See how Ted Cruz actually votes — against your values.
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Prediction track record
How often we called Ted Cruz's passage votes correctly, from their stated positions on each bill's tagged topics. Excludes “unclear” calls and abstentions.
86 predictions on record · none have been resolved by a passage vote yet. Check back as bills move.
Pending vote119-hr-5282
Reauthorizing Support and Treatment for Officers in Crisis Act of 2025
To prohibit the disclosure of records by the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development of individuals for the purposes of immigration enforcement, and for other purposes.
Based on 1 data point across public statements and recorded votes · AI analysis of public records
118-hr-2882·Consistent
Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2024
75/100
What they said
Aug 10, 2026
The senators support legislation to close immigration system loopholes they characterize as enabling child trafficking and asylum fraud, and to strengthen border enforcement and immigration enforcement measures.
The statement supports stronger immigration enforcement and closing asylum loopholes to combat trafficking. The bill is a broad FY2024 omnibus appropriations measure that funds DHS and other agencies but does not specifically address immigration policy loopholes or asylum fraud provisions. The senator's NO vote on the omnibus could reflect objections to specific appropriations levels, unrelated provisions, or bundled spending priorities rather than opposition to immigration enforcement broadly. The statement and bill address immigration in different ways—one proposes legislative policy changes, the other funds agency operations—making the specific alignment unclear.
Pairs with ambiguous language and high uncertainty are withheld until more data is available. Procedural, cloture, and amendment votes are excluded — they don't cleanly signal substantive support or opposition.
Pro analysis
AI rep analysis — Pro
Get an AI-narrated read on Ted Cruz's full voting record against your stated values — aligned themes, conflicts, notable votes, and what to watch for.
We haven't extracted campaign positions for Ted Cruz yet. Once their campaign website or position pages are processed, this card will track what they said vs how they voted.
Crossing the aisle
Passage votes where Ted Cruz broke ranks with ≥75% of Republicans. Threshold catches substantively partisan splits; unanimous-ish or close votes are excluded.
Sens. Cruz, Kaine Lead Bipartisan Bill to Strengthen Sanctions on Nicaragua | U.S. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas
Position: Senators Cruz and Kaine support legislation to impose and expand sanctions on Nicaraguan officials for human rights abuses, religious persecution, election manipulation, and corruption, and to target industries and entities supporting the Ortega-Murillo regime.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), a member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and Tim Kaine (D-Va.) introduced the Restoring Electoral Fairness and Opposition Rights through Mandates for Accountability Act. This bipartisan legislation imposes sanctions on Nicaraguan officials for abuses that undermine American national security and interests, including religious persecution.
Sen. Cruz said, “The Ortega regime in Nicaragua is engaging in human rights abuses, religious persecution, and political repression by means of corruption and election manipulation. Since the beginning of my career in the Senate, I have sought to counter these abuses and tactics. This bipartisan legislation builds on the NICA framework I authored and built, which passed through Congress and was signed into law. I intend to advance it.”
Sen. Kaine said, “The Ortega-Murillo regime’s consolidation of authoritarian power, widespread corruption, human rights abuses, crackdown on civil society, and targeting of religious institutions threaten the stability of Central America. The United States must do more to counter this increasing authoritarianism. This bipartisan legislation would provide the U.S. greater authority to sanction Nicaraguan officials responsible for undermining human rights in the country.”
Sen. Cruz introduced the Nicaraguan Investment Conditionality Act (NICA) as a legislative vehicle for a range of restrictions and sanctions on the Nicaraguan regime.
The Restoring Electoral Fairness and Opposition Rights through Mandates for Accountability Act renews and expands sanctions on Nicaraguan regime officials, affiliates, and other actors responsible for corruption, human rights abuses, religious persecution, election manipulation, and political repression until Nicaragua makes meaningful democratic reforms. It also expands existing sanctions to target the industries financing the Ortega-Murillo regime, including the gold sector, as well as individuals and entities providing support to Russia and Iran.
