Sen. Ted Cruz Blocks HK Bill

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) blocked an attempt by other senators to push through legislation that would have granted protection to political activists from Hong Kong. The Hong Kong People’s Freedom and Choice Act of 2020, which had already passed in the U.S. House of Representatives would have granted temporary protected status (TPS) to some residents of Hong Kong in the United States.

According to the South China Morning Post, “With Senators soon to leave Washington for the winter break, Cruz’s objection makes it all but certain that the bill will not pass the Senate in time to be sent to the White House before Congress goes on recess, and will have to be reintroduced in January.”