YouSaid · the spoken record
Ted Cruz
On the record 2025–2026
congress
This is everything the corpus holds for Ted Cruz. It is not everything they have said on the record.
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“But the Senator from Oregon has complete control over which of those two paths we go down. I will not modify my request.”
Senate6 August 2026Source ↗
“The House will be back in September, and we have a commitment from the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee, the committee that has jurisdiction over this, to take this up and pass it. So if the Senator from Oregon chooses simply to say nothing, this bill moves on its way, and it is substantially closer to being signed into law and giving actual relief to the victims of these wildfires. However, the other path--and folks in the Gallery should listen for two words the Senator from Oregon says, ``I object.'' What will happen is the bill dies. It doesn't pass. The victims in Texas get no relief; the victims in Oregon get no relief; the victims in California get no relief; the victims in Washington State get no relief. I don't understand why that is a good outcome. I think that is a terrible outcome.”
Senate6 August 2026Source ↗
“Let's provide the relief that is right and just to everyone who has been impacted by these devastating wildfires. I will point out also the Senator from Oregon said there is an urgency to pass this. I want you to understand that--everyone watching--there are two paths that we can go down. One path is when I decline to make this modification, the Senator from Oregon could say nothing, could just be quiet, and then the Presiding Officer would say, ``No objection is heard,'' and this bill would pass the Senate with the Texans included so it would be fair. It would not be excluding people that are similarly situated. It would be treating everyone fairly, and it would go to the House.”
Senate6 August 2026Source ↗
“I would note that I agree with virtually every word that was said by the Senator from Oregon. I agree that this tax treatment taxing someone on a disaster relief settlement from, say, the power company that caused the fire--giving someone a big tax bill for that relief that they are entitled to, it is unfair; it is wrong. I am enthusiastic about passing this bill and passing it now. What I am not enthusiastic about is leaving thousands of Texans out because just like the citizens of Oregon who suffered devastating losses, just like the citizens of California, just like the citizens of Washington State who suffered devastating losses, there were also thousands upon thousands of Texans who suffered devastating losses. And my proposal is very simple: Let's be fair. Let's not exclude the Texans.”
Senate6 August 2026Source ↗
“And so I will now propound a unanimous consent request to take up and pass my amendment to the Doug LaMalfa Federal Disaster Tax Relief Certainty Act to designate the Smokehouse Creek fire and the Windy Deuce fire as qualified wildfire disasters, ensuring that relief payments to those affected receive the same Federal tax treatment as victims of other qualified wildfires. I urge my colleagues to pass this commonsense amendment today so that Texans receive the same treatment as other victims of wildfires. And I would note that if my colleagues choose not to accept the amendment, the alternative is going to be that nothing passes. That is not an alternative that is good for anybody, and so my hope is that common sense will prevail. Mr.”
Senate6 August 2026Source ↗
“Moreover, the House of Representatives and, in particular, the chairman of the Ways and Means Committee has explicitly committed that if and when we add this disaster bill, that the House, in September when they return, will take it up and pass it. So this is the path, No. 1, to passing this disaster bill--which I very much want to do--but No. 2, to doing so in a way that does not unfairly leave out the Texans, the victims of the largest wildfire in the history of Texas. We have got to do both.”
Senate6 August 2026Source ↗
“I am proud to support disaster relief. Americans step in and help their fellow Americans in times of crisis. But disaster relief must be fair. Disaster relief cannot demonstrate favoritism, choosing some recipients as more worthy or luckier than others. My amendment does something very simple. It includes in this disaster relief bill the worst wildfire in the history of the State of Texas. On any reasonable argument on the merits, the Texas Panhandle wildfires deserve to be included. I would note also that the score of this provision is, in congressional terms, quite small: $31 million is what this addition costs. In this body, $31 million is a sum that is usually too small even to be written down.”
