Coronavirus: 'Texans Want To Get Back To Work' & More Testing Needed Says Senator Ted Cruz
NORTH TEXAS (CBSDFW.COM) — Texas Senator Ted Cruz said Friday that he is working with President Trump's administration to get more coronavirus testing in the State of Texas. He also said that Texans want to get back to work.
Cruz, who is on the President's task force to reopen the economy, told CBS 11's Jack Fink about the need for rapid testing that will ultimately get citizens back to work.
"The new Abbott Labs rapid test that does a 10-minute test is a major improvement over the test that took four or five, six days," said Cruz. "Abbott Labs is producing about 50,000 of those a day and I urge the president and the administration to lean in and get those tests available, to get them in Texas, get them on the ground [and] get them in hospitals. That will play a major part in helping combat this pandemic."
Cruz said he also emphasized the use of antibody tests.
"You can prick your finger and test the blood and see if you've encountered the virus and have some immunity," said Cruz. "The vice president said on the call yesterday that they're expecting — by the end of the month — to see antibody tests produced at a rate of 20 million per month. So that was an encouraging sign."
The second big thing he urged them to do, Cruz said, was to go down the path they're going down, which is to prioritize reopening the economy.
"Texans want to get back to work. We want to do so in a way that's safe. We want to do so in a way that's prudent and protects public health."
Cruz stressed that he thinks the downturn in the economy could have just as bad if not worse effects on citizens than the virus itself.
"Texans recognize that the consequences of freezing our economy, of shutting down millions of businesses," said Cruz. "The economic disaster we're seeing right now has very real public health consequences."
The senator said that in four weeks 22 million people — or 10% of the U.S. Workforce — have lost their jobs and that extending "this freeze" for months to come will have serious consequences.
"We know there will be very real mental illness issues. We know there will be issues of depression. We know there will be increased rates of suicide, increased rates of alcohol abuse and substance abuse. All of those will cost lives," he said.
He also stressed that hospitals needed to be able to continue other procedures as well.
"If we continue the practice of suspending all elective medical procedures that will cost lives," Cruz said. "Just because it's elective doesn't mean it's not helpful or beneficial or that a doctor hasn't said this is a step you should take."
Cruz said he thinks the President's guidelines to reopen the economy make a lot of sense.
"I believe we should lean in to getting Texans back to work," said Cruz. "That may mean using protective gear — using masks and gloves where appropriate — that may mean social distancing," Cruz continued. "Restaurants may have to reconfigure their dining rooms to spread the tables out further so that you can have greater social distance between the diners."
He continued to say that the cost of human life as a result of economic and mental stresses should be taken into account as well as the loss of life from COVID-19.
"We should take reasonable steps to mitigate the spread of the disease but we should recognize deaths on both sides of the ledger. The objective needs to be to minimize death to protect human life to the maximum extent possible," he said.
Cruz was asked what he thought about some reports in the media that Texas is second to last — per capita — in testing.
"It is a concern in Texas we need more tests here. That is an issue," he said. "I've been working closely with the administration to get more tests."
But said that there are other issues that drive how many tests are available in the state of Texas.
"We have too many deaths in the state of Texas with too many infections in the state of Texas. But, if you compare Texas to New York City or to California, our rates of infection are just much, much lower." Cruz said that when Coronavirus was beginning to spread Texans took steps to mitigate the spread early. He pointed out that New Orleans celebrating Mardi Gras in the midst of the growing Pandemic "proved to be unfortunately a serious mistake because it caused a lot of transmission of the virus."
"Early steps in Austin when they canceled South by Southwest... you had a lot of people angry," said Cruz. "In Houston we canceled the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. I know the mayor wrestled over it," Cruz continued. "Those decisions were difficult decisions, but they ended up having very real public health benefits. Because we practiced social distancing early, I think it had a real effect slowing the spread of disease."
