A Profile on Ted Cruz
This November, Texas’ Republican Senator Ted Cruz will be running for re-election against Democratic Congressman Beto O’Rourke. For several decades, Texas has been one of the most republican states in the country, making November’s senate election a truly exceptional one. November 6th is coming quickly, so if you are still on the fence as to who you are going to vote for to represent Texas, now is the time to assess your options.
Cruz has served as senator since 2013 and campaigned for the Republican nomination in the 2016 presidential election. During his time as senator, Cruz has sponsored numerous bills in Congress, including the Protecting American Jobs Act, the School Security Enhancement Act, and the Protect Charities and Houses of Worship Act. A master list of Cruz’s contributions to legislation in the Senate can be found here.
In 2013, after a dispute over the Affordable Care Act, House Republicans, led by Senator Ted Cruz, were given a choice to either support government funding of Obamacare or attempt to shut it down. In the end, the group chose to start a government shutdown that lasted 16 days. During this time, Cruz delivered a 21-hour Senate filibuster.
Cruz and O’Rourke clash on many controversial issues, including gun safety, marriage, and education. As a member of the Judiciary Committee, Senator Cruz has advocated for the preservation of the Second Amendment (the right to bear arms), proposed legislation to define marriage as exclusively between one man and one woman, and supported religious freedom.
Senator Cruz does not endorse the Common Core, a K-12 national standard of education in English and mathematics. Instead, he believes that education should be directed at the state and local level in order to allow communities more involvement in the creation of their curriculum.
In 2015, Senator Cruz introduced the American Energy Renaissance Act (AERA), which, if passed, would create opportunities in hydraulic fracturing, offshore drilling, energy exports, and the privatization of energy development. In March of 2015, AERA was referred to the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, which has yet to vote on the bill. ‘
Ted Cruz believes that immigration is a priority concern in Texas. He has warned voters about the impact of sanctuary cities on federal enforcement of law. Cruz also advocates for Donald Trump’s border wall.
Senator Cruz, as a member of the Armed Services Committee, supports both veterans and active servicemen. He believes that the priority in military expenditure should be U.S troops and denounces funding of the superfluous algae fuel program, which works to convert algae into fuel. In the 2013 NDAA, Cruz supported the protection of religious freedom in the armed forces and the State Department’s Rewards for Justice Program, which concerns the identification of those involved in the assault of Benghazi’s diplomatic facilities.
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