Greetings,

My boots have been back on the ground in Texas the past couple of weeks, and I’ve been meeting with Texans from across the Lone Star State. This Tuesday, I kicked off the week in Waxahachie, Texas where I joined the Midlothian, Ennis, Ferris, Maypearl, Red Oak Area, and Waxahachie Chambers of Commerce to discuss my priorities to boost the economy and promote job growth in the Dallas-Fort Worth region. As the Ranking Member of the Senate Commerce Committee, I am committed to fighting tooth and nail for small businesses and higher-paying jobs to spur economic growth across the state. It’s time for the Biden administration to get off the backs of small business owners and put money back in the pockets of the American people. Read more about how I have spent my tenure fighting for Texas jobs and innovation HERE.

 

“Texans understand that it all comes down to small businesses. If you want lots of jobs, create an environment where small businesses flourish and prosper. … So my job is to fight every day for jobs, for small businesses, for opportunity, for freedom, for prosperity. From this position, I’m focused on working to take up and pass positive, bipartisan legislation that is pro-jobs and pro-growth.”

Tuesday afternoon, I visited the Dallas County Inland Port, which serves as an industrial hub supporting distribution, warehouse, and manufacturing development needs throughout Southern Dallas County. The Inland Port is a prime example of how Texas’ infrastructure and tax policies come together to strengthen our state economy and promote a pro-business environment. Read more about my efforts to lead the fight for infrastructure in Texas HERE.

“Another incredible step to greater economic growth in Texas. Naming Ports-to-Plains as Interstate 27, combined with expediting the permitting of new bridges along the Texas-Mexico border, will bring more jobs to our state, fix broken supply chains, and spur faster economic growth for both our state and country.”

Expanding infrastructure along the Texas-Mexico border is paramount to stimulating economic growth across the Lone Star State. I’m proud to have spearheaded the passage of bipartisan legislation to formally name the Ports-to-Plains Corridor through Texas and New Mexico as Interstate 27. My top priority in office has been to create more high-paying jobs for hardworking Texans and their families. This pivotal piece of legislation will help bring more jobs to our state, fix broken supply chains, and encourage economic growth. Read moreHERE.

On Wednesday, I traveled to the Texas’ maritime border to visit key Coast Guard stations along the Texas Coast. I met with Coast Guard members from the Coast Guard Sector, Air Station Corpus Christi, and Station South Padre Island (SPI) who are diligently working to put a stop to the flow of illegal immigration at our southern border. I will continue to work hard in Washington to ensure that their needs for better surveillance technology, updated facilities, new ships, and more are being met to keep Texans and Americans safe. Read more about how I have consistently fought to support the U.S. Coast Guard’s mission HERE. 

 

“Every day, using hundreds of boats and aircraft to monitor and protect our shores, the U.S. Coast Guard’s 50,000 members keep our maritime borders safe and secure, facilitate vital commerce, protect our natural marine resources, and provide life-saving search and rescue operations. In Texas, I’m proud to be a champion for the men and women of the Coast Guard.”

Later Wednesday afternoon, I had the opportunity to visit SpaceX’s Starbase, a spaceport and production facility for the company’s rockets in Boca Chica, Texas. As the ranking member of the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee, I am proud that Texas is leading the nation as the hub for space exploration. I’m proud to champion the important work SpaceX is doing to conduct operations, send missions, and compete in the commercial space sector right here at home in the Lone Star State. Read more about my efforts to ensure Texas leads the United States, and the United States leads the world in spearheading space exploration HERE.

“I believe maintaining American leadership in space is critical, which is why I’m excited about SpaceX’s important work—particularly their goal of returning Americans to the moon for the first time in more than 50 years.”

On Thursday, I held a press conference to bring to light the harmful impact cyberbullying is having on our children. As the father of two young teenage daughters growing up in the age of social media, I was proud to help the Kids Online Safety Act get through the Senate Commerce Committee. I’m committed to making this piece of pivotal legislation stronger so that it can easily pass the Senate, the House, and get signed into law. 

“It’s a multi-billion dollar industry. Big Tech companies have a profit model that they’ve discovered marketing to teenagers and even younger than teenagers—marketing ideas that are addictive, getting them hooked […]. We’ve got a crisis of depression, we’ve got a crisis of suicide among our kids, and our country has never seen anything like this. The world has never seen anything like this.”

During lunch on Thursday, I spoke with members of the San Antonio Chamber about my commitment to never stop fighting for jobs and opportunities for Texans. I also discussed my commitment to secure a flight between San Antonio and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport. Accessibility for Military City USA to the Pentagon and D.C. is imperative to ensure our service members can access our nation’s capital. Read more about my efforts to create jobs for Texans HERE. 

“My job is to get up every day and fight with every breath for jobs, freedom, and opportunity for Texans. That’s why I’ve been leading the legislative effort to ensure the city of San Antonio gets a direct flight to Reagan Airport in Washington, D.C. Reagan Airport is right near the Pentagon, so it makes sense for service members and residents of San Antonio to be able to fly to and from Reagan Airport when traveling to the Nation’s capital. I’m supportive of any and all efforts to make that happen, because it would bring more jobs and economic opportunities to the area.”

Thursday afternoon, I spoke at the TIPRO Conference in San Antonio, Texas to address the impact energy security has on driving economic prosperity across the Lone Star State. It’s critical that America regain our energy independence, which has been under attack during the Biden administration.

“There is an assault on this industry that is fundamental. Joe Biden and Kamala Harris and the Democrats in Washington, they want to bankrupt every person in this room. […] When you’re dealing with this administration, it’s not facts or reason or logic. This is religion to them. They view it as a battle between good and evil.”

Read more about a couple of my latest legislative efforts below:

Your healthcare is your business. I am proud to lead the fight to expand healthcare accessibility for Texans and Americans across the country by putting a stop to bureaucratic meddling. That’s why I’ve introduced legislation to expand accessibility to healthcare through pre-tax savings accounts. It’s high time that we fixed our broken healthcare system which continuously neglects the needs of American families. Read more HERE.

As the Ranking Member on the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee, I hold a vested interest in the committee’s jurisdiction over athletics—especially at the collegiate level. Throughout Texas, many universities are home to prestigious athletic programs attracting talented athletes to compete at the highest levels in college sports. It’s deeply concerning to me that young and accomplished athletes are being subjected to pending litigation, inconsistent state laws, and labor complaints involving collegiate programs. After numerous conversations with NCAA leadership, major universities, and conferences I am proud to unveil my legislative efforts to codify name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights for student-athletes. Today’s competitive landscape in college sports is uncertain, which is why it is critical to ensure there national legal uniformity exists for college athletics across the country with as little government interference as possible. Read more HERE.
 
Rest assured, I will always fight for jobs, freedom, and security, especially in the Lone Star State. God Bless!

Keep Texas Strong, 

MORE FROM SEN. CRUZ:

READ: Ted Cruz seeks to expand accessibility to healthcare through pre-tax savings accounts
ICYMI: Exclusive: Ted Cruz, James Comer Demand DOJ Investigate Environment Orgs Promoting CCP Interests While Avoiding FARA
READ: Editorial: Follow Cruz’s urgency, support Kids Online Safety Act
ICYMI: Cruz bill would give NCAA power over NIL rules