Cruz discussed the idea that some Texas Democrats are concerned that prematurely reopening the state's economy could do more harm long term.
"There are risks on both sides of the ledger. We can't ignore the risks on either side," said Cruz. "Yes, this is a serious pandemic... but at the same time, simply ignoring: 22 million people who've lost their jobs; people who are facing crushing poverty; people who may have lost their life savings; people who may not be able to make their rent payment next month; people who have built a business for a generation for a lifetime have built a business and suddenly see the doors closed forever... those are crushing, crushing harms."
He said he thinks there are "some elected officials that are being far too cavalier with being willing to endure that kind of crushing economic pain."
"That will cost lives as well. And we need to be proactive, protecting lives on both sides and I think we can do that," said Cruz.
Cruz said he expects employee temperature checks to possibly be part of Texas Governor Greg Abbott's standards and guidelines for Texas businesses to reopen. "I think that's a good idea. And I think he will, you will likely see some workplaces doing that."
According to Small Business Administration officials the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) has run out of money. The PPP was put into place when the United States Congress passed the $2 trillion Cares Act in March. Cruz said he is for increasing the funding for this program. He said citizens should call their Democratic representatives and tell them to stop "Screwing Around."
"What Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer are doing right now is disgraceful," Cruz said. "They're holding it hostage for a whole series of partisan demands. And frankly it's cynical, and it's wrong what they're doing. And there are millions of small businesses that right now — today — are suffering... and employees who are losing their jobs because Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer are playing games... and playing games with the livelihoods of their constituents."
"It's worth noting. We saw this same gamesmanship on The Cares Act," said Cruz. "The Cares Act was negotiated in the Senate. It was bipartisan. Both Democrats and Republicans played a major role in drafting it. It was on the verge of passing and passing easily when at the last minute, Nancy Pelosi parachuted in and she blew it all up. She had this list of partisan demands, most of which had nothing to do with the Coronavirus epidemic. So, for example, she tried to codify much of the Green New Deal — their radical environmental proposal. She had, for example, strict regulations on emissions from airplanes. Now I gave a speech on the Senate floor asking, 'What the hell do airline emissions have to do with the Coronavirus epidemic?' And in the answer was, 'Nothing.'"
"There are times for partisan battles. But in a pandemic crisis, this is not a time for the gamesmanship that we're seeing from congressional Democrats," he said.
TEXT OF INTERVIEW
Jack Fink, CBS 11
First of all, thank you, Senator for your time. Really appreciate it. I know you're on the President's task force to get the country back up and rolling. What was your message to the President?
TX Senator Ted Cruz
Well, I spent a little over an hour on the phone with the President yesterday in the first meeting of the task force and the President and Vice President were on the call. There were two things really that I raised with the President. One was testing and the need to lean in even further on testing. Both the rapid tests, you know, the new Abbot Labs rapid test that does a 10-minute test is a major improvement over the test that took four or five, six days to get results from. Abbot Labs is producing about 50,000 of those a day and I urge the President and the administration to lean in and get those tests available, to get them in Texas, get them on the ground [and] get them in hospitals. That will play a major part in helping combat this pandemic. Secondly, I emphasized antibody tests. The tests that you can prick your finger and test the blood and see if you've encountered the virus and have some immunity. The vice president said on the call yesterday that they're expecting -- by the end of the month -- to see antibody tests produced at a rate of 20 million per month. So that was an encouraging sign. And I encourage them to accelerate that as much as humanly possible. But the second big thing I urged them was to go down the path they're going down, which is to prioritize reopening the economy. Texans want to get back to work. We want to do so in a way that's safe. We want to do so in a way that's prudent and protects public health. But Texans recognize that the consequences of freezing our economy, of shutting down millions of businesses, that that can't last for weeks and weeks and weeks... and months and months and months... without an enormous amount of damage. And so, I urge the president, that we should we should lean in quickly to getting people back to work where it's safe, where the science supports it, where it makes sense geographically.
