Colorado Dem to Cruz: Crocodile tears are too hard for me to take

SAN ANTONIO (KTSA News) — A U.S. senator from Colorado called out Sen. Ted Cruz’s so-called “crocodile tears” regarding the government shutdown and border security.

After the Texas senator spoke on the Senate floor Thursday afternoon, Colorado senator Michael Bennet rose to contradict Cruz.

“These crocodile tears that the senator from Texas is crying for first responders are too hard for me to take,” the Democrat said at the beginning of his statement.  “They are too hard for me to take because when the senator from Texas shut this government down in 2013, my state was flooded.  It was underwater.  People were killed. People’s houses were destroyed.  Their small businesses were ruined forever.  And because of a senator from Texas, this government was shut down.”

Bennet would continue, stating that the only reason why the government is currently shut down is because of the shortcomings of President Donald Trump.

“How ludicrous it is that this government is shut down over a promise the President of the United States couldn’t keep,” he stated in the fiery speech. “‘Have the Mexicans pay for it’ isn’t true!  That’s why we’re here!”

Bennet pointed out how the president is no longer calling the proposed border barrier a wall and using different names for it. He claimed the Senate had actually passed a border security bill years ago that would have funded part of a border barrier, plus would have hired more border patrol agents and other security upgrades.

The Colorado Democrat said it was never voted on in the House because of the Hastert rule.

The Hastert rule — an informal rule — mandates that the majority of the majority party in the House must approve a proposed piece of legislation before it can be brought up to a vote.

Bennet said it is a shame that while the U.S. government is shut down over this impasse, other countries like China are moving forward with infrastructure improvements and space missions.

He also noted the absurdity that the federal government is still operating with massive deficits, despite unemployment levels being at near record lows.

Two bills aimed to reopen the government — one proposal designed by the president and another from House Democrats — both failed in the Senate Thursday.