Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, blasted a provision in the proposed Senate border security deal that would prevent states from suing the Biden administration in local courts for violations connected to the legislation.
The Senate on Sunday unveiled a $118 billion bipartisan border security bill that also would provide aid to Ukraine and Israel after months of negotiations.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said the bill is "dead on arrival" in the House, and many Republicans have slammed various components of the legislation.
Cruz ripped the bill for giving the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia "sole and original jurisdiction to hear challenges" relating to its content, centralizing authority in the capitol.
"This means that the State of Texas wouldn't be able to sue the Biden administration in Texas for violating the provisions of the proposed law — something the State has done effectively for over three years now," Cruz told Newsweek.
"Instead, these cases would have to be heard in Washington, where Texas will almost certainly lose thanks to a superabundance of liberal judges. This, of course, is by design because the Biden administration is tired of losing in Texas district courts and the Fifth Circuit."
Titled the Emergency National Security Supplemental Bill, the bill states that the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia "shall have sole and original jurisdiction to hear challenges, whether constitutional or otherwise, to the validity of this section or any written policy directive, written policy guideline, written procedure, or the implementation thereof, issued by or under the authority of the Secretary to implement this section."
Gov. Greg Abbott, R-Texas, on Monday took to X to share a Newsweek article relating to the provision and wrote: "This is unacceptable."
Cruz joined fellow Republicans in saying it "is clear that there is no path for this bill to pass."
"The Speaker of the House has been unequivocal that the Senate bill is dead on arrival in the House," Cruz said. "So I asked my colleagues why on Earth would they be pushing a bill that divides the Republican conference, that unites all the Senate Democrats, and has zero chance of ever passing into law?"
Cruz also joined other conservative senators in saying it was time for Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., to step down.
"Everyone here also supported a leadership challenge to Mitch McConnell in November," Cruz said. "I think a Republican leader should actually lead this conference and should advance the priorities of Republicans."
Charlie McCarthy ✉
Charlie McCarthy, a writer/editor at Newsmax, has nearly 40 years of experience covering news, sports, and politics.
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