Sens. Cruz, Grassley File Amicus Brief Defending States’ Right to Counter Mass Illegal Immigration | U.S. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas
Position: Senators Cruz and Grassley argue that states should have the authority to enact and enforce their own immigration laws that complement federal enforcement, and that courts should not preempt state immigration statutes on conflict-preemption grounds.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Federal Courts, Oversight, Agency Action, and Federal Rights, and Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, filed an amicus brief supporting Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird’s defense of the state’s illegal reentry law. The brief urges the Court to take up the case and protect states’ ability to help enforce federal immigration laws. Texas is on the front lines of this battle and has established state penalties for illegal entry and presence through S.B. 4.
Excerpts from the amicus brief are below, and the full text of the brief can be viewed here.
“The flood of mass illegal immigration into our country created a national emergency and states like Iowa bore the brunt of the problems. Iowa tried to protect its residents and help the federal government enforce our immigration laws by enacting a complementary statute. This response is not only lawful but also commendable.
“Courts across the country have been continuing Arizona’s mistakes, leading to a one-way ratchet of absurd results. State laws that complement and advance federal law are routinely preempted. In these cases, courts seem to adopt such an expansive definition of “conflict” that it even envelopes its own antonym. But when states pass laws that are intended to, and do in fact, obstruct federal enforcement, courts have changed their tune.
“The narrower point is that overlap is not itself conflict, and the possibility of conflict in some applications does not establish that every application of every provision is an obstacle.
“The decision below is wrong, not just for case-specific errors, but for a categorically incorrect legal understanding of facial challenges and conflict preemption—both inherited from Arizona. The question is recurring, outcome-determinative, and presently disables a state enactment addressing an important issue. This Court should grant certiorari and revisit Arizona.”
Sens. Cruz, Lee, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Restructure Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals | U.S. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas
Position: Senators Cruz, Lee, and colleagues introduce legislation to restructure the Eighth, Ninth, and Tenth U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeals, arguing that the current structure is inefficient, geographically unwieldy, and dominated by judges who do not faithfully interpret the Constitution.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Federal Courts, Oversight, Agency Action, and Federal Rights, Mike Lee (R-Utah), John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), and Tim Sheehy (R-Mont.) introduced the Circuit Court of Appeals Reorganization Act. This legislation restructures the Eighth, Ninth, and Tenth U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeals to more accurately reflect modern population and geographic realities.
Sen. Cruz said, “The Ninth Circuit has become dominated by judges who place their personal beliefs ahead of their constitutional duty, while the circuit itself has been weighed down by its unwieldy size, all of which has undermined the fair and efficient administration of justice for millions of Americans. I’m proud to join Sen. Lee in this effort to ensure that the federal courts faithfully uphold the Constitution.”
Sen. Lee said, “Congress is entrusted with the authority to ‘ordain and establish’ inferior federal courts. For too long, we have failed to modernize our western circuit courts, despite the Ninth Circuit’s comparatively immense size – both in terms of geography and population. Congress needs to prioritize the efficiency of the federal judiciary to ensure a more balanced, predictable, and effective appellate system. I hope that this new proposal can serve as the basis for future bipartisan discussions.”
Sen. Crapo said, “The Ninth Circuit’s disproportionate caseload and vast geographic reach have contributed to an overburdened and inefficient judiciary. Reorganizing the circuit would help reduce these pressures, improve the timely administration of justice and better align Idaho with a court that reflects the needs of our state and region.”
Sen. Daines said, “Our judicial system was designed to be deliberative but not completely obstructive. The 9th Circuit Court faces a significant backlog that hinders the administration of justice throughout the West. Montanans deserve better. I’m proud to work with Senator Lee on this bill to better organize the western circuit courts and ensure timely justice for all.”
Sen. Risch said, “Idahoans have endured a Ninth Circuit dominated by California’s values for far too long. The Circuit Court of Appeals Reorganization Act would restructure the Eighth, Ninth, and Tenth Circuits to create a more efficient judicial system that better reflects Idaho’s values and interests.”