Jack Fink, CBS 11
Were you satisfied with the President's plan as it was announced yesterday?
TX Senator Ted Cruz
I think the guidelines put out yesterday by the President make a lot of sense. They are based on geographic flexibility, which of course is what we have to do. We have to look to the medical science and the facts on the ground. What actually is the state of, of infections and where is the pandemic in a particular region? For example, New York City. The public health picture in New York City is horrific. What they've gone through is truly terrible. Nobody in their right mind would argue that New Yorkers should go back to work tomorrow. But there are a lot of other parts of the country that have not been hit nearly as badly as New York has. And for the parts of the country where we've seen the curve flatten where we've seen the rate of the spread of the virus contained substantially. I think we need to make a division between those who are truly vulnerable -- people who are very elderly, people who have serious health conditions -- they should continue to be quarantined. They should continue to be isolated because that's the population that has demonstrated to be very vulnerable to this virus. But everybody else -- people who are young and healthy, -- we need to be getting people back to work going back to their jobs, again, going back as customers, reopening doors, because the economic disaster we're seeing right now has very real public health consequences. We've seen in four weeks 22 million Americans lose their job. That's more than 10% of the US workforce. We're seeing millions of small businesses on the verge of going bankrupt. If we extend this freeze for weeks and months to come. We know the public health consequences will be very serious. We know there will be very real mental illness issues. We know there will be issues of depression. We know there will be increased rates of suicide, increased rates of alcohol abuse and substance abuse. All of those will cost lives. If we continue the practice of suspending all elective medical procedures that will cost lives. Just because it's elective doesn't mean it's not helpful or beneficial or that a doctor hasn't said this is a step you should take. And so, I believe we should lean in to getting Texans back to work. Now, we will do it in a way that's smart and prudent that may mean using protective gear -- using masks and gloves where appropriate -- that may mean social distancing. So, for example, restaurants may have to reconfigure their dining rooms to spread the tables out further so that you can have greater social distance between the diners. And so, we should take reasonable steps to mitigate the spread of the disease but we should recognize deaths on both sides of the ledger. The objective needs to be to minimize death to protect human life to the maximum extent possible.
Jack Fink, CBS 11
Let me ask you about testing. There have been some concerns and some reports that Texas is second to last -- per capita -- for testing. Is that true? And how big of a concern is that and why is that the case?
TX Senator Ted Cruz
Well, it is a concern in Texas we need more tests here. That is an issue. I've been pressing with the federal government. I've been working closely with the Governor. I've been working closely with the administration to get more tests. Some of that is driven by the rates of infection that Texas' infection numbers, and have been markedly lower than some other parts of the country. We have too many deaths in the state of Texas with too many infections in the state of Texas. But, if you compare Texas to New York City or to California, our rates of infection are just much, much lower. That is a blessing. We are grateful. If you compare it even to New Orleans -- where New Orleans the outbreak there was particularly severe -- they had Mardi Gras right in the midst as the as this pandemic was growing. I think having Mardi Gras proved to be unfortunately a serious mistake because it caused a lot of transmission of the virus. So, to some extent those testing numbers are a function of where people are getting sick that -- yes, it is serious in Texas -- and we're treating it very seriously. And some of that is also recognition of the leadership in Texas. That early on, Texans began practicing social distancing. Early on, Texans began taking steps to mitigate the spread of this virus. You may recall early in March when I encountered an individual who tested positive for Coronavirus I voluntarily self-quarantined... even though the CDC doctors were telling me I didn't need to. I decided to do so anyway out of an abundance of caution. I think that was the right thing to do. Early steps in Austin when they cancel South by Southwest [SXSW]. I mean, that was a big deal to cancel SXSW. And the local leaders took some real grief for that. You had a lot of people angry. SXSW generates a lot of business. In Houston we canceled the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. I know the mayor wrestled over it. I talked with him a couple days before he had to do that. Those decisions were difficult decisions, but they ended up having very real public health benefits. Because we practiced social distancing early, I think it had a real effect slowing the spread of disease.
