{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "is_view": false, "human_description_en": "where chamber = \"Senate\", state = \"KY\" and year = 2019 sorted by date descending", "rows": [["https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-dr-rand-paul-releases-2019-festivus-edition-waste-report/", "Dr. Rand Paul Releases 2019 \u2018Festivus\u2019 Edition of \u2018The Waste Report\u2019", "2019-12-19", "2019", "2019-12", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nDecember 19, 2019\n\nContact: Press@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY), chairman of the Federal Spending Oversight and Emergency Management (FSO) Subcommittee for the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC), released his 2019 Festivus edition of The Waste Report.\n\nDr. Paul\u2019s fifth edition of the Festivus Waste Report collects his 2019 Spring, Summer, and Fall Waste Reports as he continues working to alert the American people to how the government uses their hard-earned money.\n\nHighlights include: building up Tunisia\u2019s political system and the Pakistani film industry; funding research that involves hooking Zebrafish on nicotine; continuing to turn over so many taxpayer dollars to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority; sending low-quality textbooks to Afghan students, with many of the textbooks sitting in warehouses; supporting \u201cgreen growth\u201d in Peru; making improper payments; and studying frog mating calls.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:45:33Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-inspector-general-horowitz-admits-bias-fbi-office-general-counsel-attorney-who-faked-evidence/", "Inspector General Horowitz Admits Bias from the FBI Office of the General Counsel Attorney Who Faked Evidence", "2019-12-18", "2019", "2019-12", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nDecember 18, 2019\n\nContact: Press@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 While many in the media have downplayed the instances of bias already present in Department of Justice Inspector General Michael Horowitz\u2019s report on the FBI\u2019s \u201cCrossfire Hurricane\u201d investigation into President Donald Trump\u2019s campaign, today, in questioning from U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) during a Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs (HSGAC) Committee hearing, Inspector General Horowitz admitted there was more than is being reported.\n\nInspector General Horowitz admitted bias from the FBI Office of the General Counsel attorney who faked evidence to the FISA court, and who had previously been reported to have texted in support of \u201cthe resistance\u201d to President Trump.\n\nWhile the media focus has been on Inspector General Horowitz\u2019s reluctance to connect the bias to malfeasance, the report shows, and the author testified to, widespread bias and widespread misconduct.\n\nYou can watch the exchange HERE.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:45:33Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-sen-rand-paul-shame-house-dragging-america-through-unnecessary-partisan-impeachment/", "Sen. Rand Paul: Shame on the House for Dragging America Through an Unnecessary, Partisan Impeachment", "2019-12-18", "2019", "2019-12", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nDecember 18, 2019\n\nContact: Press@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Tonight, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) released the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives voted to impeach President Donald Trump:\n\n\u201cOver the past several weeks, we have seen sham hearings, selected witnesses, and Democrats who have contorted the facts to fit a fictional narrative. It is shameful that from the first day of this duly elected presidency, these Democrats have been determined to impeach him. This has been unnecessary, distracting, and counterproductive. The Senate will not continue this partisan abuse of power and should at once put an end to the charade.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:45:33Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-dr-rand-paul-introduces-helper-act-reduce-student-loan-debt-and-increase-retirement-savings/", "Dr. Rand Paul Introduces HELPER Act to Reduce Student Loan Debt and Increase Retirement Savings", "2019-12-03", "2019", "2019-12", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nDecember 3, 2019\n\nContact: Press@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Yesterday, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) introduced S. 2962, the Higher Education Loan Payment and Enhanced Retirement (HELPER) Act, a pro-taxpayer plan to help Americans more quickly and easily pay off their student loan debt and save more money for retirement.\n\n\u201cInstead of empowering the federal government to increase its involvement in education, which will only raise costs even higher and further lower the value of our dollars to cover them, we can empower the American people to reduce the burden of debt, realize the dreams they studied hard to achieve, and grow their retirement savings,\u201d said Dr. Paul.\n\nAs U.S. student loan debt hits its highest-ever levels, Dr. Paul\u2019s HELPER Act would allow Americans to annually take up to $5,250 from a 401(k) or IRA \u2014 tax and penalty free \u2014 to pay for college or pay back student loans. These funds could also be used to pay tuition and expenses for a spouse or dependent.\n\nThe plan would enable two parents and a child, for example, to put over $15,000 in pre-tax funds in one year toward tuition or loan repayment if each set aside the maximum. Currently, Americans can only pay for their student loans with after-tax money, placing an unnecessary constraint on their budget.\n\nThe bill would also allow employer-sponsored student loan and tuition payment plans to be tax free up to $5,250, and it would repeal the cap (and the phasing out) on deducting student loan interest, as student loans do not disappear when someone earns more money throughout their career.\n\nTo help give Americans the opportunity to save as much as possible for retirement, Dr. Paul\u2019s HELPER Act would also offer workers the choice to have an employer contribution to a 401(k) count as a Roth contribution. While current law defers the taxes on employer contributions, forcing Americans to pay taxes on the funds and its gains in retirement, this change would allow workers to pay the taxes right away, freeing their savings to grow tax free and giving them greater financial security after they retire.\n\nAlthough individuals can set up 401(k) or IRA plans on their own, and would be able to take advantage of the bill\u2019s reforms to use pre-tax dollars to pay down their student debt, passing the HELPER Act will encourage more employers to offer 401(k)s or education benefit plans if they do not currently do so, as more workers will be able and incentivized to use such plans.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:45:33Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-dr-rand-paul-reintroduces-bill-prioritize-smaller-harbors-0/", "Dr. Rand Paul Reintroduces Bill to Prioritize Smaller Harbors", "2019-11-26", "2019", "2019-11", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nNovember 26, 2019\n\nContact: Press@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Last week, U.S. Senator Rand Paul reintroduced the Harbor Equity Act (S. 2923), which modifies the existing criteria used by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to dredge smaller harbors. Currently, the Corps prioritizes dredging solely for larger harbors that see 1 million or more tons in traffic per year \u2013 often forcing small community harbors to fund their own dredging or be forced to shut down operations.\n\nThis legislation drops the minimum tonnage requirements to 500,000 tons, prioritizing smaller harbors for dredging.\n\nOur inland waterways are crucial to the economic success of a wide variety of industries, including coal, steel, agriculture, and manufacturing. Dr. Paul\u2019s reintroduction of the Harbor Equity Act is a continuation of his commitment to ensuring our waterways remain a vital part of our country\u2019s infrastructure and a source of economic growth for Kentucky communities.\n\n\u201cMaintaining America\u2019s robust inland waterway system means properly caring for harbors of all sizes, as the system\u2019s interconnectedness requires dredging smaller connecting harbors to ensure goods are efficiently transported,\u201d said Dr. Paul. \u201cThe Corps\u2019 current system prioritizes dredging for larger harbors, hindering economic growth and threatening the future of smaller harbors. These smaller ports are the backbone of local commerce in communities along our waterways, which is why I\u2019m proud to reintroduce my bill to ensure they are considered for the Corps\u2019 dredging efforts and to help protect them from facing potentially devastating shutdowns.\u201d\n\nYou can read S. 2923, the Harbor Equity Act, below:", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:43:09Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-dr-rand-paul-releases-fall-2019-edition-waste-report/", "Dr. Rand Paul Releases Fall 2019 Edition of \u2018The Waste Report\u2019", "2019-11-25", "2019", "2019-11", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nNovember 25, 2019\n\nContact: Press@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY), chairman of the Federal Spending Oversight and Emergency Management (FSO) Subcommittee for the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC), continued his efforts to stop runaway spending and reduce a skyrocketing debt by releasing a special Fall 2019 edition of The Waste Report.\n\nOnce again, The Waste Report takes a closer look at just some of what the federal government is doing with the American people\u2019s hard-earned money, this time including stories of it continuing to turn over so many taxpayer dollars to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, funding research that involves hooking Zebrafish on nicotine, buying textbooks for Afghan students that are subpar or sitting in warehouses, and more in a list that totals over $230 million.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:43:09Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-dr-rand-paul-introduces-plan-provide-more-funding-kentuckys-infrastructure-needs/", "Dr. Rand Paul Introduces Plan to Provide More Funding for Kentucky\u2019s Infrastructure Needs", "2019-11-08", "2019", "2019-11", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nNovember 8, 2019\n\nContact: Press@paul.senate.gov 202-224-4343\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Yesterday, U.S. Senator Rand Paul introduced his Penny Plan to Enhance Infrastructure Act (S.2792), which will help prioritize funding for Kentucky\u2019s critical infrastructure projects by cutting just one percent from the federal government\u2019s non-infrastructure discretionary spending and directing that money to infrastructure.\n\nDr. Paul\u2019s bill would provide $12.3 billion for 2020 for new infrastructure spending, and it doesn\u2019t touch Medicare, Medicaid, or Social Security.\n\n\u201cKentuckians shouldn\u2019t pay the price for a Congress that doesn\u2019t know how to prioritize funding for our nation\u2019s most dire needs over less immediately important ones,\u201d said Dr. Paul. \u201cMy plan would ensure more of your hard-earned tax dollars are allocated to infrastructure projects right here in your communities, not sent overseas or spent on wasteful programs.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:43:09Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-senate-committee-passes-dr-rand-pauls-bonuses-cost-cutters-act/", "Senate Committee Passes Dr. Rand Paul\u2019s Bonuses for Cost-Cutters Act", "2019-11-06", "2019", "2019-11", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nNovember 6, 2019\n\nContact: Press@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, the U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC) passed U.S. Senator Rand Paul\u2019s bipartisan Bonuses for Cost-Cutters Act (S. 2618) by voice vote during a business meeting.\n\nCurrently, federal law allows an agency\u2019s Inspector General to pay bonuses of up to $10,000 of savings realized when a federal employee identifies waste, fraud, or mismanagement of funds. Dr. Paul\u2019s legislation would expand these categories to include identifying surplus or unneeded funds.\n\n\u201cI am pleased to see the committee act quickly to pass this reform, and I urge the full Senate to follow its example by taking up the Bonuses for Cost-Cutters Act as soon as possible. Passing this legislation would show concerned Americans that the Senate is serious about getting spending under control and returning to fiscal sanity,\u201d said Dr. Paul.\n\nBonuses for Cost-Cutters would also ensure 90% of the savings are automatically directed toward deficit reduction, with agencies free to apply any remainder toward other agency priorities, subject to current law.\n\nSenators Michael Bennet (D-CO), Mike Lee (R-UT), Joni Ernst (R-IA), John Cornyn (R-TX), Rob Portman (R-OH), Cory Gardner (R-CO), Mike Enzi (R-WY), and Pat Toomey (R-PA) have cosponsored the legislation.\n\nDr. Paul\u2019s Bonuses for Cost-Cutters proposal also passed the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee in the 114th Congress, and a DHS-specific version passed the committee in March 2018 as an amendment to H.R. 2825, the Department of Homeland Security Authorization Act.\n\nYou can read S. 2618, the Bonuses for Cost-Cutters Act below.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:43:09Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-icymi-dr-rand-paul-holds-hearing-unauthorized-unaccountable-zombie-programs-eating-taxpayer/", "ICYMI: Dr. Rand Paul Holds Hearing on Unauthorized, Unaccountable \u2018Zombie\u2019 Programs Eating Taxpayer Dollars", "2019-10-31", "2019", "2019-10", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nOctober 31, 2019\n\nContact: Press@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Continuing his work to reform government and reduce waste, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY), chairman of the Federal Spending Oversight and Emergency Management (FSO) Subcommittee for the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC), held a hearing yesterday entitled, \u201cRise of the Zombies: The Unauthorized and Unaccountable Government You Pay For.