Sen. Sheehy said, "The immense size of the Ninth Circuit has created unnecessary delays, inconsistent decisions, and a court that is increasingly disconnected from the communities it serves. Montanans deserve a responsive and predictable federal appellate court that can better address the unique challenges facing the West. This commonsense legislation reforms our federal judiciary by creating circuits that are more manageable and better able to deliver timely, consistent justice – ensuring every American has access to a fair and effective appellate process."
The Ninth Circuit is the largest federal appellate circuit in the U.S. by both population and geographic area. Created during the era of Westward Expansion, the Ninth Circuit has experienced significant population growth in recent decades. The Ninth Circuit comprises 29 judgeships, nearly 20% of the U.S. population, and 40% of the U.S. landmass. Comparatively, the Eighth and Tenth Circuits have only 11 and 12 judgeships, respectively, and cover approximately 5.5-6.5% of the U.S. population.
The Ninth Circuit’s unique en banc structure has also created inconsistency in its decision-making processes. Currently, when a panel decision is appealed to the full Ninth Circuit, only 11 of the 29 judges speak for the entire court, which causes potentially inconsistent and contradictory case outcomes. Litigants and their lawyers are thus faced with a justice system that is unwieldy and unpredictable.
Sens. Cruz, Lee, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Close Immigration Loopholes Exploited by Human Traffickers | U.S. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas
Position: The senators support legislation to close immigration system loopholes they characterize as enabling child trafficking and asylum fraud, and to strengthen border enforcement and immigration enforcement measures.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Jim Banks (R-Ind.), Katie Britt (R-Ala.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), and Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) introduced the Stopping Border Surges Act. This legislation closes loopholes in the immigration system that enable child trafficking and incentivize fraudulent asylum claims.
Sen. Cruz said, “Under President Trump, we have seen a 99% drop in border crossings through enforcement and other measures. Nevertheless, statutory loopholes remain that directly endanger children while more broadly undermining border security and American national security. Congress should close such loopholes permanently, and I am proud to join Senator Lee in introducing this legislation.”
Sen. Lee said, “Child traffickers have smuggled abused children across our border thanks to the Biden administration’s policies that made it easier for them to cross by claiming to have a child. On top of that, many of these kids were released into their kidnappers’ arms. This is not merciful; it’s a Democrat-concocted system that favored traffickers. All the while, these coyotes were claiming to seek asylum, passing multiple safe countries on their way here without stopping. The Stopping Border Surges Act will disincentivize asylum fraud and give President Trump’s border team the tools they need to protect exploited kids.”
Sen. Banks said, “Loopholes in our immigration laws have encouraged illegal crossing, fueled asylum fraud, and put vulnerable children at risk. The Stopping Border Surges Act closes those loopholes, strengthens enforcement, and restores integrity to our immigration system.”
Sen. Britt said, “Illegal border crossings not only endanger Americans; they also incentivize the abuse and trafficking of migrant women and children. Now is the time to pass the Stopping Border Surges Act to permanently close these loopholes that embolden criminals and bad actors. I will always fight to keep American families and communities safe.”
Sen. Cotton said, “Joe Biden’s reckless open border policies allowed illegal aliens to exploit our immigration system. Our bill would close loopholes that incentivize illegal border crossings, endanger children and families, and undermine our asylum system.”
Sen. Scott said, “America saw what open borders and mass amnesty looked like for four miserable years. Democrat policies failed Laken Riley, Sheridan Gorman, Jocelyn Nungaray, and countless other Americans. We can never let a future president do that to us again – or worse. We know what the radical left socialists want: look at Spain and across Europe and look at what happened to our border under Biden. For the sake of our country, Congress must codify President Trump’s border agenda and close every possible loophole in America’s immigration system before it’s too late. We cannot go back.”
