ICYMI: Sen. Cruz Joins Empower Texans on Facebook Live

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) joined Empower Texans' Michael Quinn Sullivan today to discuss his most recent efforts on tax reform, Obamacare repeal and replace, NDAA, and Hurricane Harvey recovery, among other topics.

When asked about his priorities for fundamental tax reform, Sen. Cruz discussed the importance of expanding economic opportunity.

"You know if you look historically, every time the federal government has pursued policies of high taxes, a crushing tax code, high regulations, high spending, high debt - the result, predictably over and over and over again is economic stagnation, is relatively few jobs, is wages stuck and not going up. On the other hand, if you look historically, every time the federal government has pursued a policy of cutting the taxes, simplifying the tax code, reducing the regulatory burden on small businesses, the result has been incredible economic growth."

Sen. Cruz continued, highlighting his preference for a simple flat tax: "One of the major principles that I think should govern tax reform is simplicity. Simplifying the code. We right now have seven different rate structures, I'd like to see it drop down to one simple flat tax."

When asked about his efforts to repeal and replace Obamacare, Sen. Cruz discussed the importance of lowering health insurance premiums and expanding consumer freedom.

"The way we get to 50 votes, the way we get the job done, is we focus like a laser on lowering premiums," Sen. Cruz said. "The biggest reason people hate Obamacare is its made premiums sky rocket. The average family's premiums have increased over $5,000 a year under Obamacare and I hear from Texans all over the state, ‘I can't afford health insurance for my family.' The way we lower premiums is through more competition, more options, more choice, more consumer freedom."

Sen. Cruz also discussed his efforts to secure several amendments in the FY2018 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) critical to military readiness.

"In the NDAA there are a lot of very positive amendments that I worked hard to get included, got bipartisan support for, but by far the biggest deal in the NDAA is topline numbers," Sen. Cruz said. "If you look at the really harmful consequences of the Obama Presidency, few areas were more devastated than the military - where our readiness has been dramatically undermined. This NDAA raises the authorization of defense spending to nearly $700 billion, that's an increase of over $100 billion, that is a big, big deal in terms of making sure we are providing the training, the equipment, we are recruiting the Soldiers and Sailors and Airmen and Marines we need to keep this country safe in what has become a much more dangerous world."

Sen. Cruz also discussed the heroism of Texans who risked their lives to save their neighbors from harm's way, and the relief efforts for those affected by Hurricane Harvey.

"During the hurricane we saw amazing heroism," Sen. Cruz said. "We saw first responders, we saw ordinary Texas risking their lives to save their neighbors. As I've called them, rednecks in bass boats, that's the face of Texas. That is who we are, and the country saw the courage and unity and sacrifice and love that characterizes our great state as we came together in the crisis. And I will tell you in the weeks that followed, each of these communities have been helping their neighbors, helping rebuild, helping those whose homes were destroyed. We're going to come through this.

Sen. Cruz continued, "As you noted, Congress just passed a major relief package. When it came of out the House of Representatives it was little over $7 billion. I joined with my colleague John Cornyn in the Senate in doubling the amount of relief that was available to Texas. We took it from $7 billion, up to over $15 billion. That's what Congress passed. Now that is intended to be an initial down payment. Everyone understands that the cost of this storm is going to be much higher than that. But that was designed to get dollars on the ground immediately. Dollars for FEMA to help people rebuild. Dollars for the SBA to help businesses get back on the ground. It's going to take a lot of work. And we've got bipartisan commitments from Washington and from the President that whatever Texas needs to get through this storm, we're going to get."

Watch Sen. Cruz's full interview here.

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