Jack Fink, CBS 11
Some Texas Democrats say they're concerned that prematurely reopening the state's economy could do more harm long term. What do you say to them?
TX Senator Ted Cruz
Listen, they are right, that there are risks. But there are risks on both sides of the ledger. We can't ignore the risks on either side. Yes, this is a serious pandemic. Yes, we need to take serious steps to stop it as we have. But at the same time, simply ignoring: 22 million people who've lost their jobs; people who are facing crushing poverty; people who may have lost their life savings; people who may not be able to make their rent payment next month; people who have built a business for a generation for a lifetime have built a business and suddenly see the doors closed forever... those are crushing, crushing harms. And we need to recognize that also. I think there are some, some elected officials that are being far too cavalier with being willing to endure that kind of crushing economic pain. That will cost lives as well. And we need to be proactive, protecting lives on both sides and I think we can do that.
Jack Fink, CBS 11
You talked about social distancing when people get back to work, and I'm wondering, you -- I think -- were at the White House recently [for] the meeting with the President and oil industry executives. And I'll get to that in a minute. But my question is, when you went to the White House, you had to take your temperature, is that right?
TX Senator Ted Cruz
Correct.
Jack Fink, CBS 11
And so, I'm wondering, is that one solution where -- before people go into work -- that these workplaces take their employee's temperature? And if they are 99.6, you go home, you don't go into work. If it's good enough for the President, shouldn't it be good enough for everybody else?
TX Senator Ted Cruz
So, Jack, I think that's a good idea. And I think he will, you will likely see some workplaces doing that. I think we may see some of that. The Governor is going to be laying out his standards and guidelines for Texas. It wouldn't surprise me to see elements of that in what the Governor lays out for Texas. So, the way it worked is it was a little over two weeks ago that I flew up to DC to meet with the President. And it was on energy, it was on oil and gas and it was with major energy CEOs, and I have been deeply, deeply involved in the crisis of energy fighting to save Texas energy producers, Texas, small independents that face bankruptcy and could cost millions of jobs in the state of Texas. So, I've been very, very active engaged with the Saudis pressing back hard on the Saudis for their acts of economic aggression against us during this crisis. But the meeting at the White House when I got there, before you entered the complex, they did take your temperature with one of those things, they scan on your forehead. You and I were when we were growing up, they had to stick it up in your mouth or your rear end so I guess the forehead is an easier way to do it. And, and then actually, as it so happened the day I was there -- it was a Friday, two weeks ago -- was the first day they had a new White House policy that everyone who meets with the President had to be tested. And so, they pulled everyone aside, and they had just gotten one of these Abbot Labs quick-tests. And so the old test -- I had not taken the old test but I know a number of people who have -- the old test, they would stick a thing up your nose and apparently they'd stick it way up your nose like I mean it was unbelievably painful and unpleasant. People said it felt like it was going to the back of your brain. And then it took three, four or five, six days to get results. Thankfully, this Abbot Labs one is much simpler. They just put a little swab in each nostril, they stick it in the machine, and 10 minutes later you get results. And so, everyone went to the meeting because they cleared us and did a quick test. That really showed where hopefully we will get. Now, it will take some time. They're producing 50,000 of those a day. We're a big country. They're 330 million people in this country. And so, it will take some time for those tests to be as widespread as they need to but that combination -- taking people's temperature, people staying home if they're sick. Look just as a general proposition, you know, wasn't that long ago that a lot of folks said, "Oh, I'm sick, I'm going to work anyway, I'm, you know, I'm going to tough it out." And they show up and they're coughing and sneezing on everything. I do think now if someone is sick, they need to stay home. We recognize their risks so that if you see symptoms in yourself, you can take actions to prevent the spread. And all of those steps -- washing your hands frequently with soap -- all of those steps have a positive impact slowing the spread of the virus.