Sen. Tuberville said, “Thankfully, President Trump has locked down our borders after Joe Biden let millions of illegals invade our country. But unfortunately, we still have loopholes that are incentivizing illegals to make the dangerous journey to come here. Proud to join Sen. Mike Lee in introducing legislation to make sure we are not actively encouraging illegal immigration.”
The Stopping Border Surges Act will eliminate the expansion of the Flores Settlement Agreement by allowing alien children accompanied by parents to be held with that parent for the duration of the parent’s adjudication. This would end the incentive for non-parents to claim an unknown child as their own. It also removes any incentive for parents to bring children with them on the hazardous journey to the U.S. Border.
The United States currently returns unaccompanied children from Mexico and Canada quickly and safely. Children from other countries, however, are placed in a lengthy removal process. They are released into the United States to the same adults who smuggled them into the country. Consequently, the policy incentivizes the enlistment of couriers to smuggle children across the border. This legislation ends this incentive by extending the same seamless process available to children from Mexico and Canada.
Sens. Cruz, Britt, Colleagues Introduce Bill to Strengthen Immigration Detention Laws | U.S. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas
Position: The senators support legislation to close a legal loophole that currently requires the release of detained immigrants whose home countries refuse to accept them after six months, arguing that such individuals should remain in detention until deportation.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) joined Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.) and colleagues in introducing the Keep Our Communities Safe Act. The legislation would close a legal loophole that currently requires immigration authorities to release back into the United States illegal aliens who have been detained for six months but have been rejected from other countries.
Sen. Cruz said, “Illegal aliens who commit serious crimes should never be released back onto American streets for any reason, let alone because their home countries refuse to allow them to return. This legislation would close loopholes in federal law that allow dangerous criminal illegal aliens to walk free in communities across Texas and the nation, and I am proud to join Senator Britt in introducing it.”
Sen. Britt said, “America is a nation of laws, and if you violate our laws and are subject to removal from the United States, you should remain in detention until the point of deportation. Zadvydas v. Davis created a legal loophole that forces the release of aliens into our communities after six months simply because no country has agreed to take them back. This bill would help to close that loophole once and for all.”
U.S. Sens. Ted Budd (R-N.C.), Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), Mike Crapo (R-Idaho), Deb Fischer (R-Neb.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.), Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.), Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), Jim Risch (R-Idaho), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), and Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) joined in co-sponsoring the legislation.
Sen. Fischer said, “Our Southern Border is more secure than it’s been in decades, but we have an egregious legal loophole allowing the release of detained illegal immigrants into our country if no other country agrees to take them. For four years, the Biden administration willingly released millions of illegal immigrants into the United States, and Zadvydas v. Davis enables that practice regardless of who the president is. We need to get this fixed.”
Sen. Hyde-Smith said, “I am again supporting this commonsense legislation because closing this ‘catch and release’ loophole will ultimately keep dangerous illegals detained instead of being freed to put law-abiding Americans, law enforcement, and our communities at risk. It’s time to finally fix the current law that permits illegal aliens with criminal records to be released back into the United States after six months simply because no other country will accept them for deportation.”
Sen. Tuberville said, “Joe Biden and Kamala Harris allowed millions of illegals to INVADE our country—and now law-abiding Americans are paying the price. We need to do everything we can to deport every single one of these criminals. I’m proud to cosponsor the Keep Our Communities Safe Act to close a legal loophole and allow these illegals to be detained and sent home for good.”
Sen. Cotton said, “Violent illegal aliens are criminals who should be deported, not released from detention centers. Our bill will ensure illegal aliens stay in detention centers until their deportation date to keep Arkansans safe.”
Sen. Cramer said, “People who are in the United States illegally and have removal orders shouldn’t be released simply because their home country refuses to take them back. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what existing law allows. Our bill closes this loophole and lets immigration officials keep these individuals in custody until they can be deported.”
