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Senator Ted Cruz talks COVID, Afghanistan and the Bush legacy at Texas A&M

Senator Cruz praised President George H.W. Bush as a man of integrity and also discussed the importance of vaccinations

COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Texas Senator Ted Cruz toured Texas A&M University Wednesday where he spoke with students from The Bush School of Government and Public Service.

Senator Cruz talked about jobs, the importance of small businesses and economics with the students and also praised the university as a unique institution.

"Texas A&M is an institution that has a spirited core, that has a loyalty, that has a passion," Senator Cruz said. "It is unlike any other university in the world."

Cruz also praised former President George H.W. Bush who he called a man of integrity and that his ideology of civility should be mirrored in today's hostile political atmosphere. 

Cruz also commented on the growing issues across the State of Texas and the United States. 

On the topic of Afghanistan, Cruz criticized the Biden Administration for what he says the president had "little to no plan" on how best to evacuate Americans and Afghans looking to flee. 

"We have a moral obligation to protect them," Cruz said. "I believe we should've engaged in orderly and safe evacuations for those Afghans to a neutral, safe third country where there were out of reach from the Taliban."

Cruz added he doesn't believe any refugees should be allowed to enter the United States without intense vetting, which he believes the Biden administration has not done. 

As for the ongoing problems at home, Senator Cruz emphasized the importance of getting a COVID-19 vaccine but stopped short of a call for mandatory vaccinations. 

"I believe in vaccines. I've been vaccinated, my family has been vaccinated. I encourage people to get vaccinated," Cruz said. "I also believe in individual choice and freedom. I don't think the government should be forcing you to get vaccinated if you don't want to."

Collectively, Cruz added, the nation has made advances to combat the disease. He adds that vulnerable populations like the elderly can benefit from advances like vaccines.

He also stressed the importance of deregulating mandates and shutdowns across the country saying small businesses and schools shouldn't be shut down.

"When government destroys someone's livelihoods and their job, it has horrific consequences," Cruz said. 

Cruz also responded to criticisms Gov. Abbott has received after saying the State of Texas would end all rape, therefore eliminating the need for an abortion, which is now banned after six weeks due to a new law approved by Abbott.

"Let's make something very clear: Rape is a crime," Abbott said. "And Texas will work tirelessly to make sure that we eliminate all rapists from the streets of Texas by aggressively going out and arresting them and prosecuting them and getting them off the streets."

Cruz said that criticisms from the White House and others are pure politics and that naturally, everyone would want to end rape. When pressed for specifics on what Abbott should've said after his initial comments, Cruz added that Abbott's words were not uncommon and that his previous record as Attorney General for the State of Texas proves that.

Cruz is traveling across the state to speak with locals across Texas and plans on returning to Aggieland for the Alabama and A&M game in October.

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