Sen. Cruz: ‘Love and Compassion Unite Us, and Will Move Us Forward’

HOUSTON, Texas – Today U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), his family and members of his U.S. Senate staff cleared debris from a neighborhood in Missouri City affected by Hurricane Harvey. Sen. Cruz also volunteered and visited with evacuees at the NRG Center, before joining Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) and U.S. Reps. Kevin Brady (R-Texas), Al Green (D-Texas), Ted Poe (R-Texas), Randy Weber (R-Texas), Pete Olson (R-Texas), John Culberson (R-Texas) and Shelia Jackson Lee (D-Texas) in a press conference discussing next steps for Congress to pass emergency funding for disaster recovery for the Texas Gulf Coast.

“You are seeing the people of Texas standing united across our state in every community and Americans united all across the country,” Sen. Cruz said. “We’ve been through a horrific tragedy. There are a lot of Texans hurting right now. Yet we are seeing something extraordinary, something breathtaking. A unity of purpose and sharing and love. In the midst of the disaster we saw police officers, and fire fighters, and guardsmen and men and women rescuing their neighbors. Thank you for your heroism. Thank you for your bravery. We will rebuild and we will come back stronger than ever, because of the unity of purpose, and the single-minded resolve and the love that we are seeing across the city. John Cornyn and I in the Senate and the entire delegation in the House are standing together. We are going to see very significant federal relief coming to this state, very significant state relief coming to this state. Governor Abbott is doing a phenomenal job. And together with the same spirit, the same love of freedom, the same fearless determination that a handful of settlers on the bayou had, we will rebuild even greater.”

Sen. Cruz continued, “Yesterday I visited with the people who were hurting in Beaumont, Port Arthur, Nederland and Orange. A couple of days ago in Victoria, and Port Aransas, and Aransas Pass and Rockport. All across this state, we’re hurting. And yet all across this state, the message that each of us has heard over and over again as you’re at a shelter and you visit with someone who’s lost their home, lost everything. And you’re giving two packs of diapers, I’ve heard at least a dozen times, ‘No, no, no. I’ll just take one. Somebody else needs them more than me. Somebody else was hurt more than me. I may have lost my home but thank God I’ve got my babies.’ Seeing over and over again here at the shelters, most of the people here have been volunteering here at the shelters, you’re sitting there serving lunch and turning to the gentleman next to you saying, ‘thank you for being here’ and having them laugh and say, ‘well I’ve got to be here. My house was flooded and this is the only place I have to stay.’ That love and compassion is what unites us, and it’s what’s going to move us forward.”

Last week, Sen. Cruz spent several days in numerous parts of his hometown of Houston visiting storm victims, evacuees, first responders, military officials, volunteers, all who have come together in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey to serve their communities and rebuild. He also traveled to Corpus Christi, Victoria, Lamar, Fulton, Rockport, Aransas Pass, Port Aransas, Refugio, Beaumont, Port Arthur, Orange, Mauriceville and Missouri City to survey storm damage, deliver supplies to storm victims, and offer encouragement to relief workers, emergency management officials, volunteer fire fighters, and law enforcement working around the clock to respond and rebuild. 

Photos from Sen. Cruz's stops last week may be viewed here.

Sen. Cruz, family and U.S. Senate staff clear debris from home affected by Hurricane Harvey.

Sen. Cruz removes damaged sheetrock from flooded home.

Sen. Cruz joins Sen. John Cornyn, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Texas Congressional delegation.

Sen. Cruz visits with storm evacuees at NRG Center.

Sen. Cruz serves meals with volunteers at NRG Center.

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