Cruz: Harvey ‘Has Done Historic Damage’ – Houston Mayor Reported ‘Real Shortage of Assets’

On Monday’s “MSNBC Live,” Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) stated that Hurricane Harvey has done damage on a historic scale and the flooding in Houston is worse than anything ever seen before. He also said that he spent yesterday trying to obtain additional assets after Houston’s Mayor, Sylvester Turner, reported that the city had a “real shortage of assets” to rescue people who were trapped.

Cruz said, “[T]he city of Houston and the Texas Gulf coast is reeling. This storm has done historic damage. Here in Houston, my hometown, there have been over 2,000 high-water rescues. And the flooding has exceeded anything the city’s ever seen before. … I think we’re headed torwards getting through this, and we’re going to get through this. But right now, there has been an incredible coordination of assets, of local and state and federal assets all working together, first responders risking their lives to pull people out of harm’s way.”

He added, “Yesterday, when I was speaking to the mayor here in Houston, he conveyed a real shortage of assets, boats and helicopters and high-water trucks to rescue those who were trapped, that the calls to 911 exceeded their capacity. So I spent much of the day yesterday on the phone with federal officials, with the governor, with state officials, trying to marshal additional assets.”

Cruz also expressed confidence that the storm’s victims will receive the help they need from the federal government.

Cruz was also asked about voting against the Hurricane Sandy disaster relief package back in 2012. Cruz stated that this question is “political sniping.” He added that he believes the federal government does have a “vital” role in disaster relief and supports hurricane relief, but the problem with the Sandy relief bill was that it was 2/3ds pork.

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