Issues

Where the senator stands. Sort of.

• Standing Up To The Second Amendment.

  In 2022 the establishment needed somebody to carry the water for a “bipartisan” gun bill. That somebody was John Cornyn. He didn't write the bill for the NRA or your local range; he brokered the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act with the other side so the Senate could say it had “done something” after Uvalde. The result: red-flag-style programs, “boyfriend loophole” closure, extra background-check time for young buyers, and a lot of talk about “law-abiding gun owners” not being the problem. His colleague from Texas, Ted Cruz, voted no and said the bill was meant to “satiate the urge to 'do something.'” Cornyn voted yes. Washington got its deal. Texas Republicans at the state convention booed him and called him a RINO. Standing up to the Second Amendment has its price.

• Protecting The FBI From Having To Get A Warrant To Spy On You.

  In 2016 the House passed the ECPA Amendments Act—a privacy bill requiring the government to get a warrant for older emails and better protect electronic communications. It passed 419–0. Senator Cornyn, then Senate Majority Whip, saw an opportunity: the same bill could expand the FBI's warrantless powers. His amendment would have let the feds use National Security Letters to get Americans' login history, length of service, payment information, IP addresses, and session times—no warrant. He told the Judiciary Committee it was an FBI “legislative priority” and “reflects the Obama administration's position. You don't usually have me coming in here advocating for the administration's position, but I happen to agree.” The amendment failed by two votes. He tried. They'll be back.

• Fighting To Save Wall Street From The Consequences Of Their Own Actions.

  When the banks and big funds were “too big to fail.” Congress passed TARP—the Troubled Asset Relief Program—and John Cornyn voted yes. He fought to save Wall Street from the consequences of its own actions: socialized the losses, kept the right people solvent. You paid; they got bailed out. They got rescued; you got the bill and a lecture about stability.

• He Won't Stop Until Your DNA Is Secure ... In A Federal Database.

  John Cornyn won't stop until your DNA is secure in a federal database. He sponsored a bill allowing law enforcement to take DNA samples from anyone arrested or detained by federal authorities—and store that information in a central database. Not “convicted.” Arrested. Detained. That's the kind of security the establishment loves: bypass "Innocent until proven guilty", build the roster first, ask questions later. You may be innocent, but that won't stop him.

• Saving The People From 'Distractions' Like The Epstein Files.

  At a July 2025 Senate hearing, after a push for the Epstein files to be made public, John Cornyn pushed back: “To our colleagues, the intrigue and salacious details of the Epstein case are a great distraction from the issues that make a meaningful difference in the lives of ordinary Americans.” In September, when an amendment was offered to the defense bill to require the Justice Department to release its Epstein-related case files, the Senate voted 51–49 to table it. Cornyn voted to table, preventing release. He's saving the people from distractions—and the list of names in those files from the light of day.

• Defender Of Trump's Cabinet From Trump's Cabinet Picks.

  John Cornyn is a defender of Trump's cabinet—from Trump's cabinet picks. When the president demanded that the next Majority Leader allow recess appointments so his cabinet could be filled without endless confirmation battles, Cornyn was running for that job and signaled support: if Democrats blocked nominees, Republicans should “stay in session, including weekends, until they relent.” Then he flipped. He told reporters that circumventing the Senate’s responsibilities was wrong and that it was “premature” to talk about recess appointments—while he and his colleagues were blocking the president’s picks, including Congressman Matt Gaetz for U.S. Attorney General. Sometimes the best way to defend the cabinet is to make sure it stays empty.