Sen. Marshall said, “The federal government’s first responsibility is protecting the American people. Criminal illegal aliens who have been ordered removed should never be released into our communities because of a court-created loophole. I’m proud to stand with Senator Britt to close this loophole once and for all, secure our communities, and put the interests of American citizens ahead of those who have broken our laws.”
Sen. Hoeven said, “The Keep Our Communities Safe Act of 2026 will help ensure that dangerous illegal immigrants remain in custody while their immigration proceedings are pending, strengthening public safety, supporting law enforcement and helping keep North Dakota families and communities across the country safe.”
Sens. Cruz, Slotkin Introduce Bill to Protect Americans' Right to Worship | U.S. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas
Position: Senators Cruz and Slotkin introduced legislation establishing a 100-foot protection zone around religious institutions to prohibit conduct that disrupts religious services or impedes attendance, framed as protecting First Amendment religious freedom rights.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Federal Courts, Oversight, Agency Action, and Federal Rights, and Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) introduced the Right to Worship Act. This legislation protects Americans' First Amendment right to the free exercise of religion by establishing a 100-foot protection zone that prohibits conduct disrupting scheduled religious services or impeding attendance.
Sen. Cruz said, “The First Amendment guarantees every American the right to freely exercise their faith, and Congress has a duty to ensure that guarantee is met. In recent years, we have seen organized acts of hate meant to disrupt and deny that right, which have been untenably defended as speech. That is why I am introducing the Right to Worship Act, and I urge my colleagues to support it.”
Sen. Slotkin said, “Attacks on synagogues, mosques, churches and other houses of worship are unfortunately on the rise in Michigan, and across the country. No one should ever fear going to their house of worship. Period. The Right to Worship Act prohibits disruptive conduct, within 100 feet of a religious institution, that’s used to threaten or impede access. I look forward to working with my colleagues on getting this important piece of bipartisan legislation passed."
U.S. Reps. Brad Knott (R-N.C.-13) and Tom Suozzi (D-N.Y.-3) introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives.
This legislation is supported by the First Liberty Institute.
First Liberty Institute President & CEO Kelly Shackelford said, "First Liberty commends Senator Cruz for introducing the Right to Worship Act. This important legislation will help to ensure that no American will forfeit their religious freedom because of threats, intimidation, or attempts to disrupt their place of worship. This legislation shouldn't be necessary, yet sadly it is. We are grateful to Senator Cruz for his leadership and his steadfast defense of religious liberty."
Sen. Cruz Delivers Opening Remarks on Muslim Brotherhood Threat | U.S. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas
Position: Senator Cruz convened a hearing to examine the Muslim Brotherhood's alleged network and influence within American institutions, including nonprofits, universities, and political organizations, and pledged to hold accountable those who finance or support terrorism on American soil.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Subcommittee on Federal Courts, Oversight, Agency Action, and Federal Rights, chaired a hearing titled Hidden in Plain Sight: Confronting the Muslim Brotherhood Network in America. The hearing examined the Muslim Brotherhood’s efforts to seize influence inside American nonprofits, political organizations, universities, courts, taxpayer-funded programs, and other American institutions. Witnesses described the network as linking to additional organizations, including the Council on American-Islamic Relations.
Click here or on the image above to watch Sen. Cruz’s opening remarks.
Please see below for excerpts and highlights from Sen. Cruz’s opening remarks as delivered:
“This hearing is focused on Hidden in Plain Sight: Confronting the Muslim Brotherhood Network in America. The present members of this subcommittee will look at two questions: first, how the Muslim Brotherhood built its network in America, and second, what that network looks like today. History has taught Americans the danger of dismissing determined jihadist movements because their ambitions seem too extreme to be real.
“The Holy Land Foundation trial produced an extraordinary body of evidence: wiretaps, internal memos, organizational charts, meeting transcripts, laying bare the Brotherhood's sprawling American infrastructure. Most importantly, prosecutors identified what they alleged was a broader network of organizations operating within the United States. That list included the Islamic Society of North America, the North American Islamic Trust, and most notably, the Council on American Islamic Relations.
