Statement by Senator Ted Cruz in Advance of the President's Address

HOUSTON, Texas — Presidential candidate Ted Cruz released the following statement in advance of President Obama's White House address:

The recent attacks in Paris and San Bernardino have further confirmed that radical Islamic terrorists are at war with the West. The attack in San Bernardino was the worst Islamic terrorist attack on American soil since the attack on Ft. Hood in my home state of Texas.

At the time of that attack, the President insisted that it was a case of "workplace violence" ignoring the clear evidence that it was a terrorist attack. I was proud to have been able to help ensure that each of the victims of the Ft. Hood attack finally received a Purple Heart for their sacrifice.

The reality is that what President Obama, Secretary Kerry and Hillary Clinton have done has not worked. Their policies have in fact made the world more dangerous. It is time for a dramatic shift in both foreign and national security policy.

Tonight when President Obama addresses the nation, I hope that he will acknowledge and take responsibility for the failed policies of his administration and will take concrete steps to reverse the damage done.

He should start by finally calling our enemy by its name. Denying who the enemy is will only delay their defeat. The terrorists call themselves the Islamic State. So tonight, I challenge President Obama to finally acknowledge the enemy that the United States and our allies face. It is radical Islamic terrorism.

Second, after naming our enemy, the President should lay out a bold strategy to defeat ISIS, not to try to change the subject to gun control or the compliant media headline to global warming, but rather lay out a plan for decisive action for victory over evil.

Third, Americans want to know how this administration intends to keep them safe here at home. Border security is national security. We can no longer accept a border that is not secure and the President should announce the immediate steps he will take to ensure that it is.

We now know that one of the attackers was here on a visa. She went through the same background checks that the President says the refugees from Syria will go through. We also know that ISIS has made it clear that they intend to infiltrate the refugees in order to get to the United States. That can't happen.

The President should place an immediate moratorium on refugees from countries with a significant al Qaeda or ISIS presence, such as Syria. I've introduced legislation to make this happen; it is not a desired step, but a necessary step for the security of the United States.

Finally, the President should resist using terrorist attacks to try to take away the rights of law-abiding Americans. Millions of Americans have chosen to protect themselves and their families by purchasing a firearm. This is their right; indeed protecting their families is their obligation. The President should be looking to stop those who would do us harm – not attempting to take away the constitutional liberties of millions of innocent Americans.

The American people know that the threat is very real. They will be looking for the President to address restoring America's role in the world, defeating ISIS, securing the border, and keeping them safe from radical Islamic terrorism here at home.

They want to know the specific steps the President intends to take to keep them safe.

We need American leadership, and we need America winning again. The world does as well.

I look forward to the President's remarks.