Author Topic: Sen. Cruz Issues Statement on the Senate’s Budget Agreement  (Read 438 times)

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Offline corbe

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Sen. Cruz Issues Statement on the Senate’s Budget Agreement

February 8, 2018
202-228-7561


WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) today issued the following statement regarding the Senate’s budget agreement:

“After much consideration, I will reluctantly vote for this legislation. This bill contains major victories; if hurricane relief and restoring vital defense spending were the only elements of this bill, I would be supporting it energetically and enthusiastically. Unfortunately—in addition to funding those critical priorities—this bill also unnecessarily balloons the deficit.

“Since Hurricane Harvey’s landfall in August, I have worked tirelessly with Senator Cornyn, Governor Abbott, the Texas congressional delegation, and dozens of local mayors, county judges, and police and fire chiefs up and down the coast to identify and meet the needs of impacted Texans, who in many cases lost everything. Today, we follow through on our promise to give Texans the next significant package of emergency assistance we need to recover and come back stronger than ever.

“Prior to today, we had already secured more than $50 billion in emergency funding for storm victims in 2017, as well as passing the Cruz-Cornyn-Rubio legislation that provided more than $5.5 billion in targeted tax relief to those who suffered from the devastation of Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, and Maria. The additional funding provided by today’s legislation is an important next step in our state’s road to recovery, and I am grateful that we have been able to build upon and improve the bill that was sent to us by the House of Representatives so that we can continue to give the State of Texas the resources it desperately needs.

“Specifically, I’m proud that Senator Cornyn and I were able to work with our colleagues to increase overall disaster relief from $81 billion to $89 billion; to significantly increase Texas’s share of that relief; to provide vital relief to cotton farmers devastated by Harvey; and to significantly increase the funding for critical Army Corps flood management projects that will help the State mitigate against future flooding events, such as potentially beginning construction on the Sabine Pass to Galveston Bay coastal barrier or building a third reservoir in the Houston area.

“Additionally, I have also fought hard for many years to fully fund our military and fulfill our constitutional duty to provide for the common defense, and I am very pleased that this legislation will do just that. The world is a dangerous place—and getting more dangerous each and every day—and we have too long allowed our military to weaken and our readiness to be undermined. This agreement turns that around, increasing military funding by $165 billion. That will make America much, much safer. It honors the commitment we owe our soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines, and coast guardsmen, and it enables them to far better protect our great nation.

“Meaningful hurricane relief and rebuilding our military both represent major victories for Texans, and I am grateful we were able to get them accomplished.

“Unfortunately, the Democrats and the Washington establishment tied these critical measures to legislation that busts the non-defense budget cap by over $130 billion and irresponsibly suspends the debt limit to allow unfettered spending for yet another year. This is wrong. It is cynical. And it’s a bad deal for American taxpayers.

“Disaster relief in particular should have been considered separately and independently, as I’ve advocated from the very beginning, to avoid this very situation of hurricane victims being held hostage for the sake of unrelated political battles.

“Washington logrolling sometimes forces lousy choices. This is one of those choices. I will vote yes on this bill because Texas desperately needs disaster relief and because the decade-long weakening of our military readiness has now reached crisis levels. But I do so with deep reservations.

“This bill will increase our deficits and increase our debt. That’s foolhardy. Instead of increasing non-defense discretionary spending, we should be reining in government spending. Eliminating unnecessary government programs. We should be showing the courage to finally reform long-term entitlement spending, which drives two-thirds of our spiraling debt. And we should be passing structural reform, like a federal Balanced Budget Amendment and Term Limits Amendment. And I am committed to continuing to fight to deliver on each of those promises.”

###

https://www.cruz.senate.gov/?p=press_release&id=3628
« Last Edit: February 09, 2018, 04:35:25 am by corbe »
No government in the 12,000 years of modern mankind history has led its people into anything but the history books with a simple lesson, don't let this happen to you.

Offline corbe

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Re: Sen. Cruz Issues Statement on the Senate’s Budget Agreement
« Reply #1 on: February 09, 2018, 04:33:57 am »
   Disappointed.
No government in the 12,000 years of modern mankind history has led its people into anything but the history books with a simple lesson, don't let this happen to you.

Offline Frank Cannon

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Re: Sen. Cruz Issues Statement on the Senate’s Budget Agreement
« Reply #2 on: February 09, 2018, 04:40:01 am »
Didn't Ted get his panties in a bunch over the Sandy funding because it was full of pork and kickbacks? Here he says it's fine because the pork and kickbacks are going to Texas. WTF?

