During consideration of the budget reconciliation bill (aka the Inflation Reduction Act), Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) made a motion to commit the bill to the Senate Judiciary Committee for changes that would prohibit the Justice Department from using resources to “inappropriately target” or classify parents as “domestic terrorists” based on their engagement with public- school officials.
The Senate rejected Cruz’ motion on August 7, 2022 by a vote of 50 to 50 (Roll Call 316). We have assigned pluses to the yeas because Congress should ensure that executive branch officials do not abridge parents’ freedom of speech or their right to peaceably assemble and petition the government for a redress of grievances, which is protected by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