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe are here the day before Halloween to talk about zombies. These are not the kind of zombies we see on The Walking Dead, or what we might see on our doorstep tomorrow evening. In many ways, these zombies are far scarier. These are zombie government programs that have sometimes not been reauthorized for decades,\u201d Dr. Paul said in his opening statement on Wednesday.\n\nThe Inter-American Foundation (IAF), for an example of the problem, is a past topic of Dr. Paul\u2019s Waste Reports that has used American taxpayer dollars on projects including teaching circus arts in Argentina, helping deported illegal immigrants start a business (and without being able to rule out that the money would not go to criminal deportees), and jumpstarting the Haitian film industry. Created in the 1960s, the Inter-American Foundation\u2019s most recent reauthorization came more than 30 years ago.\n\nIn FY 2019, the federal government spent over $300 billion on nearly 1,000 different programs that have not been reauthorized.\n\nAppropriators also regularly override authorizations by providing funds to programs inconsistent with the underlying authorization.\n\nThe FSO Subcommittee examined how \u201czombie\u201d programs have been set free to feast on taxpayer dollars \u2014 with Congress ignoring its responsibility to conduct proper oversight \u2014 as well as what can be done to protect taxpayer resources.\n\nU.S. Representative Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA-5), who has sponsored the USA Act in the House of Representatives, testified on the first panel, saying, \u201cCongress isn\u2019t using its power to exercise the power of the purse to hold these programs accountable on a regular basis, and it needs to change.\u201d\n\nKevin R. Kosar, Vice President of Policy for the R Street Institute, Jonathan Bydlak, President of the Institute for Spending Reform, and James A. Thurber, Distinguished Professor of Government at American University, testified on the second panel.\n\nOne proposed solution discussed was Dr. Paul\u2019s own Legislative Performance Review Act, which he has previously introduced in multiple sessions of Congress to force Congress to regularly review federal programs for reauthorization to either improve them or otherwise consolidate or eliminate duplicative and wasteful efforts.\n\nYou can watch the FSO Subcommittee\u2019s \u201cRise of the Zombies\u201d hearing HERE.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:39:44Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-dr-rand-paul-applauds-confirmation-justin-walker-western-kentucky-district-court-vacancy/", "Dr. Rand Paul Applauds Confirmation of Justin Walker for Western Kentucky District Court Vacancy", "2019-10-24", "2019", "2019-10", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nOctober 24, 2019\n\nContact: Press@paul.senate.gov 202-224-4343\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) released the following statement after the Senate confirmed Justin Walker, an assistant professor of law at the University of Louisville\u2019s Brandeis School of Law and co-director of its Ordered Liberty Program, to serve as a United States District Judge for Kentucky\u2019s Western District.\n\n\u201cI was proud to recommend Justin to the administration for the Western District vacancy, and I congratulate him on his confirmation by the Senate today,\u201d said Dr. Paul. \u201cI am confident his experience, knowledge, and dedication to the Constitution will serve Kentuckians well.\u201d\n\nIn addition to his position at UofL, Justin is a Partner of Counsel at Dinsmore & Shohl LLP, has taught U.S. Constitutional Law abroad, and clerked for Justice Anthony Kennedy at the U.S. Supreme Court, as well as for then-Judge Brett Kavanaugh at the U.S. Court of Appeals, D.C. Circuit. Justin graduated with a B.A. in Political Science from Duke University and a J.D. from Harvard Law School.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:39:44Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-dr-rand-paul-reintroduces-bonuses-cost-cutters-act/", "Dr. Rand Paul Reintroduces the Bonuses for Cost-Cutters Act", "2019-10-24", "2019", "2019-10", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nOctober 24, 2019\n\nContact: Press@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Last week, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY), chairman of the Federal Spending Oversight and Emergency Management (FSO) Subcommittee, continued his efforts to rein in wasteful spending and reform government by reintroducing the bipartisan Bonuses for Cost-Cutters Act (S. 2618). Senators Michael Bennet (D-CO), Mike Lee (R-UT), Joni Ernst (R-IA), John Cornyn (R-TX), Rob Portman (R-OH), Cory Gardner (R-CO), and Mike Enzi (R-WY) have cosponsored the legislation.\n\n\u201cSuccessfully tackling our debt crisis requires vigilance at all levels of government, from lawmakers in Congress to the employees on the front lines that carry out the day-to-day spending. The pressure in Washington to spend all you can before the end of the fiscal year so you can get even more in the future is enormous. Bonuses for Cost-Cutters pushes back against this status quo, providing additional incentive to save taxpayer resources,\u201d said Dr. Paul.\n\nCurrently, federal law allows an agency\u2019s Inspector General to pay bonuses of up to $10,000 of savings realized when a federal employee identifies waste, fraud, or mismanagement of funds.\n\nDr. Paul\u2019s legislation would expand these categories to include identifying surplus or unneeded funds.\n\nBonuses for Cost-Cutters would also ensure 90% of the savings are automatically directed toward deficit reduction, with agencies free to apply any remainder toward other agency priorities, subject to current law.\n\nIn addition to introducing the Bonuses for Cost-Cutters Act in multiple sessions of Congress, Dr. Paul\u2019s efforts to stop \u201cuse it or lose it,\u201d end-of-year federal spending binges also include holding hearings in the FSO Subcommittee on the problem. You can find those HERE and HERE.\n\nYou can read S. 2618, the Bonuses for Cost-Cutters Act below.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:39:44Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-dr-rand-paul-defends-president-removing-troops-syria-introduces-legislation-end-arms-sales/", "Dr. Rand Paul Defends President Removing Troops in Syria, Introduces Legislation to End Arms Sales to Turkey", "2019-10-17", "2019", "2019-10", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nOctober 17, 2019\n\nContact: Press@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Shortly before U.S. Vice President Mike Pence announced a ceasefire agreement between the United States and Turkey regarding Syria, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) stood up against efforts to keep America bogged down in endless conflict in the Middle East.\n\nSpeaking on the Senate floor, Dr. Paul objected to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer\u2019s attempt to pass the U.S. House-passed resolution condemning President Trump for removing American troops from northern Syria, instead offering binding legislation to indefinitely end arms sales to Turkey.\n\n\u201cThe Constitution is quite clear. No authorization has ever been given for the use of force in Syria. No authorization of declaration of war. No permission to be there at all. So if they want to insert themselves into this civil war, by all means, let\u2019s have a debate. Let\u2019s have the constitutional debate. But I, for one, am not willing to send one young man or one young woman \u2014 one soldier \u2014 over there without a clear mission. There is no clear mission,\u201d Dr. Paul said on the floor.\n\nFollowing his objection, Dr. Paul sought to pass his bill, which was opposed.\n\nYou can watch Dr. Paul\u2019s objection HERE and his remarks when offering his legislation HERE. You can find Dr. Paul\u2019s bill below.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:39:44Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-icymi-sen-rand-paul-sen-graham-and-hillary-clinton-stood-together-support-islamic-extremists/", "ICYMI: Sen. Rand Paul: Sen. Graham and Hillary Clinton Stood Together to Support Islamic Extremists in the Syrian Civil War", "2019-10-15", "2019", "2019-10", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nOctober 15, 2019\n\nContact: Press@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 In case you missed it, this morning on MSNBC Live with Stephanie Ruhle, U.S. Senator and Senate Foreign Relations Committee member Rand Paul (R-KY) discussed President Trump\u2019s withdrawal of U.S. troops from Northern Syria and responded to Senator Lindsey Graham\u2019s (R-SC) criticism of the move.\n\n\u201cI would say that Lindsey Graham\u2019s been wrong about almost every foreign policy decision of the last two decades,\u201d said Sen. Paul, later noting, \u201cHe\u2019s been wrong about the Syrian war from the beginning, because the neocons \u2013 Lindsey Graham and others \u2013 and actually many liberals, like Hillary Clinton, they actually all supported the Sunni extremists against Assad.\u201d\n\n\u201cI\u2019m not so sure that the Sunni extremists taking over Syria would have been better than Assad,\u201d he continued. \u201cI\u2019m not a fan of Assad, but sometimes maybe you have two evils, and you really don\u2019t have to pick sides. That\u2019s why we\u2019re supposed to vote on and have a debate \u2013 a big, public debate \u2013 about when we go to war, and I don\u2019t see a national interest over there.\u201d\n\nYou can find the clip HERE.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:39:44Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-icymi-senator-rand-paul-agrees-president-trump-ending-wars-middle-east/", "ICYMI: Senator Rand Paul Agrees with President Trump on Ending Wars in the Middle East", "2019-10-10", "2019", "2019-10", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nOctober 10, 2019\n\nContact: Press@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 On CBS This Morning earlier today, U.S. Senator and Senate Foreign Relations Committee member Rand Paul (R-KY) discussed his support for President Trump\u2019s decision to withdraw U.S. troops from northern Syria.\n\n\u201cI\u2019ve got three nephews who serve in the military. I don\u2019t want them to be sitting ducks, with 50 or 100 of them being killed by a suicide bomber, and then all of a sudden we\u2019re drug into a greater war. Who are we going to fight? We\u2019re going to fight Turkey, our NATO ally? We\u2019re going to fight the Kurds? We\u2019re going to fight Assad? The Russians? The Iranians? The Iraqis? I mean, the whole place is a mess,\u201d said Sen. Paul.\n\nYou can find the clip HERE.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:39:44Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-icymi-senator-paul-blasts-warmongers-not-supporting-president-trump/", "ICYMI: Senator Paul Blasts Warmongers for Not Supporting President Trump", "2019-10-07", "2019", "2019-10", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nOctober 7, 2019\n\nContact: Press@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator and Senate Foreign Relations Committee member Rand Paul (R-KY) appeared on Fox News\u2019 Your World with Neil Cavuto to discuss his support for President Trump\u2019s decision to take U.S. troops out of northern Syria.\n\nAfter hearing a list of some of those opposing the move, Senator Paul stated, \u201cWell, it sounded like you just listed the neocon war caucus of the Senate, so, yeah, they always want to stay at war. They always think it\u2019s the best answer.\u201d\n\nYou can find the interview HERE.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:39:44Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-icymi-dr-rand-paul-puts-senate-record-its-reckless-spending/", "ICYMI: Dr. Rand Paul Puts Senate on Record on Its Reckless Spending", "2019-09-26", "2019", "2019-09", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nSeptember 26, 2019\n\nContact: Press@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY), chairman of the Federal Spending Oversight and Emergency Management (FSO) Subcommittee for the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC), again forced the U.S. Senate to confront its fiscal recklessness by securing a vote on his amendment to the Continuing Resolution to cut the bill\u2019s discretionary spending levels by 2 percent, which would still make available over $1.2 trillion in base discretionary spending.\n\nIn a speech on the Senate floor shortly before the vote, Dr. Paul described how most groups he talks to across the political spectrum understand the need to cut federal spending.\n\n\u201cEven the groups receiving it are willing to cut 1 or 2 percent. But you know who\u2019s not? The Senate. The Congress. They won\u2019t cut anything,\u201d Dr. Paul stated.\n\nHe went on to highlight how runaway government spending is to blame for massive deficits, as federal revenue is actually up, later also adding, \u201cMy amendment won\u2019t pass because people are afraid that the public won\u2019t like them if they don\u2019t give them more money. I\u2019m afraid we\u2019ll destroy the country if we keep running more deficits.\u201d\n\nYou can find Dr. Paul\u2019s speech HERE.\n\nUnfortunately, a majority of senators indeed voted to support the status quo, illustrating the continued bipartisan compromise to spend more of Americans\u2019 money Dr. Paul condemned in his remarks.\n\nAs part of his efforts to restore fiscal responsibility in Washington, Dr. Paul introduced his Pennies Plan budget in April, which simply states that for every on-budget dollar the federal government spent in Fiscal Year 2019, it spend two pennies fewer a year (a cut of two percent per year) for the next five years. This plan would balance the federal government\u2019s budget \u2013 without touching Social Security \u2013 while providing legislators with full flexibility to make the best decisions on where to save taxpayer funds.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:37:07Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-dr-rand-paul-introduces-legislation-repeal-national-patient-id-protect-americans-medical/", "Dr. Rand Paul Introduces Legislation to Repeal National Patient ID, Protect Americans\u2019 Medical Privacy", "2019-09-25", "2019", "2019-09", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nSeptember 25, 2019\n\nContact: Press@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Yesterday, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) introduced the National Patient Identifier Repeal Act to overturn a dangerous provision of existing law requiring the creation of a \u201cunique health identifier,\u201d also known as a National Patient ID.