“The events we witnessed on college campuses after October 7 did not emerge from nowhere. They were not spontaneous. They were not organic. They were the product of an organized network that has spent decades building influence inside the United States. Just look at this dais. My Democrat colleagues have chosen not to participate. That's their right. But an oversight hearing that one of the two major parties refuses even to see is exactly the Outcome: These organizations that we're discussing have spent 40 years working to produce. My promise to the American people is to hold accountable those who finance and support terrorism on American soil, no matter how many tax exemptions, charitable registrations, or civil rights letterheads they hide behind.”
Sens. Cruz, Shaheen, Colleagues Introduce Bipartisan Resolution Supporting Free and Fair Elections in Venezuela | U.S. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas
Position: The resolution affirms U.S. support for free and fair elections in Venezuela, calls for the release of all political prisoners, and warns that harm to political candidates would delegitimize elections and implicate the Venezuelan government.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health Policy, and Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, introduced a resolution reaffirming America's support for free and fair elections in Venezuela. The resolution is cosponsored by U.S. Sens. Tim Kaine (D-Va.), Rick Scott (R-Fla.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.).
Sen. Cruz said, “The people of Venezuela deserve free, fair, and transparent elections, and it is vital to the national security interests of the United States that those elections occur expeditiously. A legitimately elected government would create the foundation for freedom and prosperity in Venezuela and establish the basis for a deep and long-term partnership with the United States, including security, counternarcotics, and economic cooperation. This resolution reiterates that such elections require the release of all political prisoners, while any serious harm suffered by any individual seeking public office, including María Corina Machado, would delegitimize those elections and that the U.S. will presume that the Venezuelan government was complicit in that harm. The United States stands with the Venezuelan people and their right to determine their own future.”
Sen. Shaheen said, “A credible democratic transition is only attainable when the Venezuelan people are free to decide Venezuela’s future, yet the Delcy Rodríguez regime has failed to take meaningful actions toward holding elections and restoring democratic order. As international bodies have affirmed time and again, the regime has not taken serious steps to dismantle the Maduro-Rodriguez repressive apparatus that has long terrorized the Venezuelan people. I’m proud to lead this bipartisan resolution with my colleagues restating the United States’ demand for concrete progress toward elections in Venezuela. The authorities in Caracas must immediately and unconditionally release all remaining political prisoners and guarantee that all political actors, including María Corina Machado, can safely return and freely participate in political activity. Every day that passes without progress toward these key objectives represents a step back for the Venezuelan people and their broader struggle for a free, safe and democratic future.”
In October 2025, Sen. Cruz joined his colleagues in introducing a resolution honoring María Corina Machado and commended her for battling the tyranny of the Maduro regime, which continues to retaliate against her and threaten her life. In January 2026, Sen. Cruz called for free and fair elections in Venezuela, where a leader who embraces freedom and free enterprise and wants to do business with America is democratically elected.
Sen. Cruz Leads Bill to Restore State Authority Over Insurance | U.S. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas
Position: The senators support abolishing the Federal Insurance Office and returning insurance regulatory authority to the states, arguing that the FIO represents federal overreach and duplicates state-level regulatory functions.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), and Rand Paul (R-Ky.) reintroduced the Federal Insurance Office Abolishment Act. The legislation abolishes the Federal Insurance Office (FIO) within the U.S. Department of the Treasury, returning sole regulatory authority over the insurance industry to the states.
Sen. Cruz said, “The Federal Insurance Office is a redundant, ever-expanding, unaccountable entity that infringes upon states’ authority to regulate the insurance industry. This legislation will rein in bureaucratic overreach by the federal government and empower state regulators to focus on what is best for consumers in their states.”
Sen. Lee said, “The Federal Insurance Office does not need to exist. It’s an Obama-era expansion of the federal bureaucracy created to intrude on states’ rights. Our bill will formally abolish this needless expense and return insurance regulation to the states, where it has always belonged.”
