Ted Cruz: Year End Spending Bill Is Lobbyists' Christmas Present; 'Belongs In An Ashtray'

CBS 11 Political Reporter Jack Fink did a comprehensive interview with Senator Ted Cruz.  The following is one of the topics they discussed.

NORTH TEXAS (CBSDFW.COM) — United States Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) called the spending bill that passed the United States Senate Friday a "$1.4 Trillion spending monstrosity that is a lobbyists Christmas present." The bill now heads to President Trump's desk.

In a video posted on Twitter Wednesday, Cruz tweeted, "The spending bill the Senate is voting on tomorrow is lobbyist boondoggle that belongs in an ashtray."

Earlier, Cruz told CBS 11 Political Reporter Jack Fink the bill was "just disgraceful." Cruz said the Bill was over 2,000 pages and they had only received the Bill within the last 24 hours.

"Nobody's actually read the substance and it's an example of why the national debt is spiraling out of control," Cruz said.

On Thursday, Cruz released a statement after voting against the bill.

"With a $23 trillion national debt, this 2,313-page spending package that Congressional leaders unveiled just days ago represents everything Americans hate about Washington," Cruz said.

"Though there are several good provisions included in the final bills that I was proud to fight for, including a well-deserved pay raise for our men and women in uniform and additional support for our Armed Forces and veterans, this $1.4 trillion spending monstrosity plunges our nation even further into debt – haphazardly spending taxpayer dollars on the priorities of lobbyists and Democrats at the expense of the priorities of the American people, from funding Planned Parenthood, sanctuary cities, and Obamacare, to raising the tobacco purchasing age to 21," Cruz continued.

The senator characterized the bill as a "deal cut in the back room" between U.S. Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Republican leadership.

"It grows the government without putting any real checks on it," he said.

"We've got to have congress actually do its job, pass appropriations bills one at a time and spend money responsibly for the tax-payers instead of just continuing business as usual as the Washington swamp sadly has done far too long," Cruz told CBS 11.

Cruz went on to say in his statement Thursday that bills should be passed that focus on priorities of the American People.

"This ridiculous, rushed, end-of-year spending process, year after year, is an example of government of the lobbyists, by the lobbyists and for the lobbyists," he said. "Instead of funding liberal Democrat's priorities and running up bills we cannot pay, we should be fighting for the common-sense priorities of the American people, like providing families with more education opportunities and freedom, securing our border and reducing the burden of federal taxes and regulations on workers, families and local job creators. These are the priorities I will continue to fight for in the Senate."

President Trump is expected to sign the bill.

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