\n\n\u201cAs a physician, I know firsthand how the doctor-patient relationship relies on trust and privacy, which will be thrown into jeopardy by a National Patient ID. Considering how unfortunately familiar our world has become with devastating security breaches and the dangers of the growing surveillance state, it is simply unacceptable for government to centralize some of Americans\u2019 most personal information,\u201d said Dr. Paul.\n\nThe Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) established the statutory authority to create a unique health identifier, a distinct ID code to identify the medical records of every individual, employer, health plan, and health care provider in America.\n\nDr. Paul\u2019s father, former Congressman Ron Paul (R-TX), introduced language to the Labor-HHS appropriations bill in 1998 to restrict the use of federal funds to develop the identifier, and such a ban has been continually renewed in each Labor-HHS appropriations bill since.\n\nThis June, however, an amendment stripped this critical protection for Americans out of the version of the Labor-HHS appropriations bill ultimately passed by the U.S. House of Representatives. Enacting the bill into law with this amendment or a similar provision would open the floodgates for a government-issued ID to be linked with the private medical history of every man, woman, and child in America.\n\nPrior to introducing standalone legislation to repeal the original authority created under HIPAA, Dr. Paul successfully advocated this month for keeping language banning federal funding for the unique health identifier in the proposed Senate version of the Labor-HHS appropriations bill.\n\nYou can read Dr. Paul\u2019s National Patient Identifier Repeal Act below:", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:37:07Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-dr-rand-paul-releases-summer-2019-edition-waste-report/", "Dr. Rand Paul Releases Summer 2019 Edition of \u2018The Waste Report\u2019", "2019-08-29", "2019", "2019-08", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nAugust 29, 2019\n\nContact: Press@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY), chairman of the Federal Spending Oversight and Emergency Management (FSO) Subcommittee for the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC), continued his efforts to reform the big-spending status quo with the release of a Summer 2019 edition of The Waste Report.\n\nOnce again, Dr. Paul\u2019s Waste Report turns the spotlight on just some of the ways the federal government spends the American people\u2019s hard-earned money, with this edition including stories of building up Tunisia\u2019s political system and the Pakistani film industry, supporting \u201cgreen growth\u201d in Peru, teaching English and IT skills at madrassas, studying frog mating calls, making improper payments, and more.\n\nYou can find Dr. Paul\u2019s Summer 2019 edition of The Waste Report, which totals up over $50 billion in waste, below:", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:35:44Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-icymi-hsgac-committee-passes-paul-legislation-help-stop-new-wasteful-spending/", "ICYMI: HSGAC Committee Passes Paul Legislation to Help Stop New Wasteful Spending", "2019-07-25", "2019", "2019-07", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nJuly 25, 2019\n\nContact: Press@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 During a business meeting on Wednesday, the U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee passed S. 2183, legislation introduced by U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY), chairman of the Federal Spending Oversight and Emergency Management (FSO) Subcommittee, to help prevent the creation of further duplication, waste, and overlap in federal programs, offices, and initiatives. U.S. Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH), ranking member of the FSO Subcommittee, and U.S. Senator James Lankford (R-OK) joined Senator Paul in introducing the legislation on July 18, 2019.\n\nThe bill directs the Government Accountability Office (GAO) to review each piece of legislation reported out of a committee to determine if it poses a risk of producing even more duplication in areas of government where the GAO has already identified such problems in one of its annual duplication reports.\n\n\u201cAs we fight to rein in current wasteful spending, this reform would better enable Congress to make more fully informed decisions and stop waste before it ever happens. I applaud the committee for advancing our legislation, and I urge the Senate to follow its lead by quickly taking up and passing this bipartisan reform,\u201d said Senator Paul.\n\n\u201cI\u2019m committed to working across the aisle in order to guard against wasteful spending on duplicative government programs \u2013 and that\u2019s exactly what this bill enables us to do,\u201d said Senator Hassan. \u201cI am pleased to join Senators Paul and Lankford to advance this bill as we continue to work together to improve government efficiency and save taxpayer dollars.\u201d\n\nUnder the bill as passed by the committee, the GAO would notify the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) and the committee that reported the examined legislation of its findings.\n\nThe legislation follows a May 2019 FSO Subcommittee hearing to review the GAO\u2019s 2019 annual duplication report.\n\n\u201cIn our first eight reports, we made over 800 recommendations for congressional and executive branch action,\u201d U.S. Comptroller General Gene Dodaro testified in May, adding that \u201c54% have been implemented fully already\u201d and \u201c[a]nother 23% partially implemented,\u201d with \u201cfinancial benefits realized of $262 billion already that either have accrued or will accrue as a result of implementation of the recommendations.\u201d\n\nIn the report, which you can find HERE, the GAO \u201cidentifies 98 new actions that Congress or executive branch agencies can take to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of government in 28 new areas and 11 existing areas,\u201d with the agency estimating \u201ctens of billions of additional dollars\u201d in savings if its remaining open recommendations from prior reports and the 98 new items are fully implemented.\n\nYou can watch the entire FSO Subcommittee hearing from May 21, 2019, HERE.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:32:25Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-senate-foreign-relations-committee-doesnt-support-nato-members-paying-their-fair-share-votes/", "Senate Foreign Relations Committee Doesn\u2019t Support NATO Members Paying Their Fair Share, Votes Down Paul Amendment", "2019-07-25", "2019", "2019-07", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nJuly 25, 2019\n\nContact: Press@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, as the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee considered the Protocol on the accession of North Macedonia to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) during a business meeting, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) offered an amendment to make the United States\u2019 financial contributions to NATO proportional to the number of members in the alliance.\n\n\u201cOnce again, members of the Senate have shown to be detached from their constituents. Americans believe in all nations paying their fair share, yet members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee today voted down my amendment, which would have set the standard for an equal division of funding among alliance members. The status quo is unacceptable and unsustainable, and I will continue responding to concerned American taxpayers by fighting for change,\u201d said Dr. Paul.\n\nAs the U.S. continues to spend billions in support of NATO, the vast majority of its members have yet to reach the threshold of spending 2% of their GDP on defense, which the alliance agreed to in 2014.\n\nDr. Paul\u2019s amendment, which was not passed by the committee, would have offered a reservation to the Protocol to enact the change.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:32:25Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-sen-rand-paul-introduces-bills-protect-kentucky-coal-jobs-reduce-red-tape-energy-producers/", "Sen. Rand Paul Introduces Bills to Protect Kentucky Coal Jobs & Reduce Red Tape on Energy Producers", "2019-07-16", "2019", "2019-07", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nJuly 16, 2019\n\nContact: Press@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Last week, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) reintroduced legislation to further reduce red tape and burdensome regulations on energy producers by ensuring that power plants are no longer subject to onerous and expensive regulatory processes that discourage efficiencies and improvements. The two bills, S. 2104 and S. 2105, were previously introduced last Congress.\n\n\u201cProtecting Kentucky\u2019s coal jobs and ensuring that unnecessary regulations aren\u2019t standing in the way of the industry\u2019s ability to compete has always been a top priority of mine, and these pieces of legislation are a continuation of my pledge to always defend Kentucky\u2019s coal miners, their families, and the industry that keeps the lights on in our Commonwealth,\u201d said Sen. Paul. \u201cBy changing the criteria for triggering New Source Review, an expensive and burdensome regulatory process, my bills would ensure that power plants are no longer disincentivized from increasing efficiency and making other improvements and modifications, and help prevent Kentucky\u2019s coal jobs from falling victim to overbearing regulations.\u201d\n\nS. 2104: In current law, if modifications are made to a power plant to make the plant more efficient, environmentally friendly, or reliable, those modifications trigger the burdensome and expensive process of New Source Review, disincentivizing energy producers from making such modifications to their power plants. This bill would change that so if modifications of power plants are made to improve energy efficiency, pollution control, or reliability, New Source Review would not be triggered.\n\nS. 2105: In current law, New Source Review is triggered if a modification of a power plant increases the amount of emissions, even if the new emissions amount is lower than the emissions rate as the plant was designed or the emissions rate that was historically reached. This bill changes this so that New Source Review would be triggered instead only if the modification causes the emissions to be higher than the hourly rate of the source as it was originally designed, and also higher than the maximum hourly emissions rate of the source that was actually achieved during the ten-year period preceding such a change. This change would mean that plants would no longer be disincentivized from making modifications so long as they were not increasing emissions above the plant\u2019s original design or above the emissions levels actually historically reached.\n\nTyler White, President of the Kentucky Coal Association, released the following statement of support:\n\n\u201cThe Kentucky Coal Association commends Senator Paul\u2019s commitment to the coal industry by reintroducing S.2104 and S.2105, which will reduce red tape and bureaucracy for energy producers looking to improve efficiencies and productivity while achieving better environmental outcomes. House versions of the bills have been introduced by Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA). Senator Paul continues to be a proven leader and advocate for Kentucky\u2019s coal industry. \u201c\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:32:25Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-dr-rand-paul-releases-statement-amendment-reassert-congress-authority-war/", "Dr. Rand Paul Releases Statement on Amendment to Reassert Congress\u2019 Authority on War", "2019-06-28", "2019", "2019-06", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nJune 28, 2019\n\nContact: Press@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) released the following statement after the U.S. Senate failed to pass, by a vote of 50-40, the bipartisan amendment to the FY 2020 National Defense Authorization Act he cosponsored to block funds authorized under the Act from being used to conduct hostilities against Iran without congressional approval:\n\n\u201cThe Constitution is clear: only Congress can declare war. For too long, Congress has largely ceded the most important of its responsibilities to presidents of both parties. Our bipartisan amendment would have strengthened our national security by upholding the critical separation of powers, while still enabling the president to quickly act to defend us from attack.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:29:15Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-dr-rand-paul-champions-fiscally-conservative-solutions/", "Dr. Rand Paul Champions Fiscally Conservative Solutions", "2019-06-26", "2019", "2019-06", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nJune 26, 2019\n\nContact: Press@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) once again took a stand for common-sense budgeting and respecting American taxpayers\u2019 resources by putting the U.S. Senate on the record on his amendment to offset $4.5 billion in border funding with cuts to wasteful spending.\n\n\u201cWhile there is a humanitarian crisis at the border, we also have in our country a debt crisis,\u201d Dr. Paul stated in a speech on the Senate floor this afternoon, later adding, \u201cWe should not borrow the money, pull out the credit card yet again, every time a crisis occurs. Congress has an obligation to find lower priorities to cut to pay for higher priorities. I thought that\u2019s what legislating was about.\u201d\n\n\u201cI\u2019m proposing to actually pay for this by taking the money from a part of the budget that it\u2019s being wasted and put it into the humanitarian crisis at the border,\u201d he noted.\n\nSeventy-seven senators unfortunately voted to continue using Washington\u2019s typical big-spending and debt playbook.\n\nDr. Paul\u2019s amendment would have rescinded unobligated balances for FY 2019 for the East-West Center, which was highlighted in the Citizens Against Government Waste\u2019s 2019 Congressional Pig Book on wasteful spending. Previously, even the Obama administration had proposed significantly reducing funding for the Center.\n\nIt would also have rescinded unobligated balances for FY 2019 for the Inter-American Foundation, a past topic of his Waste Reports that is largely duplicative of USAID and has used American taxpayer dollars on projects including teaching circus arts in Argentina, helping deported illegal immigrants start a business (and without being able to rule out that the money would not go to criminal deportees), jumpstarting the Haitian film industry, and promoting a Haitian dance troupe.