Sen. Cruz on Statewide Tour: Texans Want More Jobs, Higher Wages, and More Opportunity

I recently wrapped up a statewide tour to visit with local workers, families, and job creators. In the past month, I have traveled to El Paso, Goliad, Dallas, Corsicana, Waco, Temple, Brenham, Houston, Port Arthur, Beaumont, Texarkana, Wichita Falls, Midland-Odessa, and San Antonio.

During my time across the Lone Star State, I heard firsthand about the issues important to Texans, including jobs, trade, and economic opportunity.

"Wherever you go in the state of Texas--East Texas, West Texas, you can go to the Panhandle, down to the Rio Grande Valley--Texans want more jobs, we want higher wages, we want more opportunity," I said. "And what Texans understand is it isn't Washington that's producing those jobs. It is not some gray, windowless building in the District of Columbia. It is small businesses; it is farmers and ranchers who are putting capital at risk to create opportunity. That's where jobs come from; they come from the men and women of Texas."

On trade, I outlined my commitment to expanding trade for Texas farmers, ranchers, and businesses:

"I think Texans do better--we succeed when we open up foreign markets," I said. "Our farmers, our ranchers, our small businesses, our manufacturers--we compete on a world stage and we win if we open foreign markets on fair terms."

"No state in the union has more invested in trade with Mexico and Canada then does the great state of Texas and we are good at it," I continued. "A whole lot of jobs--over 2.2 million jobs in the state of Texas depend on international trade. That is a lot of jobs that depend on trade. Now, USMCA, is going to pass? Short answer is, I don't know. I hope so. But I think it is very much an open question whether or not it's going to pass."

I also noted my support for President Trump's efforts to hold China accountable:

"When it concerns China, that is actually the aspect of trade policy of the administration that I agree the most with. China has been a bad actor, it has been a bad actor for a long time. They export massive amounts into the U.S. market, and yet they don't let anything remotely close like that come from us into their market. We don't have fair or reciprocal agreements. And I commend the president for leaning in strong. I think it is entirely appropriate to use U.S. leverage, to try to pressure China to open up their markets. If we can get that done, if the result is the Chinese markets open up substantially, that'll benefit our farmers, our ranchers, our businesses and our manufacturers. I hope we can get that done."

Finally, I reiterated my efforts to expand economic opportunity and energy independence:

"All over the country wages are going up, families are having more disposable income, and the number one state in the union for wages going up is the great state of Texas. We are seeing an enormous boom, and by the way part of that boom is an energy boom. Right now today the United States of America is the world's number one producer of oil and number one producer of natural gas. We are seeing the benefits of economic policies that get government off the backs of small businesses and job creators and let y'all do what Texans do best."

As members of Congress return to Washington, D.C., I outlined my priorities for 28 million Texans:

"Texas is united and strong, and I will continue working to promote trade, secure our border, and expand economic opportunity for every Texan."

Several news outlets covered my travels across the state. Selected news coverage is below:

KXAN: Ted Cruz and George P. Bush denounce El Paso shooting as act of white terror
"In the wake of the mass shooting in El Paso that took the lives of 20 people, Texas Republicans Ted Cruz and George P. Bush have released statements condemning what they say is an act of terrorism and white supremacy. Senator Cruz released a statement about the tragedy Sunday afternoon. ‘As the son of a Cuban immigrant, I am deeply horrified by the hateful anti-Hispanic bigotry expressed in the shooter's so-called ‘manifesto.' This ignorant racism is repulsive and profoundly anti-American,' Cruz wrote. ‘We must speak clearly to combat evil in any form it takes. What we saw yesterday was a heinous act of terrorism and white supremacy. There is no place for this in El Paso, in Texas, or anywhere across our nation.'"

NBC DFW: China Takes Advantage of US on Trade, Cruz Says
"China takes advantage of the United States when it comes to trade, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) says. Cruz visited Dallas Monday to speak to the World Affairs Council of Dallas/Fort Worth. ‘If the result of this is an ongoing trade war with massive tariffs on both sides, that is not a good outcome. That is not good for Texas. That is not good for America,' Cruz said. ‘I hope what will come of this, is the president's use of force will bring China to the bargaining table and get them to open up their markets--get them to allow Texas farmers, Texas ranches, Texas small businesses and manufacturers to get into the Chinese market. That would be a win-win, and that would benefit the state of Texas.'"

CBS DFW: Senator Ted Cruz Wants Felons Who Lie On Gun Background Check Applications Prosecuted
"Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) wants to pass his bill that would prosecute fugitives and felons who lie on their gun background check applications. While the measure would not have prevented the Allen man charged with the deadly shooting rampage in El Paso from obtaining his gun, Cruz said had an earlier version of the bill passed, it would have prevented the November, 2017 mass shooting at the church in Sutherland Springs. ‘When he lied on the background check form and said he didn't have a felony conviction, he didn't have a domestic violence conviction, Grassley-Cruz would have said prosecute him for that felony and that shooter would have been in federal prison.' Under the bill, Cruz said the Justice Department would create a task force to prosecute criminals who try to illegally buy a gun."

