ICYMI: Sen. Cruz Discusses Job Growth and Support for Agriculture in West Texas Tour

LUBBOCK, Texas -- U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) on Friday toured Sage Oil Vac in Amarillo, where he held a roundtable discussion with employees, local community leaders and elected officials. Following his visit in Amarillo, Sen. Cruz met with members of Farmers Cooperative Compress in Lubbock.

Several media outlets covered Sen. Cruz’s visit. Selected news coverage is below:

MyHighPlains.com: Senator Ted Cruz Visits Local Amarillo Business

“Employees, community members, and leaders heard the top four priorities Senator Ted Cruz believes could make this Congress the most productive in decades. Senator Cruz was hands-on during his tour of Sage Oil Vac, but repealing Obamacare is on his mind. Cruz said although they have had a rough couple of weeks in the repeal effort, he thinks they are closer to getting rid of it. ‘I think in the senate, we are at about 45, 46 votes, we need 50,’ said Senator Cruz. ‘We're not there, we need another 4 or 5. I believe we can get it and the key to uniting Republicans to delivering on that promise is focusing like a laser on lowering premiums.’”

KCBD: Sen. Ted Cruz talks cotton at Lubbock's Farmers Cooperative Compress 

“Senator Cruz visited Farmers Cooperative Compress in Lubbock to talk cotton with South Plains farmers and producers. However, he said his own issues for Congress to tackle to benefit Texans and the United States are repealing the Affordable Care Act, enacting tax reform, as well as regulatory reform. He also hopes to see more confirmation of who he calls strong, constitutionalist judges. ‘My focus every day is working on those four priorities,’ Cruz said. ‘My message to the President, the administration, to the Senate, to the House, “Let’s do what we said we would do.”’ With those four goals accomplished, Cruz believes job and economic growth will come to the United States. Farmers expressed their desire to make cotton the priority in the next Farm Bill. They requested Cruz work to make cotton a main beneficiary. Folks in the audience told the Senator they are worried about falling commodity prices, the protection of farmers in trade negotiations and the future availability of crop insurance. ‘I’m focused on fighting for cotton farmers, that we can have food and fiber stability and strength and that cotton shouldn't be treated as a second class citizen,’ Cruz said. ‘It ought be treated fairly just like other crops.’”

KAMC/EverythingLubbock.com: Sen. Ted Cruz Addressing Agriculture Issues in the South Plains Friday

“‘What Texans want, West Texas and East Texas, the Panhandle, and the Valley is we want jobs,’ Cruz said. ‘We want more jobs, we want more opportunity, we want wages going up, we want a better future for the next generation.’  A crowded room did not waste the opportunity to discuss farmer insurance and crop protection with the Senator. Because some argue cotton production is the leading industry for the local economy, estimating $12 billion dollars in profit in the region. ‘Getting cotton back in the Commodity Title and the Farm Bill is vital,’ Meadow Farmers Co-Op's General Manager Dan Jackson said. ‘That's vital for my guys to be able to survive and operate. The insurance program is wonderful, it's a great safety net. It allows them to go to the bank and borrow money so they can continue to do what they do.’ Title One for cotton, Farm Bill 18, crop protection, and farmer insurance were the main concerns discussed in the meeting Friday. ‘I'm focused for cotton farmers, that we can have food and fiber stability and strength,’ Cruz said. ‘Cotton shouldn't be treated as a second class citizen. It ought to be treated fairly like other crops. So that's what I've been urging the Department of Agriculture to do, urging the administration to do is treat cotton fairly, and also work to tear down barriers to trade.’”

Still photos and videos from Sen. Cruz’s visits may be viewed here.

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