Bowling Green Today

U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) made a significant move last night by forcing 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 whopping $50 billion over the course of ten weeks.

Dr. Paul's proposed cut, which accounted for one percent of total federal spending, excluded important areas such as Social Security, Medicare, the Department of Defense, Military Construction, and the Department of Veterans Affairs. The amendment also entailed rescinding $30 billion from funds that were originally allocated to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

The amendment garnered support from 32 Senate Republicans, highlighting the significance of Dr. Paul's proposal. In his floor remarks prior to the vote, Dr. Paul emphasized the urgency of taking action to prevent the nation from succumbing to bankruptcy. He stated, "To continue spending money at the current levels will inevitably lead to the bankruptcy of our great nation. My amendment, in order to stave off such a terrible fiscal outcome, would cut approximately 1% of our budgetary spending and help to put us on the path towards fiscal responsibility."

Dr. Paul also drew attention to the alarming national debt, which had already surpassed $32 trillion in June and reached $33 trillion by September. He highlighted the gravity of the situation, stating, "Unless we change course, the debt will consume us. America's future as a nation is not threatened from without but from within. Our mounting debt will ultimately force a day of reckoning."

Citing projections from the Congressional Budget Office, Dr. Paul warned that the U.S. government is expected to accumulate an average of $2 trillion in debt each year for the next decade. He emphasized the staggering rate at which the debt is growing, explaining, "The U.S. government will add over $5 billion to its debt pile every single day for the next ten years. We borrow over $176 million every hour, we borrow $3 million every minute, and we borrow $50,000 every second."

Dr. Paul stressed that the current level of borrowing and spending is unsustainable, and the consequences are dire. He stated, "This reckless level of borrowing and spending is patently unsustainable. The ever-increasing heights of our debt mean a weak economy, high inflation, and confiscatory tax rates. In other words, today's spending threatens tomorrow's prosperity."

Dr. Paul's floor remarks and the full text of his amendment can be accessed on his official website.

This amendment represents Dr. Paul's dedication to fiscal responsibility and highlights the urgent need for the government to address the growing national debt. By forcing the Senate to vote on his conservative amendment, Dr. Paul has shed light on the critical issue of unsustainable spending and the potential consequences it poses for the nation's future.

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