\n\nFinally, to account for the remainder of the offset, Dr. Paul\u2019s amendment would have rescinded unobligated balances for FY 2019 bilateral economic assistance (Title III funds), where government has also wasted taxpayer money.\n\nYou can watch Dr. Paul\u2019s speech HERE, and you can read his amendment below:", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:29:15Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-icymi-dr-rand-paul-continues-defend-privacy-american-taxpayers/", "ICYMI: Dr. Rand Paul Continues to Defend Privacy of American Taxpayers", "2019-06-26", "2019", "2019-06", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nJune 26, 2019\n\nContact: Press@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Yesterday, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) continued his fight to protect the privacy of innocent Americans as the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee marked up tax treaties with Spain, the Swiss Confederation, Japan, and Luxembourg.\n\nDuring the meeting, Dr. Paul offered a reservation to each treaty to ensure the United States can only request, accept, or share a taxpayer\u2019s deposit account information if there is a reasonable basis to believe that person may not have complied with tax laws. A reservation would change U.S. obligations without changing the text of the treaty.\n\nAs part of those reservations, Dr. Paul included a provision to establish the effective dates of the treaties with Spain, the Swiss Confederation, and Japan retroactive to the date on which each was submitted to the Senate. This would allow entities subject to the treaty to enjoy the advantages of an improved tax regime as if there had not been a delay because of the refusal of the Obama administration to negotiate on the treaties.\n\nThe Senate Foreign Relations Committee unfortunately voted to reject these reservations.\n\n\u201cWashington seems to find it hard to believe it is possible to enforce the law while at the same time taking Americans\u2019 privacy seriously. The benefits of these treaties simply do not outweigh the potential for abuse. The reservations I offered would have put Americans\u2019 interests first without preventing the treaties from moving forward,\u201d said Dr. Paul.\n\nSince entering the Senate, Dr. Paul has demanded our tax treaties provide basic due process protections for Americans. While recognizing their positive aspects, Dr. Paul has sought full consideration and examination of their implications for Americans\u2019 privacy due to a low standard of information collection based on what a nation decides is relevant.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:29:15Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-icymi-dr-rand-paul-speaks-senate-passes-resolutions-blocking-arms-sales-saudi-arabia/", "ICYMI: Dr. Rand Paul Speaks Before Senate Passes Resolutions Blocking Arms Sales to Saudi Arabia", "2019-06-20", "2019", "2019-06", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nJune 20, 2019\n\nContact: Press@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Earlier today, U.S. Senator and Senate Foreign Relations Committee member Rand Paul (R-KY) spoke on the U.S. Senate floor to once again call for the Senate to take a stand against selling American weapons to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, a nation known for its violations of human rights, fueling of a humanitarian crisis, and support for radicalism.\n\n\u201cThese weapons are owned by the taxpayer, and we should not sell them to people who are not our friends,\u201d Dr. Paul stated on the floor.\n\nYou can watch Dr. Paul\u2019s speech HERE.\n\nShortly after his speech, the Senate voted on several joint resolutions of disapproval Dr. Paul co-introduced with a bipartisan coalition earlier this month to block over $8 billion in sales of weapons and assistance primarily to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. Separate votes were held on S.J. Res. 36 and S.J. Res. 38, with a third vote on the remaining 20 resolutions.\n\nThe resolutions passed, with over 50 senators voting in favor on each vote, proving support for ending the arms sales to Saudi Arabia continues to grow in the U.S. Senate.\n\nThe Arms Export Control Act of 1976 provides the special procedures whereby a senator can force a vote on an arms sale.\n\nPreviously, Dr. Paul has led multiple bipartisan efforts to block direct arms sales to Saudi Arabia.\n\nJust last week, he also put the Senate on record on selling U.S. weapons and associated training and support to Bahrain and Qatar through votes on two of his joint resolutions of disapproval to block the sales.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:29:15Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-sen-rand-paul-introduces-bill-reduce-paperwork-kentucky-farmers-streamline-h-2a-h-2b-visa/", "Sen. Rand Paul Introduces Bill to Reduce Paperwork for Kentucky Farmers & Streamline H-2A & H-2B Visa Programs", "2019-06-18", "2019", "2019-06", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nJune 18, 2019\n\nContact: Press@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) introduced the Paperwork Reduction for Farmers and H-2A Modernization Act (S. 1887), a bill providing much needed regulatory relief to Kentucky\u2019s agriculture community by reducing red tape and streamlining temporary agriculture worker visa programs. By allowing certain categories of temporary workers currently under the capped H-2B program, such as those in the equine and livestock industries, to apply through the uncapped H-2A program, this legislation would ensure Kentucky farmers are able to hire and retain the workers they need. It would simultaneously reform the H-2A application system, alleviating unnecessary bureaucratic delays from an outdated application system.\n\n\u201cMy Paperwork Reduction for Farmers and H-2A Modernization Act provides a commonsense solution to a frustrating problem by reforming our antiquated H-2A and H-2B temporary worker programs to meet the labor needs of Kentucky\u2019s entire agriculture community. By providing greater flexibility within the programs, increasing reliability from season to season, and eliminating unnecessary regulatory burdens, my bill gets government out of the way so these Kentucky farmers and industries can grow, succeed, and continue supporting the Commonwealth\u2019s economy,\u201d said Sen. Paul.\n\nOver the last several years, Sen. Paul has led the charge to enact necessary reforms to our outdated temporary worker programs. His past legislation to streamline the H-2A program, introduced in 2016 and again in 2017, came from listening to Christian County farmers and working directly with them to ensure the bill addressed their issues. In 2018, the Trump Administration responded to the push for reform and announced their intention to streamline the H-2A program. Sen. Paul\u2019s Paperwork Reduction for Farmers and H-2A Modernization Act is a continuation of his efforts on behalf of Kentucky\u2019s agriculture community.\n\nAgriculture, livestock, equine, and landscaping leaders across Kentucky and the nation are applauding Sen. Paul\u2019s efforts and released several statements of support. You can find a document with full statements HERE.\n\nBACKGROUND:\n\nThe Paperwork Reduction for Farmers and H-2A Modernization Act provides solutions to several critical issues within the H-2A and H-2B temporary worker visa programs that are currently leaving many farmers frustrated and unable to hire and retain the workers they need. While there is no cap on the number of temporary visas issued under the H-2A program, the H-2B program has an annual cap of 66,000 visas. This restrictive cap has caused many farms and businesses in need of livestock, poultry, dairy, and equine workers\u2014as well as those in supporting jobs such as landscapers and groundskeepers\u2014to suffer, as these workers are locked into the H-2B program. Additionally, the H-2A program is in need of streamlining and reform.\n\nSenator Paul\u2019s Paperwork Reduction for Farmers and H-2A Modernization Act does the following:\n\n\u00b7 Allows livestock (including dairy, cattle, and poultry) and equine workers, aquacultural, forestry conservation, and landscaping workers to be eligible to apply for participation in the uncapped H-2A program. The bill does not abolish the H-2B program; anyone that wishes to remain under the H-2B program may do so.\n\n\u00b7 A temporary worker that follows the terms of their visa should be rewarded with expedited approvals the next time they apply. Thus, for an employer hiring returning workers, this bill creates a simplified application process and guarantees certain approvals pending any necessary security checks.\n\n\u00b7 Allows farmers to apply for workers with staggered start and end dates on the same application, rather than an impractical one-size-fits-all status quo.\n\n\u00b7 Requires the Department of Labor (DOL) to create an online application process and requires U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to create an online Request for Evidence (RFE) system. The DOL application would indicate any technical deficiencies before submission.\n\n\u00b7 Requires the government to promptly provide a reason for a denial or delay to the employer, and to provide a reasonable time for the employer to remedy the problem.\n\n\u00b7 Ensures an employer, who uses a third-party preparer to file an application for non-immigrant visas for workers and the paperwork was filed for the wrong program, will not face penalties, civil or criminal, for document fraud so long as the employer can demonstrate a reasonable belief the application was accurate and complied with statutory requirements.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:29:15Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-dr-rand-paul-puts-senate-record-arming-bahrain-and-qatar/", "Dr. Rand Paul Puts Senate on Record on Arming Bahrain and Qatar", "2019-06-13", "2019", "2019-06", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nJune 13, 2019\n\nContact: Press@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator and Senate Foreign Relations Committee member Rand Paul (R-KY) put the U.S. Senate on record on selling U.S. weapons and associated training and support to Bahrain and Qatar through votes on two of his joint resolutions of disapproval to block the sales.\n\nThe Senate first voted on discharging Dr. Paul\u2019s S.J. Res. 20, which would stop an estimated $750 million sale to Bahrain that includes air-to-ground missiles and guided bombs, from the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee and bringing it to the Senate floor, with a second vote on discharging S.J. Res. 26, which would block an estimated $3 billion sale to Qatar that includes Apache Attack helicopters and Hellfire missiles.\n\nShortly before the vote, Dr. Paul spoke on the Senate floor against selling American weapons to Bahrain, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia.\n\n\u201cWhat kind of bizarre world do we live in that we are arming people who arm our enemies,\u201d Dr. Paul asked on the Senate floor.\n\nYou can watch his speech HERE.\n\nWhile over 40 senators supported both of Dr. Paul\u2019s resolutions, the majority of senators unfortunately voted to continue fueling an arms race in the Middle East.\n\nYou can read S.J. Res. 20 and S.J. Res. 26 below.\n\nThe Arms Export Control Act of 1976 provides the special procedures whereby a senator can force a vote on an arms sale.\n\nIn November 2018, Dr. Paul forced a procedural vote on his resolution that would have blocked the sale of an estimated $300 million in high-explosive rocket artillery and associated training and support to Bahrain, a member of the Saudi-led coalition waging a devasting war in Yemen that has left millions on the edge of starvation.\n\nDr. Paul has also led multiple bipartisan efforts to block direct arms sales to Saudi Arabia.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:29:15Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-sens-paul-and-wyden-introduce-republic-act-rein-presidential-national-emergency-powers/", "Sens. Paul and Wyden Introduce REPUBLIC Act to Rein In Presidential National Emergency Powers", "2019-06-12", "2019", "2019-06", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nJune 12, 2019\n\nContact: Matt Hawes (Paul) \u2013 202-224-4343\n\nKeith Chu (Wyden) \u2013 202-224-3789\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senators Rand Paul (R-KY) and Ron Wyden (D-OR) introduced the Reforming Emergency Powers to Uphold the Balances and Limitations Inherent in the Constitution (REPUBLIC) Act, which will preserve the president\u2019s ability to act immediately in cases of national emergencies but also uphold Congress\u2019 constitutional responsibility to check the executive branch.\n\nCurrent law provides the presidency with unilateral power to determine when and how it will exercise emergency powers. Although the Founders included the principle of the separation of powers as a central feature of our government, an emergency, such as a military invasion of the United States, can justify the suspension of the constitutional order so that the president can protect the nation immediately and without congressional authorization.\n\nThe REPUBLIC Act will continue to allow the president to take immediate action in necessary situations but also require expeditious and continual congressional review of declared national emergencies to ensure that the separation of powers is preserved.\n\n\u201cCongress fails its responsibilities to the American people and the Constitution when it leaves the executive virtually unchecked to unlock and exercise emergency powers in perpetuity. The REPUBLIC Act strengthens the separation of powers by instituting critical reforms, including requiring Congress to specifically approve of a national emergency declaration in a timely fashion instead of being forced to disapprove of an overreach by super majority, as well as preventing a president from taking over the internet and other means of communication. It does all this while preserving the president\u2019s authority to act immediately to defend our nation,\u201d said Senator Paul.\n\n\u201cPresidents have run roughshod over the Constitution for far too long because Congress keeps shirking its obligations. Checks and balances are more than pretty words on a page; they\u2019re a bedrock principle of our Democracy. This legislation would reassert Congress\u2019 role as a co-equal branch of government while preserving a President\u2019s ability to address real emergencies,\u201d said Senator Wyden.