Senate6 August 2026Source ↗
“Mr. President, I rise today to speak about the critical need for disaster relief in my home State of Texas for a Texas community that was devastated by historic wildfires. I will seek to improve the pending Disaster Tax Relief Act being considered by the Senate to address that acute need in Texas. No doubt the current version provides relief that is also badly needed elsewhere. I would like to speak directly to the families of Spokane, WA, who have lost their homes, their livelihoods, their sense of security. The people of Texas stand with you, and we are profoundly grateful to the firefighters and first responders risking their lives to protect their neighbors. That is a pain families in Texas know all too well. In 2024, Texas witnessed truly horrific wildfires.”
Senate6 August 2026Source ↗
“However, because the House has not yet made that agreement, I have no choice but to object.”
Senate6 August 2026Source ↗
“It very simply says that NDAs are not enforceable to silence a victim of child sexual assault, that you cannot enforce contractual right to tell a child who has experienced that assault: You may not speak; you have no voice. This legislation in the Senate was bipartisan. I authored it with Senator Gillibrand. It passed the Senate 100 to nothing. It is sitting in the House, and they have declined to move. I say to my friend from New Hampshire, I am confident your legislation will pass and will pass the Senate as soon as the House ends its unreasonable blockade against Senate bills. I am in active negotiation with their leadership to get that result. We will get that result before the end of the year. I hope we get that result soon. I would very much like to lift all these holds and pass important legislation the Senate has already passed.”
Senate6 August 2026Source ↗
“There are numerous bills that this body has passed, often unanimously, 100 to nothing, that arrive in the House that no House Member has any substantive objections to them at all, and they simply put them in the freezer and do nothing. My colleague knows sometimes if you want to change the behavior of another Chamber, the only way to do so is to exercise leverage. And so, I have placed holds on all House bills coming over here unless and until they start taking up and passing Senate bills. Both Chambers need to do their work. Our Congress does not work if one of the two Chambers refuses to even consider legislation that has passed the other Chamber. I am in active negotiation with House leadership for them to start picking up and passing legislation here. One of those bills is a bill I authored called TREY'S Law.”
Senate6 August 2026Source ↗
“Mr. President, reserving the right to object, on the merits, there are no substantive objections to this legislation. However, we do have a challenge between the two Chambers of Congress. The Senate is doing its work. The Senate is taking up important pieces of legislation, reaching bipartisan agreement, and passing them; and they are going to the House of Representatives where right now they are simply sitting and languishing. House leadership has decided to adopt a strategy that is, frankly, indefensible. It is a strategy where they pass bills that originate in the House; they ignore bills that originate in the Senate, and they let them die. More than two-thirds of the bills to date that are passed into law have been bills that originated in the House of Representatives.”
Senate6 August 2026Source ↗
“Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that Dan Alpert, a detailee in my office, and Michal Malachowski, a law clerk in my office, be granted floor privileges until the end of the 119th Congress.”
Senate5 August 2026Source ↗
“Mr. President, for the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation I report favorably the following nomination lists which were printed in the Records on the dates indicated, and ask unanimous consent, to save the expense of reprinting on the Executive Calendar that these nominations lie at the Secretary's desk for the information of Senators.”
Senate5 August 2026Source ↗
“I have been actively in negotiation with House leadership, and I am confident this issue will get resolved. The House is going to take up and do their job and pass Senate bills, and the Senate will likewise take up and pass House bills. And I am confident in particular that Senator Ernst will succeed in passing this bill into law this year--with my enthusiastic support. But often in Congress, the only way to get a change of action is to exercise leverage. That is what I am doing now to get the House to take up and pass important bills, so therefore, at this time at least, I object.”
Senate5 August 2026Source ↗
“Litigation ensued, and Trey ended up signing an NDA where he was blocked by law from sharing the details of the horrific sexual abuse he endured. That silence weighed on Trey powerfully, and he ultimately took his own life at age 28. Trey's Law is an initiative that has been championed by Trey's sister Elizabeth. Numerous States, including my home State of Texas and including, Mr. President, your home State of Missouri, have passed Trey's Law. In the Senate, I introduced Trey's Law as bipartisan legislation, and the Senate passed it 100 to none, and it is sitting at the House languishing--not because anyone objects to it but simply because the House has decided not to process Senate bills. So, as my friend Senator Ernst knows, I have placed a hold on House bills until the House starts taking up and passing Senate bills.”
