President Obama Blocks WW II Vets from Their Memorial

President Obama Blocks WW II Vets from Their Memorial to Force Obamacare on American People

WASHINGTON, DC -- U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) made the following statement today regarding Obamacare, the government "shutdown," and the World War II Memorial:

“President Obama is so fixated on forcing Obamacare on the American people that he's even willing to deny World War II veterans the right to access the memorial they have earned through their heroic service.

"This scenario encapsulates the bigger problem in Washington. President Obama is so set on imposing his destructive, far-left ideology that his government is literally barricading World War II veterans out of their memorial and blocking funding to the Department of Veterans Affairs.

“The House is on track today to pass individual CRs to fund Veterans Affairs and National Monuments, but Senator Reid and President Obama say they refuse to consider them, even though they agreed to pass a similar CR covering military pay on Monday night.

“This is untenable and our veterans deserve much better, especially our disabled vets. During this debate we should focus on those areas of agreement and pass those CRs. That’s the practical way to proceed and the House deserves great credit for its leadership.”

Yesterday, Senator Cruz proposed a bill to fund all parts of the VA during the government shutdown.

There are more than 3.2 million veterans who currently receive disability compensation and 300,000 veterans who receive pension benefits that are at risk from a lack of funding due to the government shutdown. Our disabled veterans in Texas and around the nation have earned these benefits from their service and sacrifice to our nation and Congress should immediately act to ensure they are supported.

Contact: press@cruz.senate.gov / (202) 228-7561 Wednesday, October 2, 2013 FINAL VOTE RESULTS FOR ROLL CALL 506

Weekly Republican Address Cathy McMorris Rodgers TEXT PODCAST VIDEO 09/28/13

Weekly Republican Address: Tying Debt Limit to Cuts & Reforms Has Public Support, Bipartisan History. In this week’s Republican address, House Republican Conference Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) details the bipartisan history of coupling an increase in the debt limit with spending cuts and economic reforms – a common-sense policy with broad public support.

Remarks by House Republican Conference Chair Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA) Weekly Republican Address The Capitol September 28, 2013

Bownload MP3 for PODCAST FULL TEXT TRANSCRIPT

Right now, we have a golden opportunity to fix the problems coming out of Washington.

By an overwhelming margin, Americans believe any debt ceiling increase should be coupled with solutions that help solve our debt and grow our economy.

Republicans have put forward a plan that does just that. It contains cuts and real reforms to build a 21st century economy – from approving the Keystone pipeline and fixing our outdated tax code to delaying the president’s health care law.

Our bill also increases the debt limit. The best way to preserve the full faith and credit of the United States is by strengthening it – which is what our plan does.

Coupling an increase in the debt limit with efforts to rein in spending is common sense – so much so that it’s been used by presidents from both parties.

President Reagan did it in 1985 when he signed the Gramm-Rudman-Hollings deficit reduction bill.

Five years later, President Bush reached a budget deal with a Democratic Congress that included a debt limit increase.

President Clinton reached a similar agreement with a Democratic majority in 1993, and with a Republican majority on the balanced budget agreement of 1997

Finally, President Obama himself worked with Republicans on a large deficit-reduction deal tied to the debt limit in the summer of 2011. It has its flaws – including the ‘sequester’ the president devised and insisted on – but it has cut spending.

Unfortunately, the president is now demanding that we increase the debt limit without engaging in any kind of bipartisan discussions about addressing our spending problem.

He wants to take the easy way out – exactly the kind of foolishness that got us here in the first place. As we know, it’s hardworking people like you who would ultimately pay the price for business as usual through higher taxes, higher prices, and fewer jobs.

To reiterate, every major deficit reduction effort of the last 30 years has been tied to the debt limit. This time should be no different. If anything, it’s more important than ever if we’re serious about getting people working again and protecting our children’s future.

Thank you for listening.