Ted Cruz says he won't delay vote on Senate deal

Catalina Camia | USA TODAY

Show Caption Hide Caption Sen. Cruz won't delay bipartisan budget deal Conservative Republican Sen. Ted Cruz says he won't delay a vote on a bipartisan budget deal that will reopen the government and avoid a financial default. (Oct. 16)

Texas senator was leader of GOP push to defund President Obama%27s health care law

Cruz says he%27ll vote against Senate deal to end government shutdown

Texas Republican protested President Obama%27s health care law for 21 hours last month

WASHINGTON -- Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said Wednesday he will not block a vote on the Senate deal to end the government shutdown that's also aimed at averting financial catastrophe.

The Tea Party favorite said he would vote "no" on the deal announced Wednesday by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky. But he said he would not delay a final vote on the measure -- a key concession if the measure is to reach President Obama's desk before Thursday's deadline to raise the debt limit.

"I've never had any intention of delaying the timing of this vote," Cruz told reporters, saying the outcome would remain the same.

Cruz's 21-hour, filibuster-style protest of President Obama's health care law last month helped contribute to the partial government shutdown. He and Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, were key forces behind a GOP push to tie defunding of the Affordable Care Act to a stopgap spending bill to fund the government.

Senate Democrats had insisted that the spending measure, known as a continuing resolution, be "clean" and free of restrictions on the health care law. When the House GOP went along with the strategy to rein in the law they deride as Obamacare, that's when Congress was unable to pass a bill funding the government by Oct. 1, the start of the new fiscal year.

Cruz made his comments about the deal to reporters, at the same time McConnell was speaking on the Senate floor. He said the deal does nothing to address concerns about the health care law.

"It appears the Washington establishment is refusing to listen to the American people," Cruz said. "The deal that has been cut provides no relief to the millions of Americans who are hurting because of Obamacare."

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