Ted Cruz on Environment Republican Texas Senator

EPA ran amok under Obama

Ted Cruz (R): No statement found, but opposed Obama EPA's Clean Power Plan & said EPA ran amok under Obama.

Beto O'Rourke (D): No. Ensure EPA's funding & independence "to exercise oversight of those harming the environment."

Take on EPA and agencies that strangle small businesses

Some of you may be thinking, "that makes common sense to me. Live within your means. Don't bankrupt our grandkids. Follow the Constitution. But can it be done?"

I think where we are today is very much like the late 1970s. Same failed economic policies. Same misery, stagnation and malaise. The same feckless and naive foreign policies. In fact, the exact same countries: Russia and Iran, openly mocking the President of the United States. Why is it that analogy gives me so much hope and optimism? Because we know how that story ended: millions of men and women rose up and became the Reagan Revolution.

Federal government shouldn't own $14 trillion worth of land

Mike pointed out that the value of all that federal land was roughly $14 trillion. At the time, the national debt also happened to be $14 trillion. That suggested to us an obvious & rather elegant solution for eliminating the debt and moving as much land as possible--other than national parks--into private hands.

Don't pick winners & losers like RFS' ethanol in gasoline

"I have every bit of faith that businesses can continue to compete and continue to do well without having to go on bended knee asking for subsidies, asking for special favors," he said. "I think that's how we got in this problem to begin win."

Ethanol proponents argue that because oil companies own gas stations, consumers are unable to access ethanol and therefore it needs the government's support to break through oil's stronghold of the market. Cruz acknowledged that his view wouldn't be well-received: "Look, I recognize that this is a gathering of a lot of folks who the answer you'd like me to give is, 'I'm for the RFS, darn it.' That'd be the easy thing to do. But I'll tell ya, people are pretty fed up, I think, with politicians that run around & tell one group one thing, tell another group another thing.

OpEd: Tweeted joke picture of endangered tiger skin rug

The Washington Post noted that tigers are an endangered species and the mere act of making light of a skinned tiger set off an angry torrent of tweets and posts. Animal advocates sprung with catlike speed to condemn the senators. "If the rug is real, Ted Cruz's use of it reduces a majestic once-living being to a doormat," PETA said.

Cruz's spokeswoman responded that Cruz was kidding and that he had no intention of bringing the tiger back to Washington. Cruz and Lee simply ran across it in Houston and took a picture, she added. She followed up with an email to the paper stating that Cruz's office is not defensive of the picture. "It's unfortunate the same outrage isn't displayed by the left when it comes to defending the lives of unborn babies aborted every year."

OpEd: Tweeted joke picture of endangered tiger skin rug

On his Twitter account Cruz stated: "Did a little shopping for the office with @SenMikeLee in Houston today."

Tigers are an endangered species and the mere act of making light of a skinned tiger set off an angry torrent of tweets and posts, "If the rug is real, Ted Cruz's use of it reduces a majestic once-living being to a doormat," PETA said.

Cruz's spokeswoman responded that Cruz was kidding and that he had no intention of bringing the tiger back to Washington. Cruz & Lee simply ran across it in Houston and took a picture, adding that Cruz is not defensive: "It's unfortunate the same outrage isn't displayed when it comes to defending the lives of unborn babies aborted every year."

Loosen restrictions on predator control in Alaska.

Library of Congress Summary: This joint resolution nullifies the rule finalized by the Department of the Interior on Aug. 5, 2016, relating to non-subsistence takings of wildlife and public participation and closure procedures on National Wildlife Refuges in Alaska.

Case for voting YES by House Republican Policy Committee: The Fish and Wildlife Service rule--which lays claim to more than 20% of Alaska--violates ANILCA (Alaska National Interest Land Conservation Act) and the Alaska Statehood Compact. Not only does [the existing 2016 rule] undermine Alaska`s ability to manage fish and wildlife upon refuge lands, it fundamentally destroys a cooperative relationship between Alaska and the federal government.

Case for voting NO by the Sierra Club (April 6, 2017):

• President Trump signed H.J. Res. 69, overturning the rule that banned `predator control` on federal wildlife refuges in Alaska unless `based on sound science in response to a conservation concern.`
• Any rule mentioning `sound science` is in trouble under a Trump administration.
• So what kinds of practices will the Trump administration now allow on our federal wildlife refuges? Activities that include shooting or trapping wolves while in their dens with pups, or hunting for grizzly bears from airplanes.
• It`s all about ensuring a maximum yield of prey species like elk, moose, and caribou for the real apex predator: humans. So if having more elk requires killing wolf pups in their dens, then so be it.
• The Obama administration`s rule (which Trump revoked) never tried to stop all hunting. Subsistence hunting was still allowed. What`s changed is that the predators on federal wildlife refuges are now under the control of the state of Alaska. And that makes them prey.