\n\nSpecifically, the REPUBLIC Act would:\n\n\u2022 Permit the president to take emergency action for no more than 72 hours without congressional approval;\n\n\u25e6 Under current law, the burden is on Congress to pass a joint resolution of disapproval if it finds that a president has misused his authority to declare a national emergency.\n\n\u25e6 By imposing a requirement for approval, the REPUBLIC Act would empower the people\u2019s representatives to combat misuse of presidential emergency powers.\n\n\u2022 Establish expedited procedures by which Congress would consider a joint resolution of approval;\n\n\u2022 Sunset congressionally approved national emergencies 90 days after the issuance of the presidential declaration, unless renewed;\n\n\u2022 Exempt the president\u2019s powers under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) from the amendments made by this legislation to allow the president to immediately impose and sustain sanctions on our foreign adversaries. By carving out IEEPA, the REPUBLIC Act will not require Congress to vote every 90 days to continue sanctions on North Korea, Iran, transnational crime organizations, etc.;\n\n\u2022 Repeal the statutory authority empowering a president to unilaterally control communications, such as the internet, cell phone service, and television/radio broadcasts; and\n\n\u2022 Terminate all existing national emergencies that do not specify IEEPA as the source of presidential authority.\n\nYou can read the REPUBLIC Act below:", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:29:15Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-sen-paul-puts-senate-record-balancing-budget/", "Sen. Paul Puts Senate on Record on Balancing the Budget", "2019-06-03", "2019", "2019-06", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nJune 3, 2019\n\nContact: Press@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY), chairman of the Federal Spending Oversight and Emergency Management (FSO) Subcommittee, put the U.S. Senate on the record on ending Washington\u2019s runaway spending through a procedural vote on his Pennies Plan five-year balanced budget.\n\nTwenty-one other senators joined Senator Paul in voting for fiscal responsibility, while 69 senators voted to continue the big-spending status quo.\n\n\u201cI rise today to let the American people know that there are some of us left in Washington, some of your representatives, who actually do care about the mounting debt,\u201d Sen. Paul stated on the floor. \u201cWhen people say the government can provide you all these things, they can only do it by either taxing you or borrowing. Right now, we\u2019re doing it mostly through borrowing,\u201d said Sen. Paul.\n\nYou can watch Senator Paul\u2019s speech HERE.\n\nYou can find his Pennies Plan budget below.\n\nSenator Paul\u2019s Pennies Plan budget simply states that for every on-budget dollar the federal government spent in Fiscal Year 2019, it spend two pennies fewer a year (a cut of two percent per year) for the next five years (at which point balance is reached \u2013 without touching Social Security). In the following five years after it balances, the proposal would result in a $913 billion surplus.\n\nThe Pennies Plan budget provides legislators with full flexibility to make the best decisions on where to cut, setting a goal of balance and then calling on Congress to use the tools provided to make the changes in law needed to achieve that objective.\n\nThe plan requires each committee with mandatory spending to be involved in the reconciliation process, as was the process\u2019 original purpose. It also facilitates needed budget process reform, raising the waiver threshold for all budget points of order so the Senate is held to a higher standard and making the budget spending totals enforceable for 10 years instead of just one.\n\nSenator Paul\u2019s legislation also includes instructions that would help pave the way for making the middle-class tax cuts permanent and further expanding access to Health Savings Accounts (HSAs).\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:29:15Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-today-us-senate-vote-sen-pauls-balanced-budget-plan/", "TODAY: U.S. Senate to Vote on Sen. Paul\u2019s Balanced Budget Plan", "2019-06-03", "2019", "2019-06", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nJune 3, 2019\n\nContact: Press@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Around 5:30 pm eastern today, the U.S. Senate will hold a vote on invoking cloture on the motion to proceed to U.S. Senator Rand Paul\u2019s (R-KY) Pennies Plan balanced budget (S. 1332), which will put the Senate on record on reining in spending, ending skyrocketing deficits, and making better use of taxpayer resources.\n\n\u201cWe teach our children that money doesn\u2019t grow on trees, and then they grow up watching politicians pretend otherwise. Meanwhile, our debt soars past $22 trillion, endangers our country, and artificially limits what our nation can achieve. Today, the U.S. Senate can vote to put a stop to it and change course,\u201d said Sen. Paul.\n\nAs spending and debt continue to skyrocket, Senator Paul\u2019s budget simply states that for every on-budget dollar the federal government spent in Fiscal Year 2019, it spend two pennies fewer a year (a cut of two percent per year) for the next five years (at which point balance is reached \u2013 without touching Social Security). In the following five years after it balances, the proposal would result in a $913 billion surplus.\n\nThe Pennies Plan budget provides legislators with full flexibility to make the best decisions on where to cut, setting a goal of balance and then calling on Congress to use the tools provided to make the changes in law needed to achieve that objective.\n\nThe plan requires each committee with mandatory spending to be involved in the reconciliation process, as was the process\u2019 original purpose. It also facilitates needed budget process reform, raising the waiver threshold for all budget points of order so the Senate is held to a higher standard and making the budget spending totals enforceable for 10 years instead of just one.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:29:15Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-dr-rand-paul-holds-hearing-gaos-2019-annual-duplication-report/", "Dr. Rand Paul Holds Hearing on GAO\u2019s 2019 Annual Duplication Report", "2019-05-21", "2019", "2019-05", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nMay 21, 2019\n\nContact: Press@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 This morning, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY), chairman of the Federal Spending Oversight and Emergency Management (FSO) Subcommittee for the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC), held a hearing to review the Government Accountability Office\u2019s (GAO) 2019 Annual Duplication Report, which the GAO released today.\n\n\u201cThis is GAO\u2019s ninth duplication report, each shedding light on some truly troubling examples of waste,\u201d Dr. Paul remarked in his opening statement, noting that \u201c[t]his report is no exception\u201d before going on to cite instances of problems with fragmentation, overlap, coordination, and waste in foreign aid, federally funded research in quantum computing and synthetic biology, the Department of Defense, and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).\n\nIn addition to stating his hope that \u201cwe can act quickly to address the findings of this report,\u201d Dr. Paul also called for an assessment of the duplicative effects of legislation to be included in Congressional Budget Office cost estimates in the future, a reform he has most recently included in his Penny Plan balanced budget proposals.\n\n\u201cIn our first eight reports, we made over 800 recommendations for congressional and executive branch action,\u201d U.S. Comptroller General Gene Dodaro stated in his testimony, adding that \u201c54% have been implemented fully already\u201d and \u201c[a]nother 23% partially implemented,\u201d with \u201cfinancial benefits realized of $262 billion already that either have accrued or will accrue as a result of implementation of the recommendations.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe culture of government is to spend money and to make payments as fast as possible, and that culture needs to change, and we need to be more careful in how we go about these activities. The only thing I\u2019ve found successful is rigorous congressional oversight and forcing the agencies to explain why they\u2019re not taking action on some of these recommendations,\u201d Mr. Dodaro later said to the FSO Subcommittee.\n\nIn its 2019 report, which you can find HERE, the GAO \u201cidentifies 98 new actions that Congress or executive branch agencies can take to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of government in 28 new areas and 11 existing areas,\u201d with the agency estimating \u201ctens of billions of additional dollars\u201d in savings if its remaining open recommendations from prior reports and the 98 new items are fully implemented.\n\nYou can watch Dr. Paul\u2019s opening statement from today\u2019s FSO Subcommittee hearing HERE, and you can find the entire meeting HERE.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:25:46Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-dr-rand-paul-introduces-resolution-remove-un-arms-trade-treaty-us-senate/", "Dr. Rand Paul Introduces Resolution to Remove UN Arms Trade Treaty from the U.S. Senate", "2019-05-15", "2019", "2019-05", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nMay 15, 2019\n\nContact: Press@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 On Monday, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) introduced S. Res. 204 to remove the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) from U.S. Senate consideration and return it to President Donald Trump.\n\nLast month, President Trump announced his decision to revoke the U.S.\u2019 2013 signature on the treaty. Shortly after his announcement, President Trump sent a message to the Senate requesting it return the ATT, which the Obama administration had submitted to it in the closing weeks of the 114th Congress in 2016 for ratification.\n\n\u201cAs a fierce advocate for American sovereignty and the Second Amendment, I applaud President Trump for responding to concerns I and many other Americans have raised and rejecting this UN power grab. I urge the Senate to leave no doubt about where it stands on these issues by quickly passing my resolution,\u201d said Dr. Paul.\n\nThroughout his time in the Senate, Dr. Paul has spoken out against the ATT, which paves the way for international law and pressure to determine U.S. policy instead of our Constitution and could usher in increased regulation to restrict Americans\u2019 liberties.\n\nDr. Paul has also previously cosponsored legislation to ensure the protection of Americans\u2019 Second Amendment rights from the treaty.\n\nYou can read Dr. Paul\u2019s S. Res. 204 below:", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:25:46Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-dr-rand-paul-thrilled-news-asia-bibis-release-advocated-her-freedom-years/", "Dr. Rand Paul: \u2018Thrilled\u2019 at News of Asia Bibi\u2019s Release, Advocated for Her Freedom for Years", "2019-05-08", "2019", "2019-05", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nMay 8, 2019\n\nContact: Press@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) released the following statement regarding the arrival of Pakistani Christian Aasiya Noreen, internationally known as Asia Bibi, in Canada months after her acquittal on blasphemy charges in Pakistan:\n\n\u201cI am thrilled that Asia Bibi has finally been released from Pakistan and is now safe in Canada. For eight long years, this Christian woman was on death row on blasphemy charges. I stood for her freedom every step of the way, and today we are thankful for her liberty. Such an injustice should never happen again,\u201d said Dr. Paul.\n\nFollowing a disagreement with neighbors, Asia Bibi was charged with blasphemy and sentenced to death row in 2010. After an international outcry, the Pakistani Supreme Court stayed her execution and ultimately acquitted her in October 2018, upholding the verdict in January 2019.\n\nThroughout her ordeal, Dr. Paul worked to turn up the pressure on Pakistan for her release, including alerting Americans about her situation, pushing to end U.S. foreign aid to Pakistan, and introducing a resolution urging Pakistan to release her and to reform its laws that have led to the targeting of religious minorities. Dr. Paul also called for the U.S. to grant Asia Bibi asylum and discussed her situation directly with President Donald Trump.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:25:46Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-icymi-dr-rand-pauls-field-hearing-provides-mccreary-county-forum-address-concerns-federal-land/", "ICYMI: Dr. Rand Paul\u2019s Field Hearing Provides McCreary County with Forum to Address Concerns with Federal Land Management", "2019-05-02", "2019", "2019-05", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nMay 2, 2019\n\nContact: Press@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 As part of his efforts to resolve concerns raised by Kentuckians in McCreary County, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY), chairman of the U.S. Senate Federal Spending Oversight and Emergency Management (FSO) Subcommittee, brought local leaders and business owners, federal officials, and other community representatives together last Thursday for a special FSO field hearing at Stearns Heritage Hall in Stearns, Kentucky.\n\nCurrently, the federal government owns over 600 million acres of U.S. land and faces a staggering maintenance backlog in excess of $11 billion. The FSO field hearing, entitled \u201cDirect and Indirect Costs to the Federal Government from Management of Federal Lands,\u201d gave the McCreary community an opportunity to directly share with representatives from the U.S. National Park Service and U.S. Forest Service how federal ownership of roughly 80% of their county has impacted their lives and economic opportunities.\n\nArtificial limitations on their economy have led to many Kentuckians leaving the area to make a living. At the meeting, residents expressed problems with lower quality of air and water, maintenance of certain land and attractions, and easily accessing and enjoying privately owned land and the county\u2019s natural beauty. The dialogue also highlighted how a lack of communication and information from the federal government has worsened the situation.