Bowling Green Today

Last night, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) compelled the U.S. Senate to vote on his conservative amendment to the U.S. House of Representatives' short-term spending bill. The amendment aimed to save American taxpayers a significant amount of money - $50 billion over ten weeks.

Dr. Paul's proposed cut of $50 billion, which amounts to one percent of total federal spending, would not affect Social Security, Medicare, the Department of Defense, Military Construction, and the Department of Veterans Affairs. Additionally, the amendment would rescind $30 billion from funds originally allocated to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

The amendment garnered support from 32 Senate Republicans who voted in favor.

In his floor remarks prior to the vote, Dr. Paul expressed his concerns about the current trajectory of government spending, stating, "To continue spending money at the current levels will inevitably lead to the bankruptcy of our great nation." He emphasized that his amendment aimed to cut approximately 1% of the budgetary spending and promote fiscal responsibility.

Dr. Paul highlighted the alarming rate at which the national debt has been increasing. He stated, "In June of this year, the national debt surpassed $32 trillion. Then, in September, the national debt surpassed $33 trillion. It took Congress 90 short days to add a trillion dollars in debt." He warned that unless there is a change in course, the United States will face dire consequences due to its mounting debt.

The Congressional Budget Office projects that the U.S. government will accumulate an average of $2 trillion in debt each year for the next decade. This means that the debt will increase by over $5 billion every day for the next ten years. Dr. Paul emphasized the unsustainability of this reckless level of borrowing and spending, noting that it would result in a weak economy, high inflation, and confiscatory tax rates.

Dr. Paul concluded his remarks by stating, "Today's spending threatens tomorrow's prosperity." He underscored the urgent need for fiscal responsibility and expressed his hope that his amendment would set the United States on a path towards a more sustainable future.

The full text of Dr. Paul's amendment can be found [here](https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=117&session=1&vote=00472).

To learn more, click on this link: https://www.paul.senate.gov/icymi-dr-rand-paul-forces-senate-vote-on-conservative-amendment-saving-taxpayers-billions/