Sen. Blackburn said, “Insurance regulation has long been, and should remain, a responsibility of the states. The Federal Insurance Office Abolishment Act would eliminate unnecessary federal overreach, cut red tape, and return power to the states.”
In 1945, Congress passed the McCarran-Ferguson Act, solidifying states’ regulatory authority over the insurance industry. Following the 2008 financial crisis, the Federal Insurance Office (FIO) was created by the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, which granted the FIO specific financial stability, monitoring, and international responsibilities. However, these responsibilities duplicate functions within an industry that has long been regulated at the state level and traditionally overseen by state insurance regulators.
The Federal Insurance Office Abolishment Act would eliminate the FIO and restore primary regulatory authority over the insurance industry to the states.
Sen. Cruz previously introduced the Federal Insurance Office Abolishment Act in May 2019, March 2021, and May 2023.
Sens. Cruz, Lee, Colleagues Introduce Bill to End Federal Funding for Gender Transition Research on Minors | U.S. Senator Ted Cruz of Texas
Position: The senators introduce legislation to prohibit federal funding for research on gender transition procedures for minors, characterizing such research as harmful and arguing that taxpayer dollars should not support it.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Mike Lee (R-Utah), Steve Daines (R-Mont.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), and Tommy Tuberville (R-Ala.) introduced the Protecting Our Kids from Harmful Research Act. This legislation prohibits the use of federal funds for research or publications that promote dangerous, life-altering, and irreversible gender transitions for minors.
Sen. Cruz said, “The Protecting Our Kids from Harmful Research Act takes the long-overdue step of prohibiting federal dollars from supporting procedures that involve dangerous, life-altering, and irreversible gender transition research on minors. I am proud to join Senator Lee in this effort, and I urge my colleagues to pass this commonsense legislation.”
Sen. Lee said, “Why is the federal bureaucracy in the child mutilation business? Americans don’t want to pay millions for these disturbing studies where hundreds of kids are experimented on with puberty-blocking drugs. President Trump rightly halted this attack on America’s kids. Our bill will codify his agenda to keep federal dollars out of gender transition research involving minors.”
Sen. Daines said, “It’s critical that taxpayer dollars are never used to experiment on our children. Gender-transition procedures are irreversible, potentially life-threatening, and a form of child abuse. I’m proud to co-sponsor this bill with Senator Lee to keep our children safe from harm.”
Sen. Lankford said, "God creates every child male or female in His perfect image. For too long, taxpayers have been forced to fund sex-rejecting studies on kids. The result has been irreversible physical harm, mental health crises, and families torn apart. President Trump has led the effort to shut down these grants across the federal government, and Congress needs to make it permanent. This bill ensures that not one more taxpayer dollar funds research designed to harm children."
Sen. Blackburn said, “Taxpayers should not be spending a penny on research done by those who want to push harmful gender transition surgeries and radical gender ideology on our kids. The Protecting Our Kids from Harmful Research Act would prohibit the use of federal funds for any research or study on gender transition surgeries for minors.”
Sen. Lummis said, “For years, our tax dollars have funded research that experiments on children using treatments proven to cause irreversible harm. That ends today. Washington has no business bankrolling the radical left’s agenda and calling it medicine, especially when it's our kids on the receiving end. Children deserve to be protected from ideology, not used as subjects for it, and this bill will ensure that the federal government doesn’t fund such experimentation."
Sen. Tuberville said, “Thousands of America’s children have fallen prey to the Radical Left’s woke gender ideology. American families have been lied to for far too long as we know these surgeries cause irreversible harm. Subjecting healthy, developing children to damaging and harmful procedures without a grave medical purpose is BEYOND SICKENING. Taxpayers shouldn’t be forced to pay for these extreme and reckless practices, or any of the left-wing propaganda promoting them. This vile attack on our children ends now with President Trump and his team. I’m proud to join Senator Lee in this crucial bill to stop the abuse of America’s children and enforce the President’s pro-family agenda.”