\n\n\u201cMost of our youth have to move away to get jobs,\u201d McCreary County Deputy Judge/Executive Nathan Nevels said at the hearing before introducing a group of students with certifications in fields including construction, carpentry, nursing, and welding, noting that they \u201care some of our kids that we are probably going to be losing because they\u2019ll be going elsewhere for jobs.\u201d\n\nBuilding on the hearing, Dr. Paul will continue working with local officials and appropriate agencies to ensure McCreary County and similar communities have the maximum opportunity to grow and succeed.\n\n\u201cAt the end of the day, this is about advocating for Kentuckians who want to create more jobs and opportunity in their community and promote tourism and access to the beautiful natural resources we are so lucky to call our own in the Commonwealth. Through this subcommittee hearing in McCreary County, where this issue is so critical to their economic survival, the people were able to make their voices truly heard. I am hopeful as we look ahead that our hearing will result in a positive outcome not only for their community but for others wrestling with such issues with the federal government,\u201d said Dr. Paul.\n\nYou can watch Dr. Paul\u2019s FSO subcommittee field hearing HERE.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:25:46Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-dr-rand-paul-releases-spring-2019-waste-full-bloom-edition-waste-report/", "Dr. Rand Paul Releases Spring 2019 \u2018Waste in Full Bloom\u2019 Edition of \u2018The Waste Report\u2019", "2019-04-15", "2019", "2019-04", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nApril 15, 2019\n\nContact: Press@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY), chairman of the Federal Spending Oversight and Emergency Management (FSO) Subcommittee for the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC), released a special Spring 2019 edition of The Waste Report entitled \u201cWaste in Full Bloom.\u201d\n\nWith the nation reaching another Tax Day, and the debt having crossed $22 trillion this year, Dr. Paul\u2019s Waste Report once again shines a spotlight on just some of what Washington does with Americans\u2019 hard-earned money, including providing free community college for international students (a follow-up on a 2015 Report), improving understanding of Lao in Laos, building up the Moldovan television industry, and allowing the Department of Defense\u2019s 1033 military surplus program to be abused.\n\nYou can find Dr. Paul\u2019s Spring 2019 \u201cWaste in Full Bloom\u201d edition of The Waste Report, which totals over $42.6 million in waste below:\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:23:17Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-sen-rand-paul-rep-ro-khanna-lead-bipartisan-bicameral-letter-president-trump-urging-and/", "Sen. Rand Paul, Rep. Ro Khanna Lead Bipartisan, Bicameral Letter to President Trump Urging and Supporting Troop Withdrawal from Syria", "2019-04-03", "2019", "2019-04", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nApril 3, 2019\n\nContact: Sergio Gor (Paul), 202-224-4343\n\nHeather Purcell (Khanna), 202-225-2631\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) and U.S. Representative Ro Khanna (D-CA) announced they are sending a bipartisan, bicameral letter to President Donald Trump in support of his decision to bring U.S. troops home from Syria and urging the completion of the withdrawal process \u201cwithin the next six months,\u201d demonstrating that the cause crosses a wide range of ideological and political boundaries to unite lawmakers.\n\nSenator Mike Lee (R-UT) and U.S. Representatives Ted Lieu (D-CA), Justin Amash (R-MI), Andy Biggs (R-AZ), Jeff Duncan (R-SC), Paul Gosar (R-AZ), Thomas Massie (R-KY), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY), Ilhan Omar (DFL-MN), and Bill Posey (R-FL) joined Senator Paul and Representative Khanna on the letter.\n\n\u201cOne of the things I have always admired about President Trump is his willingness to take on a foreign policy establishment that has failed to make America safer. As he said during the State of the Union, \u2018Great nations do not fight endless wars,\u2019 and I look forward to continuing to work with President Trump to change course and bring more of our soldiers home,\u201d said Sen. Paul.\n\n\u201cThe president cannot pursue a foreign policy agenda without the advice and consent, let alone the support, of the Congress. Thanks to Sen. Paul for joining me in bringing an end to these wars \u2013 The Constitution isn\u2019t partisan,\u201d said Rep. Khanna.\n\n\u201cThe 2015 introduction of U.S. military forces into hostilities in Syria was never approved by Congress, in violation of the Constitution and the War Powers Resolution of 1973. We believe that the stated intention of withdrawing our forces is appropriate, and we look forward to the orderly return of our service members from this theater of conflict,\u201d the signers wrote in their letter to President Trump.\n\n\u201cWhile it is essential to accomplish the announced withdrawal, we urge your Administration to couple the process of a phased removal of U.S. troops with an increased focus on diplomacy to ensure minimal disruption and prevent needless loss of life,\u201d they continued.\n\nYou can read their letter below:\n\n***\n\nDear Mr. President:\n\nWe write in bipartisan support of your announcement of the start of a \u201cdeliberate withdrawal\u201d of U.S. military forces in Syria, and we welcome the completion of this process within the next six months.\n\nThe 2015 introduction of U.S. military forces into hostilities in Syria was never approved by Congress, in violation of the Constitution and the War Powers Resolution of 1973. We believe that the stated intention of withdrawing our forces is appropriate, and we look forward to the orderly return of our service members from this theater of conflict.\n\nWhile it is essential to accomplish the announced withdrawal, we urge your Administration to couple the process of a phased removal of U.S. troops with an increased focus on diplomacy to ensure minimal disruption and prevent needless loss of life.\n\nAdditionally, we recommend direct, robust engagement and coordination with both U.S. allies and other regional governments to ensure the safety of Syria\u2019s civilian populations and avert the resurgence of ISIS. We agree with your aim of averting a Turkish military assault on Syria\u2019s Kurds, and U.S. leverage\u2014such as conditioning weapons sales to Turkey\u2014can achieve this outcome.\n\nIt is long past time to rein in the use of force that goes beyond congressional authorization, and we look forward to pursuing this longstanding bipartisan objective with your Administration. Finally, we hope this will serve as a model for ending hostilities in the future \u2013 in particular, as you and your administration seek a political solution to our involvement in Afghanistan.\n\nSincerely,\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:23:17Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-dr-randpaul-introduces-pennies-plan-balanced-budget/", "Dr. RandPaul Introduces \u2018Pennies Plan\u2019 Balanced Budget", "2019-04-01", "2019", "2019-04", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nApril 1, 2019\n\nContact: Press@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY), chairman of the Federal Spending Oversight and Emergency Management (FSO) Subcommittee for the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC), introduced his \u201cPennies Plan\u201d federal budget to get Washington\u2019s spending under control and make it a more efficient and effective steward of the American people\u2019s tax dollars.\n\n\u201cA balanced federal budget isn\u2019t a pie-in-the-sky dream or empty rhetoric. Once again, I am introducing a concrete plan that is achievable and allows Congress maximum flexibility to prioritize spending. It leads the way toward fiscal responsibility, an even stronger economy, and a future full of opportunity for the American people,\u201d said Dr. Paul.\n\nAs spending and debt continue to skyrocket, Dr. Paul\u2019s budget simply states that for every on-budget dollar the federal government spent in Fiscal Year 2019, it spend two pennies fewer a year (a cut of two percent per year) for the next five years (at which point balance is reached), with spending then growing at two percent for five years afterward.\n\nDr. Paul\u2019s budget reforms Congress\u2019 reconciliation and budget processes \u2013 all without making any changes to Social Security \u2013 and includes instructions that would help pave the way for making the middle-class tax cuts permanent and further expanding access to Health Savings Accounts (HSAs).\n\nYou can find more background on Dr. Paul\u2019s proposal below, and you can read his budget below:\n\nDr. Rand Paul\u2019s Balanced Budget:\n\n\u2022 Reduces spending by $183.1B in FY20 and by $11.3T over 10 years relative to baseline.\n\n\u2022 Total spending still increases by 18.2 percent over the ten-year window. Only in Washington could an 18.2 percent increase be characterized as a \u201ccut.\u201d\n\n\u2022 Balances without making any changes to Social Security.\n\n\u2022 Makes no specific policy assumptions \u2013 all the savings are reflected in a new budget function (Function number 930: New Efficiencies, Consolidations, and Other Savings). This budget sets a goal of balance and then calls on Congress to use the tools provided to make the changes in law needed to achieve that objective.\n\nReiterates fundamental principles\n\n\u2022 As policy debates present diametrically opposed visions of our country\u2019s future, Dr. Paul\u2019s budget establishes a sense of Congress that the United States will not be a socialist nation.\n\nPaves the way for continued reform\n\n\u2022 Provides reconciliation instructions to the Senate Finance Committee to make middle class tax relief permanent.\n\n\u2022 Creates a reserve fund to allow for expansion of Health Savings Accounts (HSAs).\n\nReconciliation and Budget Process Reform\n\n\u2022 Provides reconciliation instructions to eight committees with mandatory spending, ensuring every eligible committee participates in the reconciliation process, as was the process\u2019 original purpose.\n\n\u2022 Raises the waiver threshold for all budget points of order so the Senate is held to a higher standard.\n\n\u2022 Makes the budget spending totals enforceable for 10 years instead of just one.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:23:17Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-icymi-sen-rand-paul-calls-transparency-asks-was-president-obama-involved/", "ICYMI: Sen. Rand Paul Calls for Transparency, Asks, \u2018Was President Obama Involved?\u2019", "2019-03-28", "2019", "2019-03", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nMarch 28, 2019\n\nContact: Press@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) spoke on the U.S. Senate floor to offer an amendment to the House-passed resolution on releasing the Mueller Report that demands more information on the origins of the Obama Administration\u2019s decisions concerning the investigation of Donald Trump and his campaign, particularly the use of the unverified and patently false Steele dossier.\n\n\u201cWhat we need to discover, and we do not yet know, was President Obama involved? Was this done for partisan purposes? Was this done to try to elect Hillary Clinton?\u201d Sen. Paul asked on the Senate floor.\n\nYou can watch Senator Paul\u2019s full remarks HERE.\n\nSpecifically, Dr. Paul\u2019s amendment to H. Con. Res. 24:\n\n\u2022 calls for the public release of all information and communications involving James Comey, John Brennan, James Clapper, Susan Rice, Barack Obama, Andrew McCabe, Peter Strzok, Lisa Page, Loretta Lynch, Bruce Ohr, or anyone else in the Obama Administration concerning the Steele dossier or investigating Donald Trump and his campaign;\n\n\u2022 calls for John Brennan, who allowed the Central Intelligence Agency to spy on computers of the Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate, to testify under oath and provide to Congress all his records and communications regarding the 2016 election;\n\n\u2022 calls for James Clapper, who lied to the Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate about a secret surveillance program that was gathering all phone data of people in the United States, to testify under oath and provide to Congress all his records and communications regarding the 2016 election;\n\n\u2022 calls for the public release of all of President Barack Obama\u2019s communications concerning the decision to investigate the Trump Campaign; and\n\n\u2022 calls for the public release of all communications or reports concerning the decision not to indict Hillary Clinton or the Clinton Foundation.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:20:25Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-dr-randpaul-releases-statement-green-new-deal-resolution/", "Dr. RandPaul Releases Statement on \u2018Green New Deal\u2019 Resolution", "2019-03-26", "2019", "2019-03", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nMarch 26, 2019\n\nContact: Press@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) released the following statement after voting against cloture on S.J. Res. 8, which calls for the United States government to institute a \u201cGreen New Deal\u201d:\n\n\u201cThe Green New Deal represents an industry-killing, all-out assault on our way of life in Kentucky: an escalation of the War on Coal, an attack on our automobile manufacturers and job-creators, and even more bureaucracy for our farmers to navigate. I cannot support this anti-Kentucky boondoggle that will make our nation\u2019s $22 trillion debt look like \u2018the good old days\u2019 and roll back the ground we have gained on cutting taxes and removing unnecessary regulations. I look forward to continuing to work with President Trump to ensure we will never become a socialist country.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:20:25Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-dr-rand-paul-releases-statement-national-emergency-vote/", "Dr. Rand Paul Releases Statement on National Emergency Vote", "2019-03-14", "2019", "2019-03", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nMarch 14, 2019\n\nContact: Press@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) released the following statement after voting to disapprove of the national emergency declaration regarding the border:\n\n\u201cI stand with President Trump on the need for a border wall and stronger border security, but the Constitution clearly states that money cannot be spent unless Congress has passed a law to do so.