Someone send Teddy a 99 cent notebook so he can keep his bullshit together.

Offline corbe

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Re: Sen. Cruz Issues Statement on the Senate’s Budget Agreement
« Reply #3 on: February 09, 2018, 04:44:29 am »
   I remember that Frank but that was a bunch of Yankee pork this is Texas pork, there is a difference.
No government in the 12,000 years of modern mankind history has led its people into anything but the history books with a simple lesson, don't let this happen to you.

Offline Frank Cannon

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Re: Sen. Cruz Issues Statement on the Senate’s Budget Agreement
« Reply #4 on: February 09, 2018, 04:49:18 am »
   I remember that Frank but that was a bunch of Yankee pork this is Texas pork, there is a difference.

Is that the one with the sweet BBQ sauce or the Tangy? All that regional BBQ shit confuses me.

Offline Emjay

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Re: Sen. Cruz Issues Statement on the Senate’s Budget Agreement
« Reply #5 on: February 09, 2018, 04:54:37 am »
   Disappointed.

He's disappointed also, @corbe

But I guess he made a choice.

However, Rand Paul stopped the passage anyway so....
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Offline truth_seeker

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Re: Sen. Cruz Issues Statement on the Senate’s Budget Agreement
« Reply #6 on: February 09, 2018, 04:55:33 am »
Sen. Cruz, demonstrating that he is mortal, pragmatic, and most of all a politician.

"God must love the common man, he made so many of them.�  Abe Lincoln

Offline IsailedawayfromFR

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Re: Sen. Cruz Issues Statement on the Senate’s Budget Agreement
« Reply #7 on: February 09, 2018, 02:37:57 pm »
Is that the one with the sweet BBQ sauce or the Tangy? All that regional BBQ shit confuses me.
It is more about the meat than sauce.  We don't treat pork as BBQ here in Texas, save for ribs.  Only beef is real BBQ, and if you can do it right, no sauce needed.
No punishment, in my opinion, is too great, for the man who can build his greatness upon his country's ruin~  George Washington

Offline libertybele

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Re: Sen. Cruz Issues Statement on the Senate’s Budget Agreement
« Reply #8 on: February 09, 2018, 02:59:54 pm »
While I understand that TX was totally devastated by the hurricane and he wants to ensure that there is $$, where the heck is FEMA money??  (We here in FL still have roofs that have FEMA tarps and insurance companies are refusing to put new roofs on -- they only want to repair not replace.)  $400B budget?  What budget?  Cruz should have joined with Paul and said "no".  Why not present a stand alone bill for additional hurricane relief? Secondly the insurance industry needs to be held accountable.  We had no problem with our insurance company and settled within three weeks, but the smaller insurance companies aren't holding up their end of the bargain.

I am disappointed.
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Live in harmony with one another; do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly, do not claim to be wiser than you are.  Do not repay anyone evil for evil, but take thought for what is noble in the sight of all.  If it is possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all…do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Offline aligncare

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Re: Sen. Cruz Issues Statement on the Senate’s Budget Agreement
« Reply #9 on: February 09, 2018, 03:14:10 pm »
Well, I too would have voted yes, if only for the increased military spending.  Defense and security assets suffered under Obama, so a certain level of rebuilding is to be expected after 8-years of democrat neglect.

Offline don-o

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Re: Sen. Cruz Issues Statement on the Senate’s Budget Agreement
« Reply #10 on: February 09, 2018, 03:18:00 pm »
« Last Edit: February 09, 2018, 03:20:28 pm by don-o »

Offline Emjay

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Re: Sen. Cruz Issues Statement on the Senate’s Budget Agreement
« Reply #11 on: February 09, 2018, 06:16:52 pm »
   I remember that Frank but that was a bunch of Yankee pork this is Texas pork, there is a difference.

Texas pork rules.

I'm sure that's the only reason Ted got on board (albeit reluctantly) with this bill. 
Against stupidity, the Gods themselves contend in vain.

Offline truth_seeker

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Re: Sen. Cruz Issues Statement on the Senate’s Budget Agreement
« Reply #12 on: February 09, 2018, 06:27:29 pm »
Beef earmarks, pork earmarks, what difference does it make??





« Last Edit: February 09, 2018, 06:47:41 pm by truth_seeker »
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Offline bilo

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Re: Sen. Cruz Issues Statement on the Senate’s Budget Agreement
« Reply #13 on: February 09, 2018, 06:37:28 pm »
   I remember that Frank but that was a bunch of Yankee pork this is Texas pork, there is a difference.