Senate5 August 2026Source ↗
“On this bill, Senator Ernst introduced it, the Senate passed it unanimously, it was sent to the House, and what did the House do? They did not pass the Senate-passed bill; instead, they passed essentially the identical bill but as a House measure. Now, mind you, that was not because they had any substantive objections to Senator Ernst's bill but, rather, it was because they were refusing to do their job as another Chamber in this Congress. Among the bills that the Senate has passed that are sitting, languishing at the House right now is a bill that I have worked very hard to pass called Trey's Law. Trey's Law is named for Trey Carlock, a beloved citizen of Dallas who tragically, as a young boy, was a victim of sexual assault at a summer camp.”
Senate5 August 2026Source ↗
“Reserving the right to object, I understand that my colleague from Iowa is deeply interested in getting this legislation passed, and I appreciate the diligence and effort she has devoted to this legislation. This is a good bill. I support her bill. Indeed, I voted for her bill, as did every other Member of this body. But the Senate also has a great many other bills that we are working on, that we have passed, and that have run into a roadblock in the House of Representatives. The House of Representatives currently is refusing to take up Senate-passed bills and, rather, is passing almost exclusively House bills. This is an unreasonable position for the House to take. Indeed, it is not a theoretical position; it is what the House has done on this very bill.”
Senate5 August 2026Source ↗
“*Coast Guard nominations beginning with Capt. John F. Barresi and ending with Capt. Jacqueline M. Leverich, which nominations were received by the Senate and appeared in the Congressional Record on March 19, 2026. *Coast Guard nomination of Tabitha A. Schiro, to be Rear Admiral (Lower Half). *Coast Guard nomination of Dorothy J. Hernaez, to be Rear Admiral (Lower Half). *Coast Guard nomination of Tevin A. White, to be Lieutenant Commander. Mr. CRUZ. Mr. President, for the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation I report favorably the following nomination lists which were printed in the Record on the dates indicated, and ask unanimous consent, to save the expense of reprinting on the Executive Calendar that these nominations lie at the Secretary's desk for the information of Senators.”
Senate18 June 2026Source ↗
“President, for the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation I report favorably the following nomination list which was printed in the Record on the date indicated, and ask unanimous consent, to save the expense of reprinting on the Executive Calendar that this nomination lie at the Secretary's desk for the information of Senators.”
Senate30 April 2025Source ↗
“To the best of my knowledge, the information contained in this report is complete and accurate.) Contributions, amount, date, and donee: Self: Committee Name, Date of Contribution, Amount, Contribution Type: GOP Winning Women-Florida, 10/11/2022, $2,000.00, Contribution. Amanda Adkins for Congress, 10/11/2022, $250.00, Transfer from authorized committee.- Committee to Elect Jennifer-Ruth Green, 10/11/2022, $250.00, Tranfer from authorized committee.”
Senate30 April 2025Source ↗
“To the best of my knowledge, the information contained in this report is complete and accurate.) Contributions, amount, date, and donee: Burch, Brian; $500, 9/16/10, CatholicVote PAC; $20, 10/22/ 10, ActRight PAC; $50, 1/3/12, ActRight PAC; $500, 5/7/19, Dan Lipinski for Congress; $10, 5/08/19, Dan Lipinski for Congress; $2,500, 8/29/23, Pete Ricketts for Senate; $2,500, 9/20/23, Ted Cruz Victory Fund; $5,000, 8/15/24, Pete Ricketts Victory Fund. ____ *Nicole McGraw, of Florida, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Republic of Croatia. - Nominee: Nicole McGraw. Post: Republic of Croatia. Nominated: March 10, 2025. (The following is a list of members of my immediate family. I have asked each of these persons to inform me of the pertinent contributions made by them.”
