Ted Cruz ‘Filibusters’ on the Senate Floor

Senator Cruz has been speaking since 2:41 EST, and I’ve been live tweeting, here. While his filibuster will no doubt fail, his attempt to delay Senate procedure is certainly succeeding. . Livestreaming video, here.

Senator  Lee and Senator Vitter have both offered assists.

Via The Hill: 

The Texas Republican says he will hold the Senate floor until he can’t any longer, but if he really goes on long enough, it’ll be the job of the presiding officer to stop him. That’s because a new day will begin at noon on Wednesday and the Senate will adjourn, somewhat magically.

The vote to limit debate on the motion to proceed to the fiscal 2014 stopgap spending bill — including for the moment the defunding of the 2010 health care law that Cruz supports — will occur no later than 1 p.m. Wednesday, according to a senior Democratic aide.

Cruz gained recognition at 2:41 p.m. Tuesday, aiming, perhaps, to best the nearly 13 hours of controlling the floor that Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., had earlier this year in protest of the Obama administration’s drone policy. In Paul’s case, however, the Senate was not yet operating under a pending cloture motion, meaning that his long speech actually did delay Senate proceedings. (Majority Whip Richard J. Durbin, D-Ill., couldn’t file a cloture motion until after Paul stopped.)

Cruz is sure to get some assistance: Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, has already been in the chamber with Cruz and agrees with his effort to convince GOP senators to oppose the likely Friday cloture vote on the underlying House-passed CR.

“I rise today in opposition to Obamacare. I rise today in an effort to speak for 26 million Texans and for 300 million Americans. All across this country, Americans are suffering because of Obamacare. Obamacare isn’t working, and yet fundamentally there are politicians in this body who are not listening to the people,” Cruz said in opening his remarks. “They’re not listening to the concerns of their constituents. They’re not listening to the jobs lost, to the people forced into part-time work, to the people losing their health insurance, to the people who are struggling. A great many Texans, a great many Americans feel that they don’t have a voice. And so I hope to play some very small part in helping provide that voice for them.”

The RNC has launched a petition to stand with Ted, via Townhall:

SUBJECT: I stand with Ted

[Friend],

In a fight between Harry Reid and Ted Cruz, I will stand with Ted Cruz any day.

Today, Senator Cruz has taken the fight to defund ObamaCare to the Senate floor. I hope you will join me in standing with him in solidarity.

As Republicans, we must remain true to our principles and fight to protect the American people from this reckless law.

55% of Americans disapprove of the manner in which ObamaCare is being implemented, yet Harry Reid and Senate Democrats continue to defend it, even at the expense of keeping the government running.

Harry Reid may think ObamaCare “has been wonderful for America.” But the facts are on our side – ObamaCare is costing Americans higher taxes, fewer jobs, and less access to care.

Join me and stand with Ted today. Sign our pledge and tell Harry Reid to defund ObamaCare immediately!

– Reince Priebus

MORE:

Ted Cruz Takes a Shot at Detractors, ‘Courage’ of Anonymous Congressional Staffers Trashing Him:

Via National Review: Lee: If We Don’t Try, Nothing Will Happen: