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March 11, 2016
Greetings,
The stakes are too high to allow President Obama, in the waning months of his final term, to make a lifetime appointment that would reshape the Supreme Court for a generation.
I strongly stand with my fellow Republicans and believe that the Senate should fulfill its constitutional duty by letting the American people be heard in selecting the next Supreme Court justice.
Voters deserve the opportunity to speak on this subject in the upcoming election, so I will oppose any effort to deny the people their say.
Please keep reading for more updates from the week.
Keep Texas Strong,
Ted Cruz
Sen. Cruz Op-Ed in The Wall Street Journal: ‘The Scalia Seat: Let the People Speak’
On Sunday, Sen. Cruz penned an op-ed for The Wall Street Journal, outlining the need for input from the American people on the next Supreme Court justice.
Read Sen. Cruz’s release regarding his op-ed here. Excerpts are available below:
I believe the Senate should fulfill its constitutional duty by letting the American people be heard in selecting the next Supreme Court justice. Seldom has a Supreme Court vacancy arisen before the election in a presidential election year. Benjamin Cardozo, whom the Senate confirmed in February 1932, was the last justice confirmed to fill such a vacancy before the election. That was more than 80 years ago, and it occurred when the same party controlled both the Senate and presidency.
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Do the American people want a justice who adheres to the unchanging text, history and structure of the Constitution, or do they want a justice who thinks the Constitution should evolve with the personal beliefs of unelected lawyers? Voters deserve the opportunity to speak on this subject through the next president.
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I strongly support Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley and my fellow Republicans on the Judiciary Committee, who have drawn a line in the sand on behalf of the American people: We will not consider any Supreme Court nominee until the people have spoken and a new president is inaugurated.
Sen. Cruz: Our Thoughts and Prayers Are With the Family of Taylor Force
Sen. Cruz on Wednesday released the following statement regarding recent terrorist attacks in Israel:
“Earlier this week, Palestinian terrorists continued their brutal campaign of violence against civilians in Israel. Among the victims of these heinous attacks is Taylor Force, an American from Lubbock, Texas, who was murdered.
“Taylor was a graduate student at Vanderbilt University's Owen Graduate School of Management, who was visiting Israel on a school trip. A courageous young man, Taylor was an Eagle Scout, and after graduating from West Point served as a field artillery officer in the US Army at Fort Hood, Texas. He deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan and served multiple tours in defense of our country.
“The murder of Taylor Force is grim evidence that the scourge of radical Islamic terrorism targets Americans and Israelis indiscriminately. Our alliance with Israel must remain unshakable as we face this vicious threat together.
“Heidi joins me in sending our thoughts and prayers to Taylor's family, and for all those injured in these attacks, we wish a full and complete recovery.”
Read the full release here.
Sen. Cruz Announces New Staff Hire
Today, Sen. Cruz announced a new staff hire in his Washington, D.C. office, effective immediately. Austin Smithson, a native of Tyler, Texas, will serve as legislative counsel. In Sen. Cruz’s office, Smithson will handle issues critical to Texas, such as energy, agriculture, environment, public lands, and transportation. Following is a brief background:
Smithson previously served as legislative director and legislative counsel for Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas), handling a range of policy issues, including energy, agriculture, and judiciary, during his five-year tenure with the office. Prior to moving to Washington, D.C. and working on Capitol Hill, Smithson practiced law in San Antonio. A native of Tyler, Texas, he received an undergraduate degree from the University of Texas at Austin and a law degree from St. Mary’s University School of Law in San Antonio.
Read the full release here.
An Update from Constituent Services Liaison Valeah Beckwith
Constituent Services Liaison Valeah Beckwith addresses constituent casework in Sen. Cruz’s Austin regional office. Specifically, Beckwith bridges the gap between hardworking Texans and the U.S. Department of State, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, among other government agencies.
Texas Cities Visit Sen. Cruz’s D.C. Office
This week, several cities visited Sen. Cruz’s Washington D.C. office, including the cities of Dallas, Denton, San Marcos, and Arlington.
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