This is the Ted Cruz
everyone knows and reviles.
Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) is threatening to block State Department nominees, or halt department-related funding, unless President Obama blocks the United Nations from taking up the Iran nuclear deal until later this year.
Cruz, a 2016 presidential contender, sent a letter to the president Thursday saying the U.N. Security Council shouldn't take up the agreement until after Congress has been able to review and vote on the deal.
"I ask that you provide written assurances that you will take all necessary steps to block any UN Security Council resolution approving the JCPOA until the statutory timeline for Congressional review has run its course," Cruz said in the letter. "Until you provide such assurances, I intend to block all nominees for the Department of State and hold any legislation that reauthorizes funds for the Department of State."
The UN Security Council already has the draft agreement and is expected to take it up next week. Cruz says that this has to mean that President Obama intends to circumvent Congress and begin acting to lift sanctions immediate after the UN vote, which the White House denies. Spokesman Eric Schultz told reporters "there is nothing in the Security Council resolution that requires the United States to take action to implement the agreement."
Schultz also pointed out that "Cruz in 2013 threatened to block nominees until Obama nominated an inspector general for the department; in 2014, Cruz threatened to block nominees until the administration answered his questions about a ban on U.S. flights to Israel; and earlier this year, Cruz wanted to cut the department's budget for every 30 days a human rights report was delayed."
It's been a long presidential campaign for Ted Cruz, hasn't it.