Senate30 April 2025Source ↗
“EXECUTIVE REPORTS OF COMMITTEES The following executive reports of nominations were submitted: By Mr. RISCH for the Committee on Foreign Relations. * Brian Burch, of Illinois, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Holy See. Nominee: Brian Burch. Post: Ambassador to the Holy See. (The following is a list of members of my immediate family. I have asked each of these persons to inform me of the pertinent contributions made by them.”
Senate30 April 2025Source ↗
“I ask for the yeas and nays.”
Senate29 April 2025Source ↗
“Mr. President, if there is no further business to come before the Senate, I ask that it stand adjourned under the previous order. There being no objection, the Senate, at 8:19 p.m., adjourned until Thursday, April 10, 2025, at 10 a.m. ____________________”
Senate9 April 2025Source ↗
“Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that when the Senate completes its business today, it stand adjourned until 10 a.m. on Thursday, April 10; that following the prayer and pledge, the Journal of proceedings be approved to date, the morning hour be deemed expired, the time for the two leaders be reserved for their use later in the day, morning business be closed, and the Senate resume consideration of Calendar No. 17, H.J. Res. 20; further, that at 11 a.m., all debate time on Calendar No. 17, H.J. Res.”
Senate9 April 2025Source ↗
“Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate be in a period of morning business, with Senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each.”
Senate9 April 2025Source ↗
“Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that as if in executive session, the nomination of David Fogel, of Connecticut, to be Assistant Secretary of Commerce and Director General of the United States and Foreign Commercial Service received in the Senate on February 11, 2025, be jointly referred to the Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.”
Senate9 April 2025Source ↗
“Mr. President, I move to proceed to Calendar No. 17, H.J. Res. 20.”
Senate9 April 2025Source ↗
“The Senator from Texas. Mr. CRUZ. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the previously scheduled rollcall vote occur immediately.”
Senate9 April 2025Source ↗
“I believe it should be you, the consumer, that makes those choices, not unelected bureaucrats in Washington. Last year, I spoke on this floor about a different Department of Energy appliance regulation. That regulation was about gas furnaces. It would have required over half of American households to purchase new furnaces, which they also didn't care about. Their goal was to target the natural gas industry. Today's vote is about protecting such fundamental issues as fairness, consumer choice, and affordability. I strongly urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to vote yes, especially if you care about blue- collar workers, if you care about families struggling to make ends meet. Vote yes and vote to end this government mandate driving up the costs on Americans across this country. I yield the floor.”
Senate9 April 2025Source ↗
“Left in place, this regulation would force American consumers to either pay more for these heaters or, if they can't afford to pay more, to shift to less efficient models. Democrats used to pitch themselves as the party of the working class, as a blue-collar party. No more. Today's Democratic Party is the party of rich coastal elites, and the blue-collar working men and women, Mr. President, that elected you, that elected me--blue-collar workers are now the base of the Republican Party. Second, corruption. The administration used regulations, mandates, and grants to enrich their allies, including especially radical climate activists.”
Senate9 April 2025Source ↗
“The Biden administration believes in rules for others but not for themselves and conveniences for themselves but not for others. This was an administration that believed in shutting down businesses and banning events all across the United States because of COVID but exempting themselves and what they cared about. If you were at an antifa riot, the COVID virus could not affect you, but God help you if you wanted to go to church, clearly, everyone in the congregation was going to die of COVID that day. The American people saw that hypocrisy play out again and again, including with appliance regulations such as gas stoves, and, indeed, the hypocrisy played out again with the water heater regulation that my resolution will overturn.”
