Paul Rand, in typical Paul Rand style, has delayed the Senate in sending another $40 billion to Ukraine. This move did not make the leaders of either party happy.
On Thursday, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell called on “both sides” to “help us pass this urgent funding bill today.” Of course he did….
As CBS News reports, “Paul, a libertarian who often opposes U.S. intervention abroad, said he wanted language inserted into the bill, without a vote, that would have an inspector general scrutinize the new spending. He has a long history of demanding last-minute changes by holding up or threatening to delay bills on the brink of passage, including measures dealing with lynching, sanctioning Russia, preventing a federal shutdown, the defense budget, government surveillance and providing health care to the Sept. 11 attack first responders.”
CBS News’ Ed O’Keefe asked Jen Psaki about Rand Paul’s insistence on the inclusion of an inspector general as well as whether the Biden administration would establish some kind of watchdog entity to track the spending.
Psaki responded, “I would say that we agree oversight is critical,” Psaki replied. “That’s why the package already includes millions of dollars to support additional oversight measures, including additional funding for existing inspectors general and we encourage all senators to promptly pass the bill as it stands, we feel what’s in there sufficient.”
CBS News reports that Rand Paul’s objections are that “the added spending was more than the U.S. spends on many domestic programs, was comparable to Russia’s entire defense budget and would deepen federal deficits and worsen inflation.”
Rand Paul explained his objections like this: “No matter how sympathetic the cause, my oath of office is to the national security of the United States of America. We cannot save Ukraine by dooming the U.S. economy.”
“My oath of office is to the U.S. Constitution, not to any foreign nation. Congress is trying yet again to ram through a spending bill – one that I doubt anyone has actually read – and there’s no oversight included into how the money is being spent.”
“All I requested is an amendment to be included in the final bill that allows for the Inspector General to oversee how funds are spent. Anyone who is opposed to this is irresponsible.”
Paul, maybe the only responsible Congressperson, also pointed out this: if the Senate approves the spending, the U.S. will have authorized $60 billion in total spending for Ukraine. “Kyiv would become the largest yearly recipient of U.S. military aid over the past two decades,” and “It is more than any other country spends on their entire military expenditures…our total aid to Ukraine will almost equal the entire military budget of Russia.”
“While I sympathize with the people of Ukraine, and commend their fight against Putin, we cannot continue to spend money we don’t have. Passing this bill brings the total we’ve sent to Ukraine to nearly $54 billion over the course of two months.”
“It’s threatening our own national security, and it’s frankly a slap in the face to millions of taxpayers who are struggling to buy gas, groceries, and find baby formula.”
The United States has the worst economy and the highest inflation we have seen in years. Congress, and Joe Biden, seem to be just throwing money at Ukraine, but not doing anything to try to bring peace to the region. Should the United States be funding this war? How do you feel about what Rand Paul said?
