Cruz On Transportation Bill: 'Folks Using This As Christmas Tree To Re-authorize Export/Import Bank'
By Chris Stigall
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - While campaigning for President, Texas Senator Ted Cruz took aim at the latest transportation bill being debated in the Senate.
Cruz told Chris Stigall on Talk Radio 1210 WPHT there is one specific portion of the legislation that really bothers the Presidential candidate.
"There's an awful lot happening on the transportation bill. One of the biggest fights is that an awful lot of folks in Washington are trying to use this as a Christmas tree to re-authorize the Export/Import Bank. Now, what is the Export/Import Bank? It's one of the classic examples of corporate welfare and cronyism in Washington. It is a bank that exists that gives hundreds of billions of dollars of loans to giant corporations. It's you and me, the American taxpayer, subsidizing giant corporations."
He took the time to criticize career politicians for reviving and expensive program that was almost eliminated.
"It was finally something Washington had done to get rid of the pork and corporate welfare. But unfortunately, what I call the Washington cartel, which is career politicians in both parties, Democrats and Republicans, who get in bed with the lobbyists and specials interests, all these giant corporations getting loan guarantees, write campaign checks. So there are a lot of politicians in Washington who want to re-authorize this corporate welfare at the expense of the taxpayers."
Cruz did say he's found one unlikely ally to push back against that portion of the transportation bill, a Democratic candidate for President.
"One person that agrees with me Export/Import Bank is Bernie Sanders. There are not many issues Bernie and I agree on, but Bernie and I are standing together, both agreeing that the Export/Import Bank is wrong. But alas, most of the Democrats are perfectly happy to have Washington giving hundreds of billions of dollars of loan guarantees to giant corporations."