Senate9 April 2025Source ↗
“The Biden-Harris administration knew that they were increasing costs on Americans. Indeed, that is what they were deliberately doing. They acknowledge that because of their rule, the cost of each affected unit would increase by at least $200--and industry experts say the true increase is double even that estimate. The administration's own numbers show that as many as 40 percent of affected customers would experience a net cost increase over the appliance's lifetime. They didn't care, and it is worth discussing some of the reasons they didn't care about the hardship they were inflicting on hard-working American families and why it is so important today for the Senate to pass my resolution to undo their actions. First and foremost, hypocrisy.”
Senate9 April 2025Source ↗
“Indeed, on January 20, in his Executive order on American energy, President Trump made it the policy of the United States ``to safeguard the American people's freedom to choose from a variety of goods and appliances, including, but not limited to, lightbulbs, dishwashers, washing machines, gas stoves, water heaters, toilets, and shower heads, and to promote market competition and innovation within the manufacturing and appliance industries.'' What refreshing common sense that was missing from the previous administration. My resolution deals with a rule imposed by the Biden-Harris Department of Energy in December, after the election, and which deals with what they describe as the energy efficiency of non-condensing tankless gas water heaters, which millions of Americans rely upon in their homes.”
Senate9 April 2025Source ↗
“Mr. President, I rise today to call up my resolution to undo a regulation about appliances, which was imposed by the Biden- Harris administration weeks after American voters had overwhelmingly rejected that administration and its policies and which, if left in place, would increase costs and limit the options of everyday Texans and everyday Americans across our Nation. After the election, President Trump and the new Republican Congress systemically moved in exactly the opposite direction to decrease costs and to expand the options of Americans.”
Senate9 April 2025Source ↗
“Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.”
Senate9 April 2025Source ↗
“Mr. President, I ask for the yeas and nays.”
Senate26 March 2025Source ↗
“Mr. President, it is a distinct honor for me to speak today on behalf of Aaron Reitz as he continues through the confirmation process to serve as the Assistant Attorney General for the Office of Legal Policy at the U.S. Department of Justice. Throughout his career, whether in law, government, or on the battlefield, Aaron has earned the respect and the admiration of all who have had the privilege of working with him.”
Senate26 March 2025Source ↗
“Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.”
Senate26 March 2025Source ↗
“I ask for the yeas and nays.”
Senate12 March 2025Source ↗
“Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent for the following detailees in my office to be granted floor privileges until the end of this Congress: Joel Coito, Dean Legidakes, and Thomas Hastings.”
Senate5 March 2025Source ↗
“I ask unanimous consent that the bill be considered read a third time and passed and the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.”
Senate5 March 2025Source ↗
“Mr. President, I thank Senator Cantwell and her staff for their hard work on this bill. I also want to thank my staff on the committee as well who have put in many hours. This bill is important to the men and women of the Coast Guard and is important to our national security. Therefore, I ask unanimous consent that the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation be discharged from further consideration of S. 524 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.”
Senate5 March 2025Source ↗
“I ask my colleagues to stand with me and support President Trump's vision of protecting our borders from drugs and illegal immigrants and of building ships to revitalize the Coast Guard's fleet. And I urge my colleagues to support the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2025. With that, I yield to my colleague Senator Cantwell.”
Senate5 March 2025Source ↗
“Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate resume consideration of the motion to proceed to Calendar No. 18, S. 331.”
Senate5 March 2025Source ↗
“I ask for the yeas and nays.”
Senate4 March 2025Source ↗
“I will say--it is an interesting note--if you look at the list of the Democratic Senators who voted with us, it is almost every single Democratic Senator under the age of 60. There is a clear delineating line, and I think there is a reason for that. Let's stand on the side of innovation. Let's stand on the side of jobs. Let's stand on the side of prosperity. Let's stand on the side of freedom. Let's foster innovation, cut government overreach, and unleash the full potential of the American economy. Let's rescind this rule, and let's unleash the future. Mr. President, I yield back all time on Calendar No. 11, S.J. Res. 3.”
Senate4 March 2025Source ↗
“Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the scheduled rollcall votes begin immediately.”
Senate13 February 2025Source ↗
“Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.”
Senate13 February 2025Source ↗