Cruz called Sandy aid ‘pork’ but wants ‘all available resources’ after Texas blast [View all]

[Playinghardball]

Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) says that he is prepared to make “all available resources” available from the federal government to assist in the recovery after an explosion at a fertilizer plant in Texas — but the senator voted against aid for victims of Hurricane Sandy earlier because he said it was “pork.”

The Dallas Morning News reported on Thursday that Cruz had reacted to the fertilizer plant explosion that killed dozens in West, Texas earlier this week.

“We are in very close touch with officials on the ground and we’re monitoring the tragic accident closely,” Cruz said in Washington. “It’s truly horrific and we are working to ensure that all available resources are marshaled to deal with the horrific loss of life and suffering that we’ve seen.”

In a statement on his website, Cruz added that “[w]e remain in communication with Gov. Perry’s office and emergency management officials, and stand to offer whatever support we can.”

But following the super storm that devastated much of the East Coast last year, Cruz was not as willing to part with taxpayer money.

According to The New York Times, the junior Texas senator voted against Sandy aid three times.

“Hurricane Sandy inflicted devastating damage on the East Coast, and Congress appropriately responded with hurricane relief,” Cruz said in a statement earlier this year. “Unfortunately, cynical politicians in Washington could not resist loading up this relief bill with billions in new spending utterly unrelated to Sandy.”

“This bill is symptomatic of a larger problem in Washington – an addiction to spending money we do not have. The United States Senate should not be in the business of exploiting victims of natural disasters to fund pork projects that further expand our debt.”

On Thursday, Texas Gov. Rick Perry (R) also asked President Barack Obama for a “quick turnaround” on federal aid.

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/04/19/cruz-called-sandy-aid-pork-but-wants-all-available-resources-after-texas-blast/