Unanimous Consent Requests
Floor Speech
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Mr. CRUZ. Right now, there are six bills that I have passed out of the Senate that are sitting in the House awaiting action. Nearly every bill that the House is refusing to move is overwhelmingly bipartisan and noncontroversial.
Of the 87 bills that have been signed into law in this Congress, nearly twice as many originated in the House as in the Senate. This imbalance is both unreasonable and unacceptable.
I understand that my colleague from Kentucky is interested in getting yet another House bill, H.R. 1276, passed today, and I appreciate the diligence and effort he has devoted to this legislation affecting property in Paducah, KY. But I cannot let this bill become law until there is resolution on either House or Senate inaction.
For instance, Senator Paul is, right now, singlehandedly blocking nearly 20 bipartisan bills that have passed the Senate Commerce Committee from getting through this Chamber. Among them are S. 28, Informing Consumers about Smart Devices Act, my bill with Senator Cantwell; S. 196, the MAIN Event Ticketing Act, by Senator Blackburn; S. 244, the ROUTERS Act, by Senator Blackburn; S. 245, the Insure Cybersecurity Act of 2025, by Senator Hickenlooper; S. 246, the Interstate Transport Act of 2025, by Senator Budd; S. 258, the TORNADO Act, by Senator Wicker; S. 278, the Kids Off Social Media Act, my bill with Senator Schatz; S. 281, the TICKET Act, by Senator Schmitt; S. 289, the Youth Poisoning Protection Act, by Senator Duckworth; S. 314, the Hotel Fees Transparency Act of 2025, by Senator Klobuchar; S. 315, the AM Radio Act, by Senator Markey and myself; S. 434, the Space Commerce Advisory Committee Act, by Senator Peters; S. 580, the Combating CCP Labor Abuses Act of 2025, by Senator Peters; S. 841, the Romance Scam Prevention Act, by Senator Blackburn; and S. 2357, the Young Fishermen's Development Extension Act, by Senator Sullivan.
One of these bills, the Informing Consumers about Smart Devices Act, or ``Spy Fridge,'' as it is known, I have authored along with Commerce ranking member Maria Cantwell and Senators Curtis and Warnock. It very simply requires the packaging or listing of an internet-connected appliance to disclose if the product has a camera or recording capability.
Many Americans do not realize that a growing number of these so- called smart household devices and appliances include cameras and/or microphones that can record them and have the ability to transmit their data without their knowledge. In other words, when Americans buy a new refrigerator, they shouldn't have to worry about their refrigerator recording the conversations with their spouse while they are standing in the kitchen or taking a video recording of them in their own home. Americans deserve to know, at a minimum, if their appliances are doing this.
By my count, Senator Paul has blocked 16 pieces of bipartisan legislation that have been considered and approved by the Commerce Committee. I understand that he has a philosophical objection to all these bills, although I have to say that I am more than a little befuddled by his opposition to the ``Spy Fridge'' bill given his leadership, which I have stood with him on, fighting against unauthorized surveillance. He may be the only libertarian on planet Earth that is fighting to have more surveillance; fighting to have private, intimate conversations in your home recorded without your knowledge. That is certainly not consistent with any libertarianism I have ever heard.
But I will say, I am willing to forgo my objection. I am willing to step back and work with Senator Paul to pass his legislation, despite this widespread blocking of bills, if he will agree, quite reasonably, to lift his hold on the ``Spy Fridge'' bill. That is a reasonable compromise. Ninety-nine Senators support the ``Spy Fridge'' bill. He is the only one who opposes it.
And I would also welcome working with the House to ensure that more Senate bills--good bills--receive timely consideration and are passed out of the House in exchange for lifting my own holds on other House- approved measures.
And so if you are home in Paducah, KY, I want to explain what is about to happen right now. In just a moment, I am going to ask for unanimous consent, and then I want you to listen to Senator Paul because he has total and complete control over whether his legislation about the Boys & Girls Club in Paducah, KY, passes or not.
If he decides we can be reasonable and work together, if he simply doesn't say the words ``I object,'' then his bill will pass and go to President Trump's desk for signature, and my bill protecting you and your home from being surveilled and spied upon will likewise pass and go to President Trump's desk for signature. So Senator Paul has a choice: pass two bills or zero bills.
64, H.R. 859; that the bill be considered read a third time and passed and the motion to reconsider be considered made and laid upon the table.
No. 1, Senator Paul said libertarians only object to the government surveilling them. That is not what I have ever heard from a libertarian. I am not a full-throated libertarian like Senator Paul is, but I am easily one of the most libertarian Members of this body, and I have very strong libertarian leanings. I have spent 14 years in the Senate fighting to protect civil liberties.
The libertarians I have talked to, the Texans I have talked to are not particularly interested in giant corporations spying on them either. The government is not the only bad actor. By objecting, what Senator Paul is saying is that giant corporations can come into your home--can come into your kitchen, can come into your bedroom--can tape- record the most intimate conversations you have, can videotape you, and they don't even have to tell you they are doing that.
Understand, my bill is not prohibiting them from surveilling; it is simply saying: Tell the consumers before you tape-record them or video them.
I thought it was interesting that Senator Paul says: Gosh, this doesn't sound like a very Republican bill.
Well, there are 535 Members of the U.S. Congress, and 534 of them agree with this bill. The only one that does not is Senator Paul. And the result of it is that giant corporations are empowered to spy on you without you ever knowing it.
He secondly mentioned the a.m. radio for every vehicle. Listen, a.m. radio--I have led the fight for 14 years against censorship, against silencing political speech. Censorship comes from government, but it also comes from giant corporations, whether Big Tech, which has been egregious in censoring free speech, or in this instance the giant auto companies that colluded together to remove a.m. radio because a.m. radio, among other things, has been a haven for free speech. Rush Limbaugh would never have been heard in America without a.m. radio; Mark Levin, Glenn Beck, Sean Hannity.
Why do the giant corporations want to take a.m. radio down? Because they want to silence conservative speech. Yet Senator Paul has objected to that bill as well. He is perfectly happy or at least--I don't know if he is happy or not, but his objection suggests he is willing to do nothing to stop corporations from muzzling conservatives and making it impossible for conservatives to speak, for libertarians to speak.
I think putting everything in the control of giant corporations is the very opposite of being a libertarian.
I want to finally speak to the folks in Paducah, KY. Look, I think this bill is a reasonable bill. I would like to see it pass. I have told the author of it in the House, Representative Comer--he is a good friend. He and I have worked together on a number of matters. I am willing to work with him cooperatively to find a way forward for this bill to pass.
It could have passed today.
By the way, at the same time, you would be protected against being surveilled in your home without your knowing it.
But, unfortunately, Senator Paul decided to object across the board, and so at least today, nothing has passed.
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