Rick Noriega Gets His Second Vote In U.S. Senate

Press Release

For the second time in a month, John Cornyn has switched his vote on an issue crucial to Texas families after criticism from U.S. Senate candidate Rick Noriega. Yesterday, after outcry from the Noriega campaign and medical groups such as the American Medical Association, Cornyn switched his vote on a key Medicare bill for politically expedient reasons. Cornyn's vote to support the Medicare Improvements for Patients and Providers Act of 2008 came just weeks after originally voting to block the bill and on the heels of a similar vote switch on the GI Bill. Though Cornyn's eventual vote is a welcome development, the political expediency for his final votes are all-too-typical of his time in Washington.

Unlike Cornyn, US Senate candidate Rick Noriega (D-TX) has pledged to serve as a Senator whose votes always place Texas families first. Noriega has remained consistent in his support for both the Medicare and the GI Bill and does not determine how he votes by scanning the political tea leaves. Cornyn, whose original opposition to the Medicare legislation led to the Texas Medical Association stripping their support for his candidacy, had recently told the Washington DC newspaper Roll Call that he did not plan to change his vote.

"Though we're flattered that John Cornyn adopted our position on the Medicare bill, Texas families deserve a U.S. Senator who will vote the right way because it's the right thing to do -- not because of shifting political winds," said Holly Shulman, spokeswoman for Rick Noriega for Senate. "I guess it's an election year, because after six long years in Washington, John Cornyn is finally realizing the political dangers of ignoring Texas families at the expense of his special interest friends and is trying to make amends."

In May 2008, Cornyn was one of only 22 Senators to vote against the bipartisan Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Act (the GI Bill), which helped honor returning veterans with a range of educational opportunities. He finally reversed course after immense pressure from both sides of the aisle. Noriega, a Lieutenant Colonel in the Texas National Guard, supported the bill for months.

"It's a true indictment of John Cornyn's judgment that he has twice needed weeks of public pressure before he would vote the right way on important legislation critical to Texas families. We deserve a U.S. Senator who will protect their families and values from day one."

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