Jack Fink, CBS 11
I wanted to ask you about the SBA and the Paycheck Protection Program. I did a story yesterday. [There was] a lot of frustration even before the program ran out of money. And now even more frustration from small business owners here because the program has run out of money. So, what do you say to these small business owners who are waiting? Who need, who are counting on -- relying on -- this money to get by at least temporarily.
TX Senator Ted Cruz
Look what I say to small business owners in Texas and across the country is get on the phone and call your democratic representatives and tell them to stop screwing around. What Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer are doing right now is disgraceful. They are holding the paycheck Protection Program hostage. They're the ones blocking the funding for it. Look, the paycheck Protection Fund was part of The Cares Act, a part of the $2 trillion emergency relief bill that we passed out of Congress a couple of weeks ago. It had enormous bipartisan support. It passed the Senate unanimously, 96 to nothing. Every Republican voted yes, every Democrat voted yes, I voted yes. And Bernie Sanders voted yes. That's a lot of ideological diversity. By far the most popular part of the of The Cares Act was the paycheck protection plan -- 350 billion dollars in emergency guaranteed loans to small businesses, businesses with five hundred or fewer employees, businesses like restaurants and bars and movie theaters and bowling alleys and nail salons and barbershops -- all of these small businesses that are the backbone of our economy, who've been driven out of business by government policies, not through anything they did not through their fault. The Paycheck Protection Fund gives them emergency loans that are forgivable if they spend them on payroll and salary. It's designed to keep millions of Americans still in their jobs. And last week, we saw that it was on the path to run out of money because the uptake had been so great. It was about $30 billion a day in loans that were going out the door that Republicans in the Senate sought to replenish the Paycheck Protection Program. Sought to add an additional $250 billion and democrats stood up and objected. And it's not that they oppose the program. They say they support the program. They're going home and telling their constituents that they're big supporters of the program, but they're holding it hostage for a whole series of partisan demands. And frankly it's cynical, and it's wrong what they're doing. And there are millions of small businesses that right now today are suffering and employees who are losing their jobs because Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer are playing games... and playing games with the livelihoods of their constituents.
Jack Fink, CBS 11
Is the senate going try again Monday?
TX Senator Ted Cruz
I hope so. And Jack it's worth noting. We saw this same gamesmanship on The Cares Act. The Cares Act was negotiated in the Senate. It was bipartisan. Both Democrats and Republicans played a major role in drafting it. It was on the verge of passing and passing easily when at the last minute, Nancy Pelosi parachuted in and she blew it all up. And she had this list of partisan demands, most of which had nothing to do with the Coronavirus epidemic. So, for example, she tried to codify much of the Green New Deal -- their radical environmental proposal. She had, for example, strict regulations on emissions from airplanes. Now I gave a speech on the Senate floor asking, "What the hell do airline emissions have to do with the Coronavirus epidemic?" And in the answer was, "Nothing." Now, what happened then, they delayed it for five days. They played these games and ultimately, the congressional Democrats had to back off and we ended up passing by and large, the same bipartisan legislation we had five days earlier. Now today, every democrat has voted for the paycheck protection program and they're telling their constituents, they enthusiastically support it. But what they're doing is they're trying to hold it hostage to get other priorities they want. And Jack, you know, Republicans, we could come up with a partisan list of priorities. I mean, we do know how to do that we could come up with a whole list of demands. We're not doing that. If you look at the legislation that was filed by Republican leadership, it's a two-page bill. All it does is it changes one number it changes $350 billion to $600 billion and adds $250 billion to the total pool of money. Everything else stays the same. It's the same guaranteed loans to cover salaries to keep people employed and small businesses to keep them on their health care. And right now, democrats are gambling, that they can extort something they want. And, you know, there are times for partisan battles. But in a pandemic crisis, this is not a time for the gamesmanship that we're seeing from congressional Democrats.
