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May 20, 2016
Greetings,
This week, our nation honored and celebrated law enforcement officers across the country in recognition of National Police Week. The brave men and women of law enforcement risk their lives each and every day to protect our communities and keep our families safe.
At a time when we are seeing a manifestation of rhetoric and vilification of law enforcement from the Obama administration, I am proud to stand with these American heroes.
Keep Texas Strong,
Ted Cruz
Sen. Cruz Applauds Garland Police Department's Medal of Valor Recipient
On Monday, Sen. Cruz issued the following statement, recognizing Garland police Officer Gregory Stevens for receiving the esteemed Medal of Valor:
“Last year in Garland, Texas, Officer Gregory Stevens came face-to-face with two radical Islamic terrorists attempting to wage jihad on innocent Americans. Officer Stevens heroically thwarted the attack, preventing what could have been a terrible loss of life,” Sen. Cruz said. “Today, in honor and recognition of his extraordinary courage and decisiveness, Officer Stevens deservedly received the Medal of Valor. I salute Officer Stevens for his dutiful service, and I remain forever grateful for his commitment to keep Texas safe.”
Read Sen. Cruz’s full release here.
Sen. Cruz Issues Statement on the Obama School Bathroom Decree
Last week, Sen. Cruz released the following statement in response to the Obama administration’s threat to withhold federal funds from any public school district that does not abide by its transgender bathroom policy:
“America has woken up to yet another example of President Barack Obama doing through executive fiat what he cannot get done through our democratic process. Today, he decreed that schools across the country must allow men and boys to use the restrooms, locker rooms, and shower facilities previously reserved for girls. Not only is this decree contrary to law, but it makes no sense. There is a reason that we give girls access to their own changing rooms: It is for their privacy, safety, and security. The administration’s dangerous departure from that common-sense norm must not stand.
“Having spent many years in law enforcement, I've handled far too many cases of child molesters, of pedophiles, of people who abused little kids. The threats of predators are serious, and we should not facilitate allowing grown men or boys to be in bathrooms with little girls.
“While the administration’s decree has no force of law in our constitutional system of government, the “implicit threat,” as the New York Times reported, is that public school districts who fail to toe the line will face lawsuits and the loss of federal aid. This is both legally improper and harmful to the most vulnerable among us—for what the Times failed to report is that the money the federal government sends to local school districts provides lunches for economically disadvantaged children and vital services for those most in need. So the Obama White House, for the sake of political correctness, is holding hostage the poorest, most disadvantaged children across the nation.
“What we’ve now seen across the country, from the administration’s lawsuit against North Carolina to the superintendent of the Fort Worth Independent School District in Texas, is that common-sense needs for safety and privacy are being trumped by leftist notions of faux egalitarianism.
“I encourage every school superintendent, school board, and parent across this nation to disregard this barely veiled threat from the White House aimed at overturning the utterly reasonable practice of preventing men and boys from entering girls’ restrooms and changing rooms.
“As a father of young girls, I wouldn't want my daughters being forced to change in the same room as men and boys. It’s that simple. And parents across this country shouldn’t have to tolerate it either.”
Read the full release here.
Sen. Cruz Honors Law Enforcement Officers
This week, Sen. Cruz joined 53 senators in cosponsoring a bipartisan resolution observing National Police Week.
Since 1962, the United States has observed the week of May 15 as National Police Week. Every year in communities across the country, we gather to honor the law enforcement officers dedicated to protecting our communities, including those who made the ultimate sacrifice and lost their lives selflessly serving their fellow Americans. This week, we honor the 123 brave men and women killed in the line of duty in the last year, 12 of whom served in Texas: Jeffrey Emmons Radford, Bell County C.O., Pct. 3; Adriane Arellano, El Paso P.D.; Darren H. Goforth, Harris County, S.O.; Tronoski Dontel Jones, Harris County S.O.; Richard K. Martin, Houston P.D.; Christopher Dan Kelley, Hutto P.D.; Darrell Lamond Allen, Marlin P.D.; Korby Lee Kennedy, San Angelo P.D.; Christopher A. Davis, Texas Department of Criminal Justice; Timothy A. Davison, Texas Department of Criminal Justice; Eligio Ruiz Garcia, Jr., Texas Department of Criminal Justice; William Karl Keesee, Texas Department of Public Safety.
“It is a privilege to join my Senate colleagues in cosponsoring this bipartisan measure, which commemorates National Police Week 2016, and I hope all Texans will join me in honoring the lives of the fallen heroes lost in the last year,” Sen. Cruz said. “I also extend my heartfelt thanks to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund (NLEOMF), the Fraternal Order of Police/Fraternal Order of Police Auxiliary (FOP/FOPA), and Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S.) for their tireless work as lead organizers of National Police Week. To the brave law enforcement officers in Texas and across the United States, thank you for all that you do.”
Read the full release, including the text of the resolution, here.
We Must Protect Internet Freedom
On Thursday, Sens. Cruz, James Lankford (R-Okla.), and Mike Lee (R-Utah) sent a letter to the Department of Commerce and National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). The letter outlines concerns with the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers’ (ICANN) proposal to end United States government oversight of key operating functions of the Internet.
“Including a provision that increases the power and influence of governments is especially concerning as it directly contravenes a 2014 letter authored by Sens. John Thune and Marco Rubio which clearly stated, ‘[t]he IANA transition should not provide an opportunity for governments to increase their influence.’ This proposal undoubtedly increases the influence of governments and fails to meet this critical requirement established by Congress,” the senators wrote.
Read the full release, including the text of the letter in its entirety, here.
Sen. Cruz Praises Passage of the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act
Sen. Cruz on Tuesday applauded passage of the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (S. 2040), which would allow American victims to obtain compensation in federal courts from foreign governments responsible for acts of terrorism committed in the United States.
Specifically, the bill would benefit victims of 9/11 and their families who have been unable to seek legal recourse against potentially complicit foreign governments due to a legal doctrine known as “sovereign immunity,” which shields them from claims for monetary compensation in United States courts.
“We owe it to 9/11 victims and their families to get as much information to the public as we can, and to allow them to seek justice,” Sen. Cruz said. “I’m proud to stand with Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) and my Senate colleagues on both sides of the aisle to ensure that those who suffer at the hands of terrorism can find at least some small amount of peace through our judicial system. The time for accountability is long overdue. I urge the House to swiftly bring up and pass this necessary measure.”
Read the full release, including the text of the bill, here.
An Update from Academy Nominations Coordinator Joel Garcia
Last week, Sen. Cruz’s Academy Nominations Coordinator Joel Garcia attended the U.S. Air Force Academy’s Influencers Workshop, where he toured the Academy and its facilities. Additionally, Garcia received briefings from the Director of Admissions, Director of Selections, Director of Nominations, Department of Defense Medical Examination Review Board (DoDMERB), U.S. Military Academy, U.S. Naval Academy, and the U.S. Coast Guard Academy. Garcia also met with cadets from the Great State of Texas.
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