Press Coverage of Sen. Cruz’s Visit to Rockport and Victoria

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) on Saturday traveled to Rockport and Victoria to receive briefings from local officials and community leaders on Hurricane Harvey recovery efforts. In Rockport, Sen. Cruz held a roundtable discussion with Mayor Pat Rios, County Judge Burt Mills, and other local officials, before touring Cove Harbor Marina and Drystack, which took a direct hit from the storm. In Victoria, Sen. Cruz received a briefing from Mayor Paul Polasek, County Judge Ben Zeller, and other local officials from the surrounding areas.

Several news outlets covered Sen. Cruz’s visit to the Texas Gulf Coast. Selected news coverage is below:

KIII: (VIDEO) Senator Ted Cruz takes tour of Rockport this weekend
“Senator Cruz saw Rockport when buildings were torn and twisted and mobile homes were flipped over. This time around his visit was a lot more promising. One of many stops Cruz made was at the construction site of a boat barn. ‘I saw it just days after the hurricane where you had boats thrown down, I mean absolute devastation,’ Cruz said. Now, he is able to see how the facility is building rebuilt. Cruz said that's his objective is to see how all of the gulf coast is recovering and make sure that information gets back to congress. ‘One of the roles that I've been able to play, and I think it's helpful is hearing the concerns from local fire departments, police chiefs, sheriffs, and mayors and county judges, and making sure the federal government is responding to them,’ he said.”

Corpus Christi Caller Times: U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz surveys Hurricane Harvey recovery efforts in Rockport, Victoria
“U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz traveled to the Coastal Bend this weekend, surveying recover efforts nearly a year after Hurricane Harvey. The Republican senator visited Rockport and Victoria on Saturday. Cruz participated in a roundtable discussion with Rockport Mayor Pat Rios, Aransas County Judge Burt Mills and other local officials, according to a release from the senator's office. The release states he toured the city's Cove Harbor Marina and Drystack, which took a direct him from the Category 4 hurricane. In Victoria, Cruz also received a briefing from Mayor Paul Polasek and other local officials. ‘My office has been very intentional in our efforts to facilitate and expedite the recovery process,’ Sen. Cruz said. ‘One role that I’ve tried to play is be a conduit — is hear the concerns y’all are raising, and make sure your voices are heard in Washington, that the relevant federal officials are listening, are hearing, and are acting.’”

KZTV: (VIDEO) Sen. Cruz Visits Rockport and Victoria
“Senator Ted Cruz visited Rockport and Victoria today to get a look at the recovery efforts nearly 11 months since Hurricane Harvey hit. Cruz met with city officials and community leaders in both locations. There was also a roundtable discussion that included Senator Cruz Rockport Mayor Pat Rios, County Judge Burt Mills and other officials. Cruz toured Cove Harbor Marina and Drystack, which took a direct hit.”

Victoria Advocate: Senator meets with Crossroads leaders for Harvey recovery update
“Sen. Ted Cruz met with leaders from throughout the Crossroads on Saturday afternoon to receive an update on Hurricane Harvey recovery efforts. Victoria County Judge Ben Zeller said Cruz reached out to him to set up a roundtable discussion in Victoria in order to get a better idea of what challenges residents continue to face almost a year after Hurricane Harvey struck the area. Zeller said up to 30 city, county and law enforcement officials from throughout the Crossroads, including state Rep. Geanie Morrison, were present at the meeting, which took place at the Victoria County Emergency Operations Center. ‘It was a good, productive meeting. It was a chance for us to visit directly with Senator Cruz about challenges we continue to face, such as the need to streamline processes through FEMA and the need to maintain local decision-making in times of emergency,’ Zeller said. […] Cruz also visited the town of Rockport, which took a direct hit from Hurricane Harvey.”

KAVU: (VIDEO) Senator Ted Cruz meets with Crossroads community leaders
“Senator Ted Cruz came down to the crossroads to meet with community leaders about the Harvey recovery. ‘In the process of rebuilding, we are making real and serious strides, we still got a distance to go, there is still a lot of people hurting and still a lot more work to be done,’ tells Sen. Ted Cruz, U.S. Senator. Senator Cruz addressed concerns that community leaders voiced regarding hurricane relief efforts. He also spoke on his work he's done so far in long-term recovery legislation in Washington. ‘I will tell you that I’m also gratified to been able to help shepherd through four major disaster relief bills through Congress direct to Hurricane Harvey. Both billions of dollars of funding, funding that has gone to Texans, over 30 billion dollars have gone directly to Texans to address hurricane relief,’ explains Sen. Cruz. Cruz says he is urging residents to keep applying for hurricane relief funds. ‘Some folks filed applications and they may have had them turned down and if that’s the case I would encourage folks to file again and get your paperwork on file. That’s one of the things I been urging FEMA to do is trying to get FEMA to be clear, to make it easier for people understand what they have to file to get the relief they are entitled to,’ said Sen. Cruz.”

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