Sen. Ted Cruz Rafael (Ted) Edward CruzThe Hill's Morning Report - Sponsored by Facebook - Washington on edge amid SCOTUS vacancy Murkowski: Supreme Court nominee should not be taken up before election Battle lines drawn on precedent in Supreme Court fight MORE (R-Texas) is meeting with conservative lawmakers in both chambers to build support for a showdown with the White House over funding the government and power over the internet.

Cruz wants a stopgap measure to fund the government to include a rider that would block the administration from relinquishing the special oversight role the United States has had over the internet since its inception.

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“To stop the giveaway of our Internet freedom, Congress should act by continuing and by strengthening the appropriations rider in the continuing resolution that we will be considering this month,” Cruz said in a floor speech Thursday, referring to the stopgap.

Cruz has kept a low profile since ending his presidential campaign last summer.

He appeared at the Republican National Convention but refused to endorse GOP nominee Donald Trump Donald John TrumpBubba Wallace to be driver of Michael Jordan, Denny Hamlin NASCAR team Graham: GOP will confirm Trump's Supreme Court nominee before the election Southwest Airlines, unions call for six-month extension of government aid MORE for president and was jeered as he left the stage.

The Texan retains ambitions for a future White House run, however, and the internet cause is popular with conservatives who argue that giving up U.S. oversight of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers would empower U.S. rivals such as Russia, China and Iran.

The ICANN manages the domain name system, and the Obama administration intends to relinquish power to an international group of stakeholders.

Cruz, echoing conservatives, argues that maintaining U.S. control will ensure the web will continue to operate freely.

The prospect of Cruz leading rank-and-file House Republicans — including members of the House Freedom Caucus — into a last-minute fight with President Obama over a government funding resolution would be a rerun for the Texas senator, who was blamed by his colleagues for causing a 2013 government shutdown over an ObamaCare fight.

It’s also a headache for Speaker Paul Ryan Paul Davis RyanKenosha will be a good bellwether in 2020 At indoor rally, Pence says election runs through Wisconsin Juan Williams: Breaking down the debates MORE (R-Wis.) and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellGraham: GOP will confirm Trump's Supreme Court nominee before the election Trump puts Supreme Court fight at center of Ohio rally The Memo: Dems face balancing act on SCOTUS fight MORE (R-Ky.), who both want to avoid even the slightest chance of another government shutdown.

McConnell wants to take up the continuing resolution as soon as possible and with a minimum of conflict so vulnerable Senate Republicans can get back to their home states to resume campaigning.

“If we’re able to reach an agreement on the [continuing resolution], we’ll turn to that next week,” he told reporters Wednesday.

The 2013 shutdown sent the GOP’s approval rating into a tailspin, and McConnell vowed never to let it happen again.

Adding a partisan fight over internet oversight would complicate McConnell’s goal of getting a deal quickly. But it will be difficult to ignore Cruz, a persistent thorn in McConnell’s side.

The Texas freshman has the ear of Senate Commerce Committee Chairman John Thune John Randolph ThuneGraham: GOP will confirm Trump's Supreme Court nominee before the election Tumultuous court battle upends fight for Senate What Senate Republicans have said about election-year Supreme Court vacancies MORE (R-S.D.), a member of McConnell’s leadership team, and Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley Charles (Chuck) Ernest GrassleyGardner signals support for taking up Supreme Court nominee this year Grassley, Ernst pledge to 'evaluate' Trump's Supreme Court nominee McConnell digs in on vow to fill Ginsburg's Supreme Court seat MORE (R-Iowa), who is facing his most competitive reelection race yet.

Thune and Grassley signed a letter to Attorney General Loretta Lynch and Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker Penny Sue PritzkerThe Hill's Morning Report - Sanders steamrolls to South Carolina primary, Super Tuesday Biden's new campaign ad features Obama speech praising him Obama Commerce secretary backs Biden's 2020 bid MORE Thursday raising concerns over the plan to cede the Commerce Department’s oversight over the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority to other countries.

