Senate

Cruz a ‘hell no’ on spending bill

by Jordain Carney - 12/17/15 6:23 PM ET

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) slammed a 2,009-page spending bill on Thursday, saying he will oppose the measure.

“Typically in the Senate you have two votes, you can vote either yes or no. On this particular matter, my vote I intend to be hell no,” Cruz, who is running for president, told “The John Fredericks Show.” “This is what’s wrong with the Washington Cartel.”

{mosads}The comments come as the Senate is scheduled to vote Friday on the end-of-the-year legislation as well as a separate tax package after leadership got unanimous consent — which requires agreement from every senator — to speed up the votes.

Cruz is the latest Republican to say that he will oppose the spending bill. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), who has been locked in a battle with Cruz over the Republican presidential nomination, also said Thursday that he opposes the spending bill.

Republican Sens. Mike Lee (Utah), Jeff Sessions (Ala.), Richard Shelby (Ala.) and John McCain (Ariz.) have also publicly said they will vote against the legislation.

Cruz took a swing at congressional Republican leadership over concessions made on ObamaCare, the Iran nuclear deal, Planned Parenthood and immigration as part of the omnibus legislation.

“Republican leadership has proven to be the most Democratic leaders we have ever seen,” he said on Thursday. “[This] does not honor the promises we made to the men and women who elected us.”

Cruz’s anti-Washington narrative has been at the heart of his presidential campaign, including raising eyebrows when he called Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) a liar from the Senate floor earlier this year.

Tags Jeff Sessions John McCain Marco Rubio Mike Lee Mitch McConnell Ted Cruz