More Than Talk: Ted Cruz’s Record Defending Life and Family

Ted Cruz has been on the front lines defending life and standing up for marriage when it has come under assault from activist judges.

• In January 2015, Cruz co-sponsored a bill to create a federal ban on abortion after 20 weeks of pregnancy and urged Congress to take up the legislation.
• In March 2015, Cruz introduced two resolutions of disapproval to the D.C. Ordinances, one, the Reproductive Health Non-Discrimination Amendment Act, could require pro-life organizations to fund abortion services in employee’s health care and could force them to hire someone who supports abortion. The House passed the resolution, but unfortunately, the Senate failed to bring it before committee.
• In May 2013, Cruz co–sponsored Sen. Mike Lee’s resolution to investigate abortion practices in the U.S. in light of the Kermit Gosnell case. He spoke on the floor and condemned Gosnell’s unspeakable crimes.
• Argued (successfully) before the Supreme Court in defense of the federal ban on partial-birth abortion.
• Successfully defended in federal court Texas’s Rider 8, which prohibits state funds for groups that provide abortions.
• In April 2015, Cruz introduced a marriage amendment and bill to defend states that define marriage as between one man and one woman.
  • The Restoration of Marriage Amendment amends the Constitution to guarantee the right of the people to define marriage in their laws as the union of one man and one woman and to prevent the courts from ever again misconstruing the Constitution to require that marriage or its benefits be extended to unions other than the union of man and woman.
  • The Protect Marriage from the Courts Act of 2015 bars federal courts from ruling on state marriage laws. Pursuant to Congress’ power under Article III of the Constitution to limit the jurisdiction of the lower federal courts and to make exceptions to the appellate jurisdiction of the Supreme Court, this legislation restricts the jurisdiction of federal courts to determine the constitutionality of state laws defining marriage as the union of one man and one woman.
• In April 2015, Cruz joined an amicus brief supporting the right of states to define marriage
  • Summary: defending states’ marriage laws against the proposed right under the 14th amendment that all same-sex couples have the right to marriage
• In February 2015, Cruz reintroduced the State Marriage Defense Act. He originally introduced it in February, 2014.
• Co-sponsored the First Amendment Defense Act, which would prevent any federal agency from denying a tax exemption, grant, contract, license, or certification to an individual, association, or business based on their belief that marriage is a union between a man and a woman.