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:20:25Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-dr-rand-paul-applauds-senate-again-voting-end-us-support-war-yemen/", "Dr. Rand Paul Applauds Senate for Again Voting to End U.S. Support for the War in Yemen", "2019-03-13", "2019", "2019-03", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nMarch 13, 2019\n\nContact: Press@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343\n\nDr. Rand Paul Applauds Senate for Again Voting to End U.S. Support for the War in Yemen\n\nFinal Resolution Includes Paul Amendment Protecting Senate\u2019s Intent\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator and Senate Foreign Relations Committee member Rand Paul (R-KY) applauded the U.S. Senate for passing S.J. Res. 7 to end U.S. support for the war in Yemen. The final version of S.J. Res. 7, which passed by a vote of 54 to 46, follows similar action by the Senate in December 2018 and includes Dr. Paul\u2019s amendment to guarantee the resolution cannot be construed as an Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF).\n\n\u201cLast year, the Senate took historic action to reassert its voice in foreign policy. Today\u2019s vote is further proof of a momentum shift on our unconstitutional involvement in this unjust war. I am especially pleased that my amendment was included to prevent the resolution from potentially being misinterpreted as a new Authorization for Use of Military Force. I and others have worked hard to ensure Congress would not be silent in the face of Saudi Arabia\u2019s disregard for human rights and innocent life, and today\u2019s result proves what can be achieved by refusing to give up no matter the odds.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:20:25Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-dr-rand-paul-announces-2019-service-academy-nominations/", "Dr. Rand Paul Announces 2019 Service Academy Nominations", "2019-03-07", "2019", "2019-03", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nMarch 7, 2019\n\nContact: Press@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343\n\nBOWLING GREEN, KY \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Rand Paul issued the following statement after announcing his nominations to the U.S. service academies, consisting of 37 individuals from across the Commonwealth of Kentucky:\n\n\u201cA very rewarding aspect of being a United States Senator is the opportunity to nominate young men and women from across the state to attend our nation\u2019s prestigious service academies. I commend each of these students for their dedication and desire to serve in the United States military, and I wish them the best through the remainder of the selection process. I have no doubt the students chosen will proudly represent the Commonwealth of Kentucky in the service academies.\u201d\n\nDr. Paul nominated the following individuals to the U.S. Air Force Academy, the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, the U.S. Military Academy, and the U.S. Naval Academy:\n\nUnited States Air Force Academy\n\nMason Altenbaugh \u2013 Cadiz, KY\n\nZachary Carter \u2013 Brandenburg, KY\n\nAdam Cash \u2013 Crestwood, KY\n\nChristopher Collins \u2013 Nicholasville, KY\n\nJoseph Daniel \u2013 Fort Knox, KY\n\nTorii Elizabeth Doran \u2013 Hickory, KY\n\nPimlapas Kumkerd \u2013 Southgate, KY\n\nNolan David Sabotchick \u2013 Greenup, KY\n\nZeno Tapp \u2013 Louisville, KY\n\nWilliam Workman \u2013 Louisville, KY\n\nUnited States Merchant Marine Academy\n\nJordan Bates \u2013 Danville, KY\n\nKyle Dees \u2013 Goshen, KY\n\nJohn Frisbie \u2013 Louisville, KY\n\nNoah Hollar \u2013 Paducah, KY\n\nMichael Lassell \u2013 Crestwood, KY\n\nWilliam Serad \u2013 Crestwood, KY\n\nChristopher Michael Stefanski \u2013 Winchester, KY\n\nE\u2019Lona White \u2013 Elizabethtown, KY\n\nCasey Wiles \u2013 Southgate, KY\n\nGerald Ray Wimsett \u2013 New Haven, KY\n\nUnited States Military Academy\n\nDylan Paige Ammons \u2013 Fort Knox, KY\n\nNoah Beyer \u2013 Alexandria, KY\n\nSamantha Jane Fagone \u2013 Louisville, KY\n\nSpencer Lett \u2013 Ashland, KY\n\nSamuel Martin \u2013 Georgetown, KY\n\nOlivia Palasek \u2013 Covington, KY\n\nSeth Quackenbush \u2013 Georgetown, KY\n\nMason Smith \u2013 Verona, KY\n\nRachel Spaulding \u2013 Louisville, KY\n\nDominic Tomchek \u2013 Louisville, KY\n\nUnited States Naval Academy\n\nKeelan Allen \u2013 Louisville, KY\n\nJohn Garrett Gula \u2013 Richmond, KY\n\nSpencer Lett \u2013 Ashland, KY\n\nAdam McCowan \u2013 Annville, KY\n\nConnor Newhouse \u2013 Prospect, KY\n\nMcKenzie Russell \u2013 Greenville, KY\n\nWilliam Serad \u2013 Crestwood, KY\n\nDominic Tomchek \u2013 Louisville, KY\n\nShaun Warren \u2013 Loyall, KY\n\nLondon Yerasimides \u2013 Prospect, KY\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:20:25Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-icymi-sens-paul-and-udall-call-declaring-victory-afghanistan/", "ICYMI: Sens. Paul and Udall Call for Declaring Victory in Afghanistan", "2019-03-05", "2019", "2019-03", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nMarch 5, 2019\n\nContact: Press@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 This afternoon, U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee members Rand Paul (R-KY) and Tom Udall (D-NM) joined The Lead with Jake Tapper to discuss the 2019 American Forces Going Home After Noble (AFGHAN) Service Act, legislation they introduced today to declare victory in Afghanistan and end America\u2019s longest war.\n\nThe bill also honors the service members who bravely serve our nation by providing bonuses to those who have deployed in support of the Global War on Terrorism, and it redirects the savings from ending nation-building in Afghanistan to America\u2019s needs at home.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s time to bring our troops home. We have completed our mission. We won,\u201d said Sen. Paul.\n\nYou can find their remarks HERE.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:20:25Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-sens-paul-and-udall-introduce-legislation-end-war-afghanistan/", "Sens. Paul and Udall Introduce Legislation to End War in Afghanistan", "2019-03-05", "2019", "2019-03", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nMarch 5, 2019\n\nContact: Press@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343\n\nnews_pressoffice@tomudall.senate.gov, 202-228-6870\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee members Rand Paul (R-KY) and Tom Udall (D-NM) introduced the 2019 American Forces Going Home After Noble (AFGHAN) Service Act to end America\u2019s longest war, honor the volunteers who bravely serve our nation by providing bonuses to those who have deployed in support of the Global War on Terrorism, and redirect the savings from ending nation-building in Afghanistan to America\u2019s needs at home.\n\nThough American troops achieved what they were sent to carry out in October 2001, the mission shift to nation-building has kept our forces in Afghanistan over 17 years later. Over 2,300 military members have sacrificed their lives in the war, with another 20,000 wounded in action. In addition, the Afghanistan war has cost the United States $2 trillion, with the war currently costing over $51 billion a year.\n\n\u201cEndless war weakens our national security, robs this and future generations through skyrocketing debt, and creates more enemies to threaten us. For over 17 years, our soldiers have gone above and beyond what has been asked of them in Afghanistan. It is time to declare the victory we achieved long ago, bring them home, and put America\u2019s needs first,\u201d said Sen. Paul.\n\n\u201cSoon, U.S. service members will begin deploying to Afghanistan to fight in a war that began before they were born. As we face this watershed moment, it\u2019s past time to change our approach to the longest war in our country\u2019s history,\u201d said Sen. Udall. \u201cOur armed forces in Afghanistan, including many from New Mexico, have served with exceptional valor and effectiveness in the face of extraordinary challenges. After expelling the Taliban from power and dismantling Al Qaeda\u2019s base of power in Afghanistan, they enabled a new Afghan government to be formed while also eliminating Osama Bin Laden. But it is Congress that has failed to conduct the proper oversight of this nearly 18-year war. Now, we must step up, and listen to the American people \u2014 who rightly question the wisdom of such endless wars. This bipartisan resolution would bring our troops home at long last, while implementing a framework for reconciliation.\u201d\n\nThe 2019 AFGHAN Service Act\n\n\u2022 Declares victory in Afghanistan. The masterminds of the 9/11 attack are no longer capable of carrying out such an attack from Afghanistan. Osama bin Laden was killed in 2011, and Al Qaeda has been all but eliminated from Afghanistan.\n\n\u2022 Pays, within one year, a $2,500 bonus to all members of the military who have served in the Global War on Terrorism. Since 2001, more than 3,002,635 men and women have deployed overseas in support of this effort. This would be a one-time cost of approximately $7 billion and an immediate savings of over 83% when compared to the current yearly costs. The $51 billion a year can be redirected to domestic priorities.\n\n\u2022 Additionally, there is precedent for service bonuses going back to the Revolutionary War.\n\n\u2022 Sets guidelines for withdrawal. Within 45 days, a plan will be formulated for an orderly withdrawal and turnover of facilities to the Afghan Government, while also setting a framework for political reconciliation to be implemented by Afghans in accordance with the Afghan Constitution. Within a year, all U.S. forces will be withdrawn from Afghanistan.\n\n\u2022 At the completion of withdrawal, the 2001 AUMF will be repealed.\n\nYou can read the entire 2019 AFGHAN Service Act below:", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:20:25Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-dr-rand-paul-introduces-be-safe-act-fund-border-security/", "Dr. Rand Paul Introduces \u2018BE SAFE\u2019 Act to Fund Border Security", "2019-03-04", "2019", "2019-03", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nMarch 4, 2019\n\nContact: Press@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) introduced the Border Enforcement, Security, And Funding Enhancement (BE SAFE) Act to strengthen border security and improve other aspects of our broken immigration system.\n\nThe legislation would impose a $2,500 border security fee on each new green card issued to fund the construction of new border walls or physical barriers and other immigration-related improvements.\n\n\u201cAs both sides debate the path forward on reforming our immigration system, the BE SAFE Act provides a constitutional answer that guarantees funding for our needs on the border without taking away from other priorities or increasing the burden on American taxpayers,\u201d said Dr. Paul.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:20:25Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-dr-rand-paul-reintroduces-default-prevention-act/", "Dr. Rand Paul Reintroduces the Default Prevention Act", "2019-02-28", "2019", "2019-02", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nFebruary 28, 2019\n\nContact: Press@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) reintroduced his Default Prevention Act, which prevents a default whenever the United States has reached the national debt limit and prioritizes spending as revenue comes in.\n\nAs part of the budget-busting spending deal reached by leaders of both parties in February 2018, Congress again kicked the can down the road, suspending the debt limit until March 2019. This Saturday, March 2, our government will hit the reinstituted ceiling, as trillion-dollar deficits loom and less than a month after the national debt crossed the $22 trillion mark.\n\n\u201cOnce again, Washington\u2019s bipartisan spending addiction has been exposed. Despite the debt\u2019s added burdens on Americans and clear threat to our national security, politicians will attempt to use the threat of default to dodge accountability and a legitimate debate on fiscal responsibility. My plan removes that excuse while ensuring we honor our obligations,\u201d said Dr. Paul.\n\nWhile our government will rely on the U.S. Treasury to use budgeting gimmicks to further delay action until later in the year, Congress still faces a choice: either rein in its out-of-control spending or continue digging the American people deeper into debt.\n\nDr. Paul\u2019s Default Prevention Act offers a responsible way forward for the debt ceiling debate.\n\nThe legislation:\n\n\u2022 Gives debt service, military pay and benefits, Social Security, Medicare payments, and Veterans\u2019 Benefits priority over other spending as revenue comes in.\n\n\u2022 Allows the U.S. Treasury to obtain temporary bridge loans (30 days or less) solely to meet these obligations if daily revenue is insufficient at the time payments are due. This ensures payments are made on time while preventing the net debt position of the United States from exceeding the statutory debt limit on a month-to-month basis.\n\nYou can read the entire bill below:", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:17:04Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-sen-rand-paul-introduces-fuel-choice-and-deregulation-act-2019/", "Sen. Rand Paul Introduces Fuel Choice and Deregulation Act of 2019", "2019-02-27", "2019", "2019-02", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nFebruary 27, 2019\n\nContact: Press@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senators Rand Paul (R-KY) and Chuck Grassley (R-IA) introduced the Fuel Choice and Deregulation Act of 2019 (S.581), legislation that would remove burdensome regulations on domestic energy production.\n\n\u201cThe Fuel Choice and Deregulation Act provides new economic opportunity for Kentucky farmers by allowing fuel producers and automobile manufacturers to innovate and bring new products to market that will lower costs for consumers, increase domestic energy production, and protect the environment,\u201d said Sen. Paul. \u201cIf we want to ensure a strong future for Kentucky agriculture and the industry across the rest of the country, we must get burdensome government regulations out of the way and allow consumer choice and competition to spur economic growth and innovation.\u201d\n\nGovernment intervention in the energy sector impacts everything from fuel sales to how fuels are taxed, inevitably driving up costs and holding back new technologies. As a result, Washington has unnecessarily limited consumer choice and constrained the wider availability of new fuel options.