Reason.com - Free Minds and Free Markets
Reason logo Reason logo
  • Latest
  • Magazine
    • Current Issue
    • Archives
    • Subscribe
    • Crossword
  • Video
    • Reason TV
    • The Reason Roundtable
    • Just Asking Questions
    • Free Media
    • The Reason Interview
  • Podcasts
    • All Shows
    • The Reason Roundtable
    • The Reason Interview With Nick Gillespie
    • The Soho Forum Debates
    • Just Asking Questions
  • Volokh
  • Newsletters
  • Donate
    • Donate Online
    • Donate Crypto
    • Ways To Give To Reason Foundation
    • Torchbearer Society
    • Planned Giving
  • Subscribe
    • Reason Plus Subscription
    • Gift Subscriptions
    • Print Subscription
    • Subscriber Support

Login Form

Create new account
Forgot password

Politics

Sen. Ted Cruz on the Senate Floor Right Now Speaking Against Obamacare Until He Is 'Unable to Stand'

Scott Shackford | 9.24.2013 3:27 PM

Share on FacebookShare on XShare on RedditShare by emailPrint friendly versionCopy page URL
Media Contact & Reprint Requests
Large image on homepages | Cspan2
(Cspan2)

Technically it's not a filibuster, but Republican Texas Sen. Ted Cruz is certainly intending to do his best to simulate one. Right now he's on the Senate floor speaking out in his fight to defund Obamacare and doesn't intend to stop any time soon. He likely has no chance of actually succeeding in his efforts, but like Rand Paul's drone filibuster (which was an actual filibuster), it will get him some attention. The Hill notes:

While Cruz's gambit had the flavor of a talking filibuster, Senate Democrats said it didn't technically qualify because it won't stop a scheduled procedural vote Wednesday that will allow senators to take up the House bill. 

Cruz is attempting to delay — for as long as possible — consideration of a continuing resolution passed last week by the House, which funds the government through mid-December while also stripping funding for the Affordable Care Act. 

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) is expected to advance H.J.Res. 59 with an amendment to remove the House language that defunds ObamaCare. 

A vote to end debate on the motion to proceed is expected Wednesday, and Cruz's actions cannot stop that from happening.

He's been speaking for less than 30 minutes, and I'm about to jump in to livetweet some of his comments at our 24/7 Twitter feed. He's also being televised on CSpan here.

UPDATE, 7:10 P.M. (Eastern): Cruz is still going on, but he's reached the point where his comments have essentially looped and he's repeating his arguments, and so we've brought about an end to our live-tweeting. He started speaking at 2:40 p.m., so it's been 4.5 hours so far. CSpan is still airing his comments for those who want to watch live.

Start your day with Reason. Get a daily brief of the most important stories and trends every weekday morning when you subscribe to Reason Roundup.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

NEXT: Ted Cruz is Giving a Really Long Speech About Obamacare

Scott Shackford is a policy research editor at Reason Foundation.

PoliticsPolicyObamacareTed CruzAffordable Care ActSenate
Share on FacebookShare on XShare on RedditShare by emailPrint friendly versionCopy page URL
Media Contact & Reprint Requests

Show Comments (170)

Latest

Review: This Cat Gamed the Academic Publishing System and Earned High Marks on Google Scholar

Ronald Bailey | From the November 2025 issue

Brickbat: Misplaced Trust

Charles Oliver | 10.17.2025 4:00 AM

How the Military Exposed the Tools That Let Authorities Break Into Phones

Matthew Petti | 10.16.2025 5:15 PM

Trump Adds 3 More Names to the List of Enemies He Wants the Justice Department To Prosecute

Jacob Sullum | 10.16.2025 5:00 PM

Mom Placed on Child Abuse Registry for Letting 13-Year-Old Babysit

Lenore Skenazy | 10.16.2025 2:51 PM

Recommended

  • About
  • Browse Topics
  • Events
  • Staff
  • Jobs
  • Donate
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
  • Media
  • Shop
  • Amazon
Reason Facebook@reason on XReason InstagramReason TikTokReason YoutubeApple PodcastsReason on FlipboardReason RSS

© 2025 Reason Foundation | Accessibility | Privacy Policy | Terms Of Use

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Take Reason's short survey for a chance to win $300
Take Reason's short survey for a chance to win $300
Take Reason's short survey for a chance to win $300