TEMPLE, Texas — Sen. Ted Cruz met with the Temple Chamber of Commerce in a video conference call Tuesday. Cruz talked about the need to re-open the Texas economy.
"If we continue shelter-in-place, that's going to be devastating for the economy," Cruz said. "For young healthy people, it makes sense to go back to work."
Cruz said he believes Congress would approve additional funding for the Payroll Protection Program.
Cruz's main goal is to reopen the local economy and get Texans working once again. To do that though, Cruz said the state will need to confront three problems at once.
"We are going to make it through this. We will do so the same way we have done before. by standing united," Cruz said.
The first problem is the danger to health, but Cruz said the recent rends he has seen are positive.
"We have made meaningful progress in terms of flattening the curve and slowing the rate of transmission," Cruz said.
The second problem is the threat to the Texas economy. Cruz said the best remedy to get everyone back to work, is if there is a safe way to do it.
"I have been leaning in hard saying Texans want to go back to work. We are ready to go back to work. The economic consequences of what we are doing, are really proving devastating," Cruz said.
Cruz said the third problem is that Russia and Saudi Arabia have flooded the oil market and have tried to put local energy producers out of business.
Crus said a group of senators has already met with Saudi Arabia multiple times to try and convince them to change course.
"They've been as brutal as any conversations I've had with foreign leaders in my entire time in the Senate," Cruz said.
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