TYLER, Texas (KETK) — Sen. Ted Cruz made a stop in East Texas Monday morning where he toured the UT Tyler Health Science Center and held a roundtable with UT Tyler leadership.

In an interview after the roundtable, Cruz answered questions from journalists about topics facing East Texans and beyond, starting with his vote against raising the debt ceiling, which ultimately passed and was signed by the president.

“It accomplished very little,” Cruz said. “It gave Joe Biden and the Democrats $4 trillion and a blank check.”

President Joe Biden said this decision will allow the government to reinvest into the U.S., while Cruz argues that trillions of dollars the U.S. did not have were spent after Washington decided to raise the debt ceiling.

“You’re seeing it when we go to the grocery store, and your bill is a lot bigger than it was a year ago,” said Cruz. 

He said people see inflation when they pay rent, electricity or even healthcare bills.

“If you look at what’s happening in Washington, particularly the last two years, remember we had Joe Biden in the Whitehouse, Democrat control of the House and the Senate, we saw a spending binge the like of which our country has never seen,” Cruz said.

Cruz said that historically, the debt ceiling has proven to be the most effective lever for reigning in out-of-control spending. He feels that may no longer be the case.

“And with the deal this week, that $32 trillion is going to go to $36 trillion,” Cruz said.

Cruz said he believes that this impacts generations ahead.

“This is unsustainable, we are bankrupting our kids and grandkids,” Cruz said.

KETK also had the chance to ask both Sen. Bryan Hughes and Cruz about the recent Ken Paxton impeachment proceedings.

“We are not able to discuss that because the House went through their process and the Senate will be conducting that this summer. We cannot talk about that because we are serving as jurors and judges in that process,” Hughes said.

While Hughes is not able to discuss the impeachment, Cruz was able to share some of his thoughts.

“I think what happened in the House was a travesty,” Cruz said. “In my view, these issues, the legal issues surrounding Ken Paxton, those are in the courts. We have a system in the court of law that can resolve those issues but every bit as importantly, these allegations were before the voters.”

Check back tomorrow for more from Hughes going in-depth about the car inspection bill and the need for property tax reductions.