This legislation is supported by Students for Life Action and the American Principles Project.
Students for Life of America and Students for Life Action President Kristan Hawkins said, "Students for Life Action will always stand for children, born and preborn, protecting them from the harmful abortion industry and their new moneymaker, sterilizing drugs and surgeries. The abortion industry doesn't care what happens to children, as long as they never hold a child of their own. The Protecting Our Kids from Harmful Research Act would protect children from this growing industry that is anti-child and anti-life. Students for Life Action stands with Senator Lee and the Protecting Our Kids from Harmful Research Act."
American Principles Project President Terry Schilling said, “The $4.5 billion Transgender Industrial Complex relies on pseudo-science to justify the sexual mutilation of children. Americans should never foot the bill for 'research' that permanently destroys kids' healthy bodies. The Protecting Our Kids from Harmful Research Act provides commonsense protections to the family and to taxpayers. American Principles Project is proud to work with Sen. Lee on its passage.”
The Protecting Our Kids from Harmful Research Act prohibits the use of federal funds for any research, observational study, or publication relating to gender transitions in individuals under the age of 18, which is conducted for the purpose of affirming a minor’s asserted identity or perception of his or her sex, if such is incongruent with the minor’s biological sex.
Source: GDELT 2.0 GKG, filtered to a curated list of national outlets. Inclusion is not endorsement; opinion pieces and reported news are mixed.
Recent stock activity
Periodic transaction reports filed under the STOCK Act — disclosed by the rep, sourced from public filings.
No disclosed trades on record.
Source: open-data mirrors of the Senate eFD and House Clerk financial-disclosure systems. Disclosure within 30 days of trade is required by law (45 for spouse/dependent trades).
Top PAC donors · 2026 cycle
Political action committees that gave the most to this rep's principal campaign committee this cycle. PAC giving is direct organizational support — industry, ideological, or leadership.
1.SENATE CONSERVATIVES FUNDLeadership8 contributionsMember-of-Congress leadership PAC — supports conservative Senate candidates and coordinates funding aligned with fiscal and social conservative priorities.AI$96,776
2.CLUB FOR GROWTH PACIdeological7 contributionsFiscal-conservative PAC focused on free-market economics and limited government. Backs candidates supporting lower taxes, reduced spending, and deregulation across both parties.AI$84,682
3.AMERICAN ISRAEL PUBLIC AFFAIRS COMMITTEE PACIdeological6 contributionsFederal PAC arm of AIPAC, established 2021. Backs candidates from both parties who support U.S.-Israel security and economic ties.AI$78,615
7.SOUTHWEST AIRLINES PILOTS' ASSOCIATION PAC1 contribution$10,000
8.OORAH! PAC1 contribution$10,000
9.TRUE NORTH PAC1 contribution$10,000
10.ECTOR COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTY1 contribution$10,000
Source: OpenFEC (api.open.fec.gov) Schedule A receipts where contributor type is “committee.” Aggregated by contributing committee. Self-transfers from joint-fundraising / victory committees are excluded.
Top individual contributors · 2026 cycle
Itemized individual contributions over $200 to this rep's campaign committee, aggregated by donor employer. PAC giving is shown above; this section is people, not organizations.
1.INFORMATION REQUESTED PER BEST EFFORTS$109,790
2.ENTREPRENEUR$38,709
3.BGR GROUP$36,300
4.SELF$35,200
5.COMCAST$29,000
6.NU CYBERTEK INC.$17,350
7.FORTRESS INVESTMENT GROUP$15,500
8.MILLER STRATEGIES$15,000
9.D1 CAPITAL$14,000
10.WINKLEVOSS CAPITAL$14,000
Source: OpenFEC Schedule A receipts where contributor type is “individual,” aggregated by the donor's self-reported employer. This is a geographic / industry correlation, not a corporate endorsement.
