Ted grew up in Texas. His father, Rafael, fled Cuba after being tortured and imprisoned and came to Texas with just $100 sewn into his underwear. Rafael got a job washing dishes making 50 cents an hour and learned English. He worked hard and attended the University of Texas at Austin, earning a degree in mathematics. He later started a small business in the oil and gas industry. Today, Rafael is a pastor in Dallas.
Sen. Cruz serves on the Armed Service Committee, working to provide the quality care our veterans deserve and have been promised. He has advocated for responsible spending that prioritizes our troops above other military expenditures while scrutinizing every program, like the superfluous algae fuel program, before considering cutting the job or benefits of a single soldier.
In the 2014 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), Sen. Cruz sponsored a provision to expand Purple Heart eligibility to members of the armed forces who have been killed or wounded in an attack inspired or motivated by a foreign terrorist organization, as was tragically the case in the September 11th attacks and the 2009 Fort Hood shooting.
The 2013 NDAA passed by the Senate includes provisions from Sen. Cruz that protect soldiers against discrimination based on their faith; prioritize domestic bases to serve soldiers, veterans and their families; and support the State Department’s Rewards for Justice program which aims to identify and apprehend the terrorists who attacked the diplomatic facilities in Benghazi.