Cruz Launches Filibuster
In Opposition To Obamacare
In Opposition To Obamacare
The Filibuster Ended At 12:00PM ET
After Senator Cruz Spoke For 21 Hours
After Senator Cruz Spoke For 21 Hours
I Am Prepared To Stand And Speak in Opposition To Obamacare, I Intend To Speak To Defund Obamacare Until I Can No Longer Stand
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C-SPAN — On Wednesday, the Senate is expected to take the first procedural vote on the House-passed continuing resolution (CR). If the motion to proceed passes, Senators will have 30 hours of debate on the measure to fund the federal government at current sequester levels of $986.3 billion through December 15 and to defund the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
As of Tuesday evening, Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) continued to speak on the Senate floor about his opposition to the ACA and why he wanted to block the continuing resolution. He said he intended to talk “until I am no longer able to stand.” Throughout the afternoon and evening, he responded to questions from fellow opponents of Obamacare, such as Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT), Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) and Sen. Pat Roberts (R-KS), as well as Democratic supporters of the health law, Sen. Dick Durban (D-IL) and Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA).
Following Tuesday's party lunches, Majority Leader Reid spoke about his plans for proceeding with the CR. He said he will substitute the House version with his own amendment that would strip out the language defunding the ACA and shorten the funding period from December 15 to November 15. He also said that the final vote on the CR would likely be on Sunday, though he was "waiting to see" if Senate Republicans would agree to end debate early.
Speaking after the Majority Leader, Minority Leader McConnell told reporters he would vote to proceed on the CR because "what the House sent us is what we wanted," particularly in terms of defunding the health care law. He also agreed that shortening the debate could be to the House's advantage in light of the September 30 deadline for passing the CR. However, he added any Senator has the right to ask to shorten the debate if desired.
Possible Time Line on Senate CR Debate
Yesterday, Majority Leader Reid filed cloture on a motion to proceed on the CR which sets up a series of procedural votes, the first to be held on Wednesday. Following this vote, Senators will have 30 hours to discuss and debate the CR. On Thursday, Leader Reid is expected to file another procedural motion that will continue the formal debate on the CR into Saturday.
On Saturday, the Senate will hold another vote to cut off debate and any attempts to filibuster the CR. If Leader Reid gets past the 60-vote threshold, he will schedule a final simple majority vote on his alternative amendment to the CR, and if it passes, the CR goes back to the House.
House Speaker Boehner and the Republican leadership will then have to decide whether to accept the Senate CR or pass yet another version and risk not meeting the September 30 deadline, when current temporary funding for the government runs out.
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Senator Ted Cruz Biography
Rafael Edward "Ted" Cruz is an American politician and the junior United States Senator for the state of Texas. A Republican, Cruz defeated the Democrat Paul Sadler in the November 6, 2012, United States Senate election. Cruz is also endorsed by the Tea Party Movement and the Republican Liberty Caucus. » Full Bio