Jack Fink, CBS 11
The Democrats say they want more money for hospitals and for local governments. Your reaction to that?
TX Senator Ted Cruz
Well, The Cares Act had $100 billion for hospitals had $150 billion for state and local governments. That money hasn't been distributed. It's in the process of being distributed. We haven't spent that money yet. So, the Democrats position is let's spend hundreds of billions more when we haven't spent the initial amount. I think that's irresponsible. Listen. $2.2 trillion is real money. That's 10% of our national debt in any ordinary circumstance it never would have passed. We are borrowing from our kids and grandkids. Now it's an emergency. I voted for it because I think the crisis justifies it. But it's not something that I feel happy or comfortable about. Putting that amount of money on the credit card will have real repercussions. The Democrats want to keep doing it. They want to be irresponsible about it. And I think the view of Republicans is a very reasonable position: Let's wait till we spent the other money first... Let's actually see what it goes to. The reason we need to supplement the Paycheck Protection Plan is that money has been spent that's going out the door there was so much enthusiasm, so many small businesses in Dallas and Houston and across the country applied for it. And you know, Jack the number one state in the country for the paycheck protection loans is State of Texas
Jack Fink, CBS 11
As far as what? As far as a business is receiving help?
TX Senator Ted Cruz
Receiving help. As far as the number of businesses receiving help. As far as the total number of loans. As of -- I think it was two days ago -- where the last data I saw, it was right about $22 or $23 billion in emergency loans that had gone to Texas small businesses.
Jack Fink, CBS 11
And that's more than even California, which is a larger state?
TX Senator Ted Cruz
It is more than California. It's more than New York. They were pretty close. California was just behind this. But on the data from two days ago, Texas was the number one recipient.
Jack Fink, CBS 11
Your point before raises a question not for today, but for tomorrow and the next months. How is the U.S. going to pay for all this? It's not as if the country didn't have a massive debt beforehand. And so, what are the long-term repercussions for all this?
TX Senator Ted Cruz
Look those are ominous questions. And the only answer, the only thing strong enough to pay for it is getting back to the kind of robust growth we had before. And so, I hope by next month, we've continued to make real progress on the pandemic, flattening the curve slowing the spread of the virus. I hope we've seen large segments of the country getting back to work getting the economy moving again. And then when Congress passes the next legislation... you know, this first bill, I don't refer to it as a stimulus bill, because that's not what it was doing. It was a relief bill. It was emergency relief for people who were hurt and hurt badly through no fault of their own. And the way I like to think of it as these are essentially short-term bridge loans. It's not fixing the problem; it's just helping people get to tomorrow. Get through the crisis and get to tomorrow. These loans to small businesses are simply keeping them viable, keeping them alive, so that they can reopen after the crisis has abated. Once we start reopening the economy, I hope the next bill is a recovery bill that is focused on lessening the tax burdens, lessening the regulatory burdens, making it easier for the small businesses that are just opening their doors again to rehire their employees to start making a profit. You know, [in] Texas we had enormous economic growth just three months ago. We need to get back to that and get back to that quickly. And I'll tell you, one of the things we've seen nationally is hundreds of government regulations, both federal and state and local, suspended during this crisis. I think as a starting point, every one of those suspended regulations ought to be treated as permanently suspended. That if the decision was made, this is really harmful to jobs in the economy during a crisis, well, let's not put them on during the recovery either. Let's create an environment where those small businesses could come roaring back. Because the only thing strong enough to pull us back from all this debt is really robust growth and that's where I want to see Texas going.
Jack Fink, CBS 11
Senator Cruz. I really appreciate your time. I know you've got a busy schedule today. We could probably talk for hours on all this but I really do appreciate your time. Thank you so much.
TX Senator Ted Cruz
Thank you, Jack. Always a pleasure.
WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW HERE: