Cruz and Warren Back in Spotlight by Obstructing Bill
This time, Senator Ted Cruzs fight over U.S. spending ended with a whimper, not the bang of a government shutdown or a rebuke over President Barack Obamas policies.
The Texas Republican kept his colleagues in Washington for an uncommon Saturday session because he wanted to exhaust avenues of protest against a $1.1 trillion spending bill that doesnt block Obamas action easing deportation for millions of undocumented immigrants.
Cruz made one last procedural play late tonight, a point of order on Obamas action. It was rejected, 22-74, with many of his fellow Republicans joining Democrats in opposing it.
Cruz signaled his surrender late in the afternoon by allowing Senate leaders to prevent a government shutdown while they put the final touches on a broader spending bill. His agreement meant the Senate unanimously passed a short-term spending bill to fund the government through Dec. 17.
Until then Cruz managed to be on the outside of the debate and the center of attention at the same time. His parliamentary objection will give Republicans an idea of who in their party stands with him on the immigration issue and who does not.
After several days of delay in passing government funding, Cruzs inability to derail the measure showed that power has shifted in the Senate. Its the party bosses, not the party bases, that won this years battle.
Last year, Tea Party-backed Republicans, led by Cruz, forced a 16-day partial government shutdown because they didnt want to fund Obamacare.
Cruz was able to give attention to an issue that plays well with the Republican base - much as Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts took her turn this week in trying to bring down the bill by leading a populist surge against a bank-backed provision that infuriated Democratic Party leaders.
Still, the ability of Cruz and Warren to command attention by positioning themselves as champions of their causes shifts the national discussion in their direction. For instance, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of California created delays for the bill in her chamber on Dec. 11 after initially signaling shed go along with the measure.
Cruzs efforts also show how difficult it will be for Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell to run the Senate next year when he becomes majority leader of the Republican caucus with the tough-to-please Texan in its ranks.
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Cruz and Warren Back in Spotlight by Obstructing Bill