Senate

McConnell, GOP senators slam Cruz

by Jordain Carney and Kevin Cirilli - 07/26/15 2:25 PM ET

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and other Republicans on Sunday criticized their colleague Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), who on Friday accused McConnell of lying about a deal to revive the Export-Import Bank.

Cruz hit McConnell hard on Friday for allowing a vote on Ex-Im, which expired last month. But McConnell said there should be nothing wrong with having a vote on the issue.

{mosads}”I don’t see a reason why they shouldn’t be allowed a debate and then a vote,” the Republican leader said from the Senate floor. “When there is some overwhelming bipartisan support for an idea, even if I oppose it, it doesn’t require some special deal to see a vote occur on that measure.”

Ex-Im supporters in a floor vote earlier this year showed that a strong majority in the Senate want to extend the bank.

Other Republicans close to McConnell argued that Cruz’s push would create “chaos” in the Senate. Some also accused the presidential candidate of playing politics.

Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) lamented in a floor speech that the upper chamber had been a place where “colleagues treat each other with respect.”

“Squabbling and sanctimony may be tolerated on the campaign trail but not in here,” Hatch said.

He called for an end for senators using the Senate floor as a means of “advancing personal ambitions” to “promote a personal campaign” and “fundraise.”

Cruz on Sunday is asking the Senate to overturn a ruling that blocked him from offering his own amendment to the federal highway spending bill. McConnell used a Senate procedural tactic on Friday that prevents additional amendments from being considered.

Sen. Lamar Alexander (R-Tenn.) said in a floor speech that Cruz’s effort “would destroy regular order in the Senate.”

“It would create chaos in the Senate,” Alexander said.

Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) said on the Senate floor that Cruz’s effort would create “chaos.”

“We will lose all control of the Senate’s schedule,” he said on the Senate floor. “I certainly don’t think it’s in the best effort of the American people.”

Cornyn said that “there was no misrepresentation made by the majority leader on the Ex-Im Bank.”

On the floor Friday, Cruz said McConnell in a private conversation denied to him that there was no deal to allow a vote on Ex-Im.

This story was updated at 3:09 p.m.

Tags John Cornyn Lamar Alexander Mitch McConnell Orrin Hatch Ted Cruz