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March 24, 2017
Greetings,
Justice Antonin Scalia, who passed away last year, was one of the greatest justices to ever sit on the Court. He was a trailblazing advocate for the original meaning of the Constitution, and a shining example of judicial humility.
This week the Senate Judiciary Committee, of which I am a member, convened the confirmation hearing for President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee Judge Neil Gorsuch. Like the renowned justice he is set to replace, Judge Gorsuch is brilliant and immensely talented. His record demonstrates a faithful commitment to the Constitution and the rule of law. He has refused to legislate his own policy preferences from the bench, while recognizing the pivotal role the judiciary plays in defending the fundamental liberties recognized in the Bill of Rights. I have every confidence that Judge Gorsuch will be confirmed as the next associate justice of the Supreme Court.
Also this week, we saw a major victory for Houston and the entire space community in Texas. Space exploration has fostered extraordinary economic growth and job creation for the State of Texas and the entire nation. This week the President signed the Cruz-Nelson NASA Transition Authorization Act of 2017, which enables commercial space ventures to flourish and ensures NASA has the clarity of purpose and confidence it needs to continue to grow and improve upon what it does best: lead the world in space exploration. I am grateful for the President’s action which will restore stability and certainty to NASA and the U.S. space program, and continue to create jobs in Texas.
Please read below for an update from this last week.
Keep Texas Strong,
Ted Cruz
Sen. Cruz: Just a Decade Ago, Not a Single Democrat Spoke a Word of Opposition to Judge Gorsuch When Confirmed as Federal Judge
This week, Sen. Cruz spoke in support of the nomination of Judge Neil Gorsuch to replace Justice Antonin Scalia on the Supreme Court. In the first day of confirmation hearings before the Senate Judiciary Committee, of which Sen. Cruz is a member, the senator praised Judge Gorsuch’s experience and commitment to the rule of law. He also noted that in Gorsuch’s confirmation hearings to be a federal judge ten years ago, not one Democrat spoke against him, indicating the bipartisan respect and support of his record and experience.
Read the full press release here.
Sen. Cruz: The Future of American Leadership and Exploration in Space is Secure
On Tuesday, Sen.Cruz joined President Donald Trump and Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) at a White House ceremony where the president signed the bipartisan Cruz-Nelson NASA Transition Authorization Act of 2017 into law.
“I am grateful for the President’s action today which will restore stability and certainty to NASA and the future of the U.S. space program,” Sen. Cruz said. “Space exploration has fostered extraordinary economic growth and job creation for the State of Texas and the entire nation. Drafted and passed in a bipartisan manner, this legislation enables commercial space ventures to flourish and ensures NASA has the clarity of purpose and confidence it needs to continue to grow and improve upon what it does best: lead the world in space exploration. By charting an ambitious course for the manned exploration of the moon, Mars and beyond, this legislation champions America’s leadership in space, and ensures the Johnson Space Center remains the crown jewel of NASA’s human spaceflight missions. I am grateful for my colleagues’ dedication to the future of our nation’s leadership in space, and commend the President for signing this legislation into law.”
Video of the bill signing ceremony may be viewed here.
U.S. Chamber of Commerce Recognizes Sen. Cruz with ‘Spirit of Enterprise’ Award
This week, Sen. Cruz attended a reception hosted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. There, Sen. Cruz received the “Spirit of Enterprise” award in recognition of the pro-growth, pro-jobs policies he has advanced during his time in the Senate.
“Businesses of all shapes and sizes need sound, commonsense policy in place in order to get off the ground, grow, and succeed,” said Thomas J. Donohue, president and CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. “The Spirit of Enterprise Award recognizes those members of Congress who have done what’s right for our friends, family, and neighbors running businesses across the country. We applaud Sen. Cruz for his commitment to free enterprise and economic growth.”
Read the full press release here.
