Tagged: Rand Paul

The Senate this week will take up relief payments for areas hit by Superstorm Sandy, and Senator Rand Paul says he will oppose the measure.  Paul says the Northeast does need help after the storm, but he would like to offset the costs with spending cuts elsewhere in government.

A measure authorizing $9 billion in relief already passed Congress. The Republican-controlled House recently approved an additional $51 billion package, which Paul says is laden with pork spending.

“I would have given them 9 billion and I would’ve taken the 9 billion from somewhere else. I would have taken it from foreign aid and said you know what, we don’t have money for Egypt or Pakistan this year because we have to help the Northeast.”

Kentucky Congressmen Brett Guthrie, Andy Barr and Thomas Massie all opposed the legislation in the House.

U.S. Senator Rand Paul plans to introduce legislation that would prevent the federal  government from defaulting if it fails to raise the debt ceiling. President Barack Obama and Congress are once again tussling over increasing the nation’s debt limit. The president says he won’t negotiate the issue, while the GOP wants to tie any change to spending cuts.

If an agreement isn't reached, the U.S. will be unable to pay its bills. Paul, a Republican from Bowling Green, says his legislation will force the president pay debt interest, entitlements and the military before using remaining funds.

“Why would we ever try to scare the markets by saying, oh if you don’t raise the debt ceiling we’ll default. We bring in over $200 billion dollars every month and the interest payment is $30 billion," explains Paul.

The nation will hit its debt ceiling in the next few months.

Fresh off a trip to Israel, U.S. Sen. Rand Paul says his mission was to prove he is an ally of the Middle Eastern nation.

Many pro-Israel groups have been wary of the senator, because of his calls to reduce foreign aid. Paul’s father, Ron Paul, the former U.S. representative and Republican presidential candidate, also had a frosty relationship with pro-Israel groups.

But the senator said he learned a lot from his trip and worked to solidify his relationships with the U.S. ally.

“My going over there was to cement that, not to rub salt in the wound and say, 'Oh I’m not going to give anymore money to Israel," Paul said. "Really it’s always been about foreign aid that we can’t continue to borrow from China to send anywhere really."

Paul said a bankrupt America is less of an ally to Israel. The Bowling Green Republican says it would be better for everyone if Congress slightly reduced foreign aid payments.