KXXV: Senator Ted Cruz stops in Central Texas during his state tour
"U.S. Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas) is making the rounds in a tour across Texas. The first half of the week, he will be visiting Central Texas. Sen. Cruz took a tour of the Oil City Iron Works in Corsicana Monday and had a round table discussion with local leaders. Senator Cruz said his focus on jobs is due to it being the biggest thing people in Texas ask for. ‘My number one priority in the Senate is jobs jobs jobs,' said the senator. He also added that recent data shows that the Lone Star State is booming. ‘Right now, we have the lowest unemployment in 50 years. We have the lowest African-American unemployment that has ever been recorded. We have the lowest Hispanic unemployment ever recorded so Texas is seeing the benefits of common sense, low taxes, low regulations prospering,' said Sen. Cruz. During the round table, he met with community leaders to discuss what he says can greatly impact the country."

Waco Tribune: Cruz backs Trump's stance on trade with China during talk in Waco
"Texas Republican U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz said in Waco Tuesday he supports President Donald Trump's stance on trade with China, calling the country a bad actor that the Obama administration coddled and which continues to deal in bad faith with worldwide trading partners, including the United States. But Cruz said he told Trump imposing a 25% tariff on goods from Mexico would prove devastating to Texas, that it would amount to a dangerous game of chicken in the debate over immigration and Mexico's response to asylum seekers moving toward the United States' southern border. Cruz said one side might blink, but if not, ‘there would be a wreck on a rural road, and two people would be dead.' During a gathering at the Texas Farm Bureau's corporate office in Waco on Tuesday, Cruz encouraged congressional passage of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, which has been signed but not ratified. He believes it would face certain approval in the U.S. Senate but worries House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi would have second-thoughts about introducing it in the House, ‘not wanting to deliver a victory to Trump a year out from the election.'"

Brenham Banner: Cruz talks jobs, enjoys ice cream during Brenham stop
"U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) continued his statewide tour with a stop here Tuesday, visiting Blue Bell Creameries. The senator enjoyed some buttered pecan ice cream while stopping to talk to a few families while Congress is on recess. ‘I'm just visiting with Texans all across the great state. It was just wonderful to tour the creamery here at Blue Bell,' Cruz said. Cruz is taking the time to talk with local workers, families and small business owners about what matters most to them. ‘My number one priority in the Senate from day one has been jobs, jobs, jobs. And the way you get jobs is you let small businesses grow, prosper and expand.' Cruz said. ‘If you look at the last two and a half years, we passed the biggest tax cut in a generation. We've repealed job-killing regulations, and the result of that is the economy is booming. Texas is doing great.'"

Temple Daily Telegram: Cruz talks about immigration, health care during Temple stop
"U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz continued his statewide tour with a stop in Temple on Tuesday to discuss health care, immigration and the economy during a federal policy luncheon held by the Temple Chamber of Commerce. More than 200 local residents and business owners attended the lunch in the Hilton Garden Inn, where the Republican senator spent roughly half an hour talking and then answered questions from the audience."

Beaumont Enterprise: Cruz talks disaster recovery on Harvey anniversary
"Marking two years since Tropical Storm Harvey deluged Texas, Sen. Ted Cruz on Wednesday stopped by a Port Arthur elementary school to see how far recovery has come and talked with local elected officials to see what's left to be done. ‘I don't think there was a town in the entire state hit harder than Port Arthur,' he told fifth-grade students at the elementary school before encouraging them to focus instead on the resilience revealed that by the storm. Cruz said he remembered visiting Staff Sergeant Lucian Adams Elementary School in Port Arthur soon after Harvey hit, talking with residents and volunteering."

Wichita Falls Times Record News: Sen. Ted Cruz talks civility, wind farms and military during Wichita Falls stop
"Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, included Wichita Falls Friday in a series of stops across Texas, where he participated in round table with community leaders. The round table, held Friday at the Dillard College of Business Administration at Midwestern State University, included Wichita Falls Mayor Stephen Santellana and MSU Texas President Dr. Suzanne Shipley. Wichita Falls Mayor Stephen Santellana welcomed Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, to Wichita Falls, where the senator participated in a round table discussion that included Wichita Falls community leaders. The statewide tour started Friday morning in Texarkana before making its way to Wichita Falls in the afternoon."

Midland Reporter- Telegram: Cruz: 'I have been to too damn many of these'
"U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz said Wednesday he has been to too many communities in Texas that have been impacted by mass shootings and he has reintroduced the Grassley-Cruz bill that will strengthen the federal background check system for those purchasing a gun. Cruz rattled off the list of Texas communities that have dealt with mass casualty situations: Dallas, Sutherland Springs, Santa Fe, El Paso and Odessa. There were about 70 shooting deaths in the five communities in three years. ‘I have been to too damn many of these,' Cruz said after his visit with community and law enforcement leaders Wednesday at the Presidential Museum and Leadership Library at the University of Texas of the Permian Basin. ‘We need to come together. We need to marshal law enforcement resources to stopping violent criminals before they carry out these kind of sick mass murders. We need to strengthen our background check system so that we know and prevent felons and fugitives and those with serious mental illness and dangerous mental illness from acquiring guns before they get them. ... We can do all of that while protecting the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens,' he said."