Sen. Cruz Introduces Secretary of Labor Nominee Alex Acosta: 'A Champion for Working Men and Women Who Want Jobs, Higher Wages and More Opportunity’
On Wednesday, Sen. Cruz introduced Secretary of Labor nominee Alexander Acosta at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions.
“Alex is a man of character. A man who take very seriously fidelity to the law, fidelity to the Constitution and a man who has a passion for justice,” said Sen. Cruz. "I've known Alex for 25 years. He and I went to law school together. We've been friends a long time. There’s a lot you can know about Alex from looking at his resume, looking at his bio. You could know that he's smart, that he’s academically accomplished, that he’s led a life of public service, making a difference in the lives of others."
Read full press release here.
Sen. Cruz: 'We Now Have the Chance to Think Bigger and Bolder’
Sen. Cruz delivered remarks at a breakfast forum hosted by the Commercial Spaceflight Federation. He discussed his legislative efforts including the Cruz-Nelson NASA Transition Authorization Act and the U.S. Commercial Space Launch Competitiveness Act to ensure America’s continued leadership in space.
“Commercial space is a new frontier,” Sen. Cruz said. “Space as we famously know is the final frontier but commercial space - using commercial capital to access space, to explore space, to leverage our abilities that is an even newer frontier and it is one where the men and women in this room are at the bleeding edge so I thank you for your vision and commitment to the country. Yesterday’s bill signing was an important victory for the men and women here and demonstrated clear bipartisan support for American leadership in space. In a new year, we now have the chance to think bigger and bolder. In this coming Congress, I hope to take up another commercial space launch piece of legislation and a longer term NASA Authorization bill. We are going to have, hopefully soon, a new NASA administrator. When that happens, I look forward to working closely with the administration to laying out a long term authorization for NASA, long term goals, long term structures. From my perspective, I want to see the commercial space sector flourishing with robust competition, with innovation, and with NASA as an active and invested partner. I think the potentials are endless.”
Read the full release here.
Sen. Cruz Issues Statement on Attacks in London and Antwerp
Yesterday’s terror attack in London – committed by a radical Islamic terrorist and claimed by ISIS – was an act of barbarism. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims, their families and the brave law enforcement members who brought the terrorist down – particularly with the family of Kurt Cochran, a fellow American from Utah who was killed, and his wife, Melissa, who was seriously injured. The British people and the British government should know that America stands shoulder to shoulder with them.
This week, a man in the Belgian port city of Antwerp was arrested after driving his car at high speed through a busy pedestrian shopping street. Fortunately, there are no reports of injuries, despite police reportedly having found rifles, knives and a gas can in his car. Had local authorities not acted swiftly and decisively to stop the suspected attacker, countless innocent people could have been killed or injured.
It is past time for us to get serious, smart, and decisive in dealing with the global threat of radical Islamic terrorism. Fortunately, we no longer have an administration in the White House that refuses to call these terrorists by their name and make clear that, rather than acting in the name of an amorphous violent extremism, they are setting off bombs, stabbing people with knives, shooting people in cafes and concert halls and running people down on promenades and shopping streets in the name of their Islamist ideology.
This is why I reintroduced the Expatriate Terrorist Act last month, so that American citizens who join foreign terrorist organizations like ISIS and commit acts of terror against the United States forfeit their citizenship. I have also supported the Trump administration’s executive order to suspend immigration from at risk countries until we have an improved vetting system in place to check for Islamist terrorists attempting to enter the United States. We know that ISIS is using migrant routes to smuggle its fighters into Europe and the United States. What is equally disturbing from the murderous attack in London is that the terrorist appears to have been a homegrown jihadist who was known to authorities. Beyond executing a strategy to utterly destroy ISIS and closing pathways for Islamist terrorists to enter our free societies, we need a comprehensive, bold and effective strategy to address radicalism here at home and I am committed to working with my colleagues and the administration to continue making this a priority.
Read full statement here.
Texans in Washington D.C.
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