss President Trump’s remarks to the joint session of Congress.
“I thought it was a bold, positive speech. It laid out a vision for America that I think millions of Americans have been hungry for. Bringing back jobs and economic growth - that is what I hear from Texans all across our great state and across the country.” Sen. Cruz said. “There’s no doubt we have to be serious about the national debt. The most potent tool for dealing with the national debt and deficit is not cost cutting - it’s economic growth. That is why my number one priority in the Senate is and always has been jobs and economic growth. That is why I'm so encouraged by President Trump's speech tonight. He focused on regulatory reform, building the Keystone Pipeline, on tax reform, Obamacare repeal which will produce enormous economic growth, and millions of new jobs. That’s how we pay down our debt and that’s how we solve our fiscal crisis.”
View the full interviews here.
Sen. Cruz Visits With Texas Military Leaders and Job Creators
Last Friday, Sen. Cruz made stops in Fort Worth and Dallas to visit with Texas military leaders and job creators.
At the first stop, Sen. Cruz received a briefing and base update from the leadership of Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base (NAS JRB) Fort Worth, which was recently selected by the U.S. Air Force to receive the first Air Force Reserve F-35 Joint Strike Fighters.
“I was delighted to have the opportunity to visit the new home of the first Reserve F-35’s and meet the extraordinary leaders here at NAS JRB Fort Worth,” said Sen. Cruz. “The men and women of NAS JRB are true professionals, and today I witnessed firsthand the tremendous value that this base and the local community offer to our nation’s defense.”
Later in the day, Sen. Cruz attended a roundtable conversation in Dallas with the Best Southwest Partnership, a group of Southwest Dallas County business owners and executives. At the roundtable, Sen. Cruz discussed opportunities to expand economic growth and job creation in Dallas County with tax reform and regulatory reform that reduces the federal burden on job creators.
Cruz continued: “The business leaders and executives from the Best Southwest Partnership are working hard to expand economic opportunities in their communities, and I intend to keep working to ensure the federal government gets out of their way. I am greatly encouraged by the work the new administration has undertaken, along with Congress, to roll back harmful regulations that will allow us to ignite economic growth. There is even more we can do with tax reform that will finally get government off the backs of job creators and working people in Texas. I was grateful for the valuable time these business leaders shared with me today and I will continue to fight for opportunities for upward mobility for hardworking Texans.”
Read the full press release here.
Sen. Cruz Addresses Texas State Rifle Association Annual Meeting
On Saturday, Sen. Cruz delivered remarks at the Texas State Rifle Association (TSRA) Annual Meeting. He discussed his efforts to ensure the protection of the Second Amendment, and other federal and state legislative issues important to the members of the TSRA.
“The Second Amendment, it's not about hunting, it's not about target shooting – it is about protecting your home and your family and your life. The rights secured under the Second Amendment make us more safe, secure and free.” Sen. Cruz said. “When citizens cease to have the right to defend ourselves, we cease to be free. Under the previous administration, we saw an unprecedented attack on our constitutional rights. I am optimistic about the direction of the new Administration and will continue to fight for the Second Amendment rights of every American and every Texan.”
Read the full press release here.
Sen. Cruz: New WOTUS Rule Reflects Reality That We Can Have Both Clean Water and Economic Growth
Sen. Cruz issued the following statement regarding President Trump’s executive order on the Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule:
"Today’s executive order on the Waters of the United States rule reflects what many Americans already believe: that we can have both clean water and regulations that don’t stifle economic growth and job creation. The new staff at the EPA will have the opportunity to ensure that the phrase 'navigable waters' maintains its actual, common-sense meaning, and not include puddles and drainage ditches like the regulation-happy bureaucrats at the Obama EPA tried to impose on hard-working farmers and ranchers. I am encouraged by the President’s action to further roll back the administrative state that exploded over the past eight years – action that puts us another step closer to stopping the federal government from controlling what families, farmers, and ranchers in Texas and across the country can and cannot do with their private property."
Read the full press release here.
Sen. Cruz and Rep. McCaul Op-Ed in USA Today: Hold Iran Accountable for Terrorism
Sen. Cruz and Rep. Michael McCaul penned an op-ed for USA Today advocating that the United States stand up to Iran and hold America’s enemy accountable for acts of terrorism.
“When news from Iran flashes across television screens in the United States, Americans have grown accustomed to seeing belligerence, including ballistic missile tests, harassment of U.S. forces, the kidnapping of our sailors and the unlawful imprisonment of U.S. citizens,” Sen. Cruz and Rep. McCaul wrote. “These are not the actions of a rational or friendly regime. They are the actions of autocratic thugs. The Obama administration appeased Iran for eight years. Now the Trump Administration is ensuring America finally — and rightfully — stands up against Iranian hostility. We believe they should also start pushing back against the regime’s disturbing and unabashed support for our terrorist enemies.”
Read the op-ed in its entirety here.
Sen. Cruz Joins Colleagues to Reintroduce Bill to Halt Palestinian Authority Funding Until Terror Rewards Stop
Sen. Cruz joined Sens. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), and Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), along with U.S. Reps. Doug Lamborn (R-Colo.) and Lee Zeldin (R-N.Y.) to reintroduce The Taylor Force Act, which would cut off funding to the Palestinian Authority if it continues its policy of paying monetary rewards to terrorists and their surviving family members.
Taylor Force was a former U.S. Army officer who was part of a Vanderbilt University tour group visiting Israel when he was brutally stabbed and killed by a Palestinian terrorist. Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah faction praised the terrorist as a “heroic martyr” and the Palestinian Authority has yet to condemn the terrorist attack.
“This bill delivers a message that should be heard loud and clear: The United States must not fund a Palestinian leadership that engages in incitement and supports acts of terrorism against both American and Israeli citizens," said Sen. Cruz. “I’m proud to work with Sen. Graham and my colleagues on this legislation, named in honor of Taylor Force, a Texas native and Iraq and Afghanistan war veteran who served multiple tours in defense of our country before being murdered by a Palestinian terrorist in Tel Aviv last year. The US must hold the Palestinian leadership accountable for continuing this heinous practice of incentivizing and rewarding terrorism by providing monthly salaries and benefits to terrorists, their families, and the families of those who died committing acts of terrorism. We must ensure US taxpayer dollars are not being used to fund and enable Palestinian terrorism and stand with Israel against radical Islamic terrorism that targets citizens from both of our countries.”
Read the full press release here.
Texans in Washington
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