“The transition of the IANA functions to the global multi-stakeholder community is a serious groundbreaking and potentially unalterable action,” they warned, asking the officials to “reconsider the administration’s current plans.”

House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Fred Upton (R-Mich.) and House Judiciary Committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte Robert (Bob) William GoodlatteNo documents? Hoping for legalization? Be wary of Joe Biden Press: Trump's final presidential pardon: himself USCIS chief Cuccinelli blames Paul Ryan for immigration inaction MORE (R-Va.) also signed the letter.

It’s not clear that a rider would stop the administration. Cruz believes strongly drafted language would be effective, but Democrats say the issue falls squarely within Obama’s authority.

Cruz believes the administration must obtain express permission from Congress before going forward, while the administration sees it differently, adding another chapter to the long debate between Obama and GOP congressional leaders over executive power.

“Congress has for several years now prohibited the administration from using any funds to ‘relinquish control of the internet’ and yet in typical lawless fashion, the Department of Commerce has been racing to relinquish control by Sept. 30,” Cruz said on the Senate floor.

He will hold a hearing as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Oversight and Agency Action Subcommittee to review the issue.

Cruz has also been in contact with Rep. Sean Duffy Sean DuffyCNN's Ana Navarro to host Biden roundtable on making 'Trump a one-term president' Bottom line McCarthy blasts Pelosi's comments on Trump's weight MORE, a third-term Republican from Wisconsin, who is leading the effort in the House.

On the other side of the Capitol, Duffy has pressed Ryan to include language in the continuing resolution that would block the administration from ceding power on Oct. 1.

Duffy has a bill blocking the transfer cosponsored by 20 GOP colleagues, such as House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Kevin Brady Kevin Patrick BradyBusinesses, states pass on Trump payroll tax deferral Trump order on drug prices faces long road to finish line On The Money: US deficit hits trillion amid pandemic | McConnell: Chance for relief deal 'doesn't look that good' | House employees won't have payroll taxes deferred MORE (Texas) and Republican Study Committee Chairman Bill Flores William (Bill) Hose FloresPatient Protection Pledge offers price transparency Texas GOP lawmaker calls for 'carbon neutral' but 'energy dominant' future OVERNIGHT ENERGY: Biden calls climate change one of America's four major crises | National parks chief says coronavirus staff shortages shouldn't prevent access | Trump hits California officials over wildfires MORE (Texas) and several members of the House Freedom Caucus: Reps. Jim Bridenstine James (Jim) Frederick BridenstineNASA is in the market for moon rocks Overnight Defense: Trump hosts Israel, UAE, Bahrain for historic signing l Air Force reveals it secretly built and flew new fighter jet l Coronavirus creates delay in Pentagon research for alternative to 'forever chemicals' Trump offers promises for the Space Force and NASA for the second term MORE (Okla.), Dave Brat (Va.) and John Fleming John Calvin FlemingTrump wants Congress to delay Census deadlines amid pandemic Meadows sets up coronavirus hotline for members of Congress The Hill's Morning Report - Iran strikes US bases in Iraq; Trump to speak today MORE (La.).

If Congress fails to act by the end of the month, the transfer will take place, giving Cruz leverage in his effort to push fellow Republicans to take a stand on the funding stopgap, which must pass by Oct. 1.

So far GOP leaders have been noncommittal in response to pressure from within their caucus to add language to the short-term funding bill blocking the administration from taking action.

The omnibus spending bill that passed last year included such a provision, but it expires at the end of September.

“A continuing resolution without corrective language would not extend the prohibition rider,” a GOP aide noted.

The White House budget office declined to say Friday whether adding language to stopping the transfer of internet oversight would draw a veto threat from the president.

A senior Senate Democratic aide suggested legislative language might not have any impact “since the transition is governed by a contract.”