Yeah, he's running for re-election!

I am a huge Cruz supporter, but like with every politician there are times I am deeply disappointed.
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Offline Hoodat

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Re: Sen. Cruz Issues Statement on the Senate’s Budget Agreement
« Reply #14 on: February 09, 2018, 06:40:45 pm »
Cruz voted for Texas.  He did not vote for Conservatism.
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Offline INVAR

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Re: Sen. Cruz Issues Statement on the Senate’s Budget Agreement
« Reply #15 on: February 09, 2018, 06:50:56 pm »
Again, Socialism only works until you run out of other people's money.

We're gonna find that out eventually - and my guess is that the pain will far surpass anything any of us alive can even imagine.
Fart for freedom, fart for liberty and fart proudly.  - Benjamin Franklin

...Obsta principiis—Nip the shoots of arbitrary power in the bud, is the only maxim which can ever preserve the liberties of any people. When the people give way, their deceivers, betrayers and destroyers press upon them so fast that there is no resisting afterwards. The nature of the encroachment upon [the] American constitution is such, as to grow every day more and more encroaching. Like a cancer, it eats faster and faster every hour." - John Adams, February 6, 1775

Offline GrouchoTex

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Re: Sen. Cruz Issues Statement on the Senate’s Budget Agreement
« Reply #16 on: February 09, 2018, 06:57:26 pm »
It is more about the meat than sauce.  We don't treat pork as BBQ here in Texas, save for ribs.  Only beef is real BBQ, and if you can do it right, no sauce needed.

Correct.
Sauce should only be offered on the side.
If it comes out covered in sauce, ask yourself,"What are they trying to hide?"

Offline edpc

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Re: Sen. Cruz Issues Statement on the Senate’s Budget Agreement
« Reply #17 on: February 09, 2018, 07:14:53 pm »
Beef earmarks, pork earmarks, what difference does it make??


A pork earmark was a factor in the Hatfield-McCoy feud.
I disagree.  Circle gets the square.

Offline Right_in_Virginia

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Re: Sen. Cruz Issues Statement on the Senate’s Budget Agreement
« Reply #18 on: February 09, 2018, 07:35:00 pm »
Cruz's vote is surprising.  The bill passed 71-28 so if he had voted "no" the bill still would have passed with all the goodies he listed in his statement.

He chose to vote reelection politics.  Good for him.  :shrug:

Offline XenaLee

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Re: Sen. Cruz Issues Statement on the Senate’s Budget Agreement
« Reply #19 on: February 09, 2018, 07:42:02 pm »
I'm confused.  I thought the rats already tied the disaster relief (hurricane victims in Texas?) to the debt ceiling months ago.   They're getting away with it AGAIN???  W T F  ???

No quarter given to the enemy within...ever.

You can vote your way into socialism, but you have to shoot your way out of it.


Offline INVAR

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Re: Sen. Cruz Issues Statement on the Senate’s Budget Agreement
« Reply #21 on: February 09, 2018, 07:52:11 pm »
I'm confused.  I thought the rats already tied the disaster relief (hurricane victims in Texas?) to the debt ceiling months ago.   They're getting away with it AGAIN???  W T F  ???

They keep getting away with it again and again and again because the Oligarchy running our country thinks you and I are idiots who are too stupid to comprehend the way government must work.

And our "representatives" are happy to play the game - because they must if they are to be allowed in the club.
Fart for freedom, fart for liberty and fart proudly.  - Benjamin Franklin

...Obsta principiis—Nip the shoots of arbitrary power in the bud, is the only maxim which can ever preserve the liberties of any people. When the people give way, their deceivers, betrayers and destroyers press upon them so fast that there is no resisting afterwards. The nature of the encroachment upon [the] American constitution is such, as to grow every day more and more encroaching. Like a cancer, it eats faster and faster every hour." - John Adams, February 6, 1775

Offline XenaLee

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Re: Sen. Cruz Issues Statement on the Senate’s Budget Agreement
« Reply #22 on: February 09, 2018, 07:57:11 pm »
They keep getting away with it again and again and again because the Oligarchy running our country thinks you and I are idiots who are too stupid to comprehend the way government must work.

And our "representatives" are happy to play the game - because they must if they are to be allowed in the club.

Our "representatives" ..... at least the ones that actually are and do represent us (who is that person, by the way...?)....

need to be replaced.... ASAP.
No quarter given to the enemy within...ever.

You can vote your way into socialism, but you have to shoot your way out of it.