\n\nThe Fuel Choice and Deregulation Act would further remove regulatory burdens that are blocking higher ethanol blends, such as E15, from entering the marketplace, and would also allow Americans to convert their vehicle to run on different fuels without jumping through expensive and unnecessary Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) hoops. Furthermore, it would reform fuel economy rules that are hampering clean technology innovation in the auto industry.\n\nSenators Paul and Grassley previously introduced a version of this legislation in 2015.\n\nBACKGROUND:\n\nThe Fuel Choice and Deregulation Act removes overly burdensome EPA certifications on aftermarket vehicle conversions.\n\n\u00b7 Fleet turnover rates for American light-duty vehicles have varied widely over the years. Removing EPA regulations that unnecessarily increase the cost of aftermarket vehicle conversions will allow for accelerated market integration of vehicles that are capable of running on alternative fuels and increase incentives for investments in refueling infrastructure.\n\n\u00b7 The Fuel Choice and Deregulation Act removes the EPA certification requirements, while ensuring the conversion does not degrade emission performance.\n\nThe Fuel Choice and Deregulation Act reforms EPA\u2019s Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP) requirements by allowing higher blend levels of ethanol to exceed the current 9.0 psi standard, and it prevents the EPA from regulating biomass fuel.\n\n\u00b7 RVP is a measure of how quickly fuel evaporates into the atmosphere. EPA regulates RVP in conjunction with ozone emissions in the summer months. Congress previously directed EPA to issue a \u201cone pound waiver\u201d for ethanol blends of 10%, allowing E10 to be sold at 10.0 psi.\n\n\u00b7 Last year President Trump signed an executive order directing EPA to look into the possibility of allowing year-round sales of E15. This bill extends the Congressional waiver to higher blends of ethanol, including E15.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:17:04Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-dr-rand-paul-national-right-work-act-stands-all-american-workers/", "Dr. Rand Paul: National Right to Work Act Stands Up for All American Workers", "2019-02-19", "2019", "2019-02", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nFebruary 19, 2019\n\nContact: Press@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Last week, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) reintroduced the National Right to Work Act (S. 525) to preserve and protect the free choice of individual employees to form, join, or assist labor organizations or to refrain from such activities. The bill currently has 16 cosponsors.\n\n\u201cThe National Right to Work Act stands up for all American workers by ensuring their ability to choose to refrain from joining or paying dues to a union as a condition for employment. It respects their fundamental right to freedom of association, and it is time for the federal government to follow the lead of Kentucky and other states by passing Right to Work,\u201d said Dr. Paul.\n\nAs Dr. Paul continues working to reduce the massive size of government, his legislation does not add to existing federal law but instead deletes existing federal forced unionism provisions.\n\nThe National Right to Work Act repeals five provisions of the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) \u2013 which governs private sector employees \u2013 and one in the Railway Labor Act (RLA) \u2013 which governs airline and railroad employees \u2013 that authorize the firing of workers for the refusal to pay union dues.\n\nDr. Paul\u2019s legislation would not stop employees from joining a union or maintaining their current union membership. In its 2018 Janus v. AFSCME decision, the Supreme Court ruled that non-union public-sector employees do not have to pay fees to a union.\n\nYou can read S. 525, the National Right to Work Act, below:", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:17:04Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-dr-rand-paul-releases-statement-funding-deal-and-president-trumps-emergency-declaration-plans/", "Dr. Rand Paul Releases Statement on the Funding Deal and President Trump\u2019s Emergency Declaration Plans", "2019-02-14", "2019", "2019-02", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nFebruary 14, 2019\n\nContact: Press@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) released the following statement regarding the government funding compromise and President Donald Trump\u2019s intention to declare a national emergency on immigration:\n\n\u201cI\u2019m disappointed with both the massive, bloated, secretive bill that just passed and with the president\u2019s intention to declare an emergency to build a wall.\n\n\u201cI, too, want stronger border security, including a wall in some areas. But how we do things matters. Over 1,000 pages dropped in the middle of the night and extraconstitutional executive actions are wrong, no matter which party does them.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:17:04Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-sen-rand-paul-statement-tva-decision-close-unit-3-paradise-fossil-plant/", "Sen. Rand Paul Statement on TVA Decision to Close Unit 3 at Paradise Fossil Plant", "2019-02-14", "2019", "2019-02", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nFebruary 14, 2019\n\nContact: Press@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 For the past several months, U.S. Senator Rand Paul and his staff have actively engaged in discussions with Kentuckians, officials in Muhlenberg County, and the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) regarding the status of Unit 3, the last coal-fired unit at the Paradise Fossil Plant.\n\nEarlier this week, he released a video to TVA\u2019s Board of Directors, urging them to keep the plant open.\n\nYou can watch it HERE.\n\nToday, TVA\u2019s Board of Directors decided to shutter the plant, putting over 130 Kentuckians in Muhlenberg County out of work, and casting a shadow of economic uncertainty over the community. Sen. Paul released the following statement in response:\n\n\u201cI am deeply disappointed with TVA\u2019s decision to close Paradise Unit 3 and prolong the War on Coal, especially after Kentuckians in the affected community, elected officials like myself, local leaders, and even the President all spoke up in opposition to its retirement. It\u2019s unacceptable that an unelected federal agency like TVA can show such blatant disregard for the views of the very people they are supposed to be serving. Perhaps it is time to hold them accountable and reconsider their status and benefits as a federal agency.\n\n\u201cDefending Kentucky from government overreach, especially the assault on Kentucky\u2019s coal industry, has been a top priority of mine, and I remain committed to fighting back on behalf of the Commonwealth.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:17:04Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-dr-rand-paul-releases-statement-barr-nomination/", "Dr. Rand Paul Releases Statement on Barr Nomination", "2019-02-12", "2019", "2019-02", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nFebruary 12, 2019\n\nContact: Press@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Tonight, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) released the following statement after voting against cloture on the nomination of William Barr to become the next U.S. Attorney General:\n\n\u201cI am unable to support Bill Barr\u2019s nomination to be the next Attorney General. While I support President Trump and have supported most of his nominees, I have too many concerns about the record and views of this nominee. Bill Barr was a leading proponent of warrantless surveillance, and his overall record on the Fourth Amendment is troubling to me. I remain concerned that Bill Barr does not agree with our bipartisan efforts to reform our criminal justice system. Finally, Bill Barr has a troubling record on the Second Amendment. For these reasons, I voted today against his nomination for Attorney General.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:17:04Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-dr-rand-paul-reintroduces-defense-environment-and-property-act/", "Dr. Rand Paul Reintroduces the Defense of Environment and Property Act", "2019-02-08", "2019", "2019-02", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nFebruary 8, 2019\n\nContact: Press@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Yesterday, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) reintroduced his Defense of Environment and Property Act to restore common sense to federal water policy by redefining \u201cnavigable waters,\u201d excluding ephemeral or intermittent streams from federal jurisdiction, and restraining the power the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Army Corps of Engineers hold over American landowners.\n\n\u201cWhile some would have us believe we can only protect the environment by giving the federal government more control over Americans\u2019 lives, my bill shows we can act while still respecting Americans\u2019 private property rights and the Constitution\u2019s limits on federal power,\u201d said Dr. Paul.\n\nSenators Marco Rubio (R-FL), Ted Cruz (R-TX), and Mike Lee (R-UT) joined Dr. Paul on the legislation, which would provide a statutory fix to protect Americans from President Obama\u2019s overreaching 2015 Waters of the United States (WOTUS) rule. The 2015 rule significantly expanded the definition of waters in the U.S. to include non-navigable waters, certain dry land, drains, ditches, small ponds, and even depressions in fields that are only wet after heavy rains.\n\nIn addition to introducing the Defense of Environment and Property Act in multiple sessions of Congress, Dr. Paul has previously cosponsored legislation to nullify the WOTUS rule. During Senate consideration of the Farm Bill in 2018, Dr. Paul and Senator Lee offered an amendment that would have repealed the WOTUS rule.\n\nYou can find the entire bill and a summary of Dr. Paul\u2019s Defense of Environment and Property Act below:\n\nBill Summary\n\nDr. Rand Paul\u2019s Defense of Environment and Property Act:", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:17:04Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-sen-rand-paul-fights-economic-opportunity-kentucky/", "Sen. Rand Paul Fights \u00a0for Economic Opportunity in Kentucky", "2019-02-07", "2019", "2019-02", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nFebruary 7, 2019\n\nContact: Press@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Yesterday afternoon, U.S. Senator Rand Paul introduced two Kentucky-specific amendments to the Natural Resources Management Act (S.47), a bill that covers issues affecting federal lands. After hearing from Kentuckians, who brought up specific concerns about access to waterways and land sales in the areas near Daniel Boone National Forest, he introduced two amendments to address their concerns.\n\n\u201cThe federal government has no business standing in the way of Kentuckians accessing their own natural resources, and I\u2019ve been proud to lead the charge on their behalf,\u201d said Sen. Paul. \u201cThese amendments would provide a much-needed opportunity to increase tourism and support new economic growth in the counties surrounding Daniel Boone National Forest and the Lake Cumberland area.\u201d\n\nAccess to Waterways in the Daniel Boone National Forest (#140)\n\nThis amendment would allow for the access of waterways feeding into Lake Cumberland through the Daniel Boone National Forest in Rockcastle County, Pulaski County, Laurel County, Wayne County, McCreary County, and Whitley County, Kentucky, for the purpose of installing docks, boat slips, and marinas.\n\nSale of Certain National Forest System Land in the Daniel Boone National Forest (#141)\n\nThis amendment would authorize the sale of land, at fair market value, along U.S. Highway 27 from Burnside, Kentucky, through the Daniel Boone National Forest to the point US 27 crosses into Tennessee, for the purpose of developing the land.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:17:04Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-dr-rand-paul-instead-condemning-president-trump-war-senate-should-applaud-him-declaring-victory/", "Dr. Rand Paul: Instead of Condemning President Trump on War, Senate Should Applaud Him for Declaring Victory", "2019-02-04", "2019", "2019-02", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nFebruary 4, 2019\n\nContact: Press@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today on the Senate floor, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) urged support for President Donald Trump\u2019s efforts to declare victory and bring more American troops home. He also spoke out against the bipartisan consensus for endless war.\n\n\u201cI\u2019m tired of America always doing everybody else\u2019s fighting. I\u2019m tired of America always paying for everybody else\u2019s war,\u201d Dr. Paul stated in his speech.\n\n\u201cSo I would like to ask unanimous consent that we get rid of the resolution condemning the president, and that we replace it with a resolution that says simply this: that we applaud President Trump for being bold and brave enough to consider bringing our troops home, declaring victory, and ending America\u2019s longest war,\u201d he later added.\n\nYou can watch Dr. Paul\u2019s speech HERE.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:17:04Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-dr-rand-paul-time-congress-pass-audit-fed/", "Dr. Rand Paul: Time for Congress to Pass \u2018Audit the Fed\u2019", "2019-01-24", "2019", "2019-01", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nJanuary 24, 2019\n\nContact: Press@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Earlier this month, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) reintroduced his Federal Reserve Transparency Act (S. 148), widely known as the \u201cAudit the Fed\u201d bill, to prevent the Federal Reserve from concealing vital information on its operations from Congress. Seven cosponsors joined Senator Paul on the legislation.\n\n\u201cAudit the Fed is a grassroots-driven movement that has rattled the establishment and proven time and again the difference concerned Americans can make against the odds. It\u2019s time for Congress to respond by passing this bill to hold the secretive Federal Reserve, the enabler of Washington\u2019s spending addiction, accountable to the people\u2019s representatives,\u201d said Sen. Paul.\n\nOn January 12, 2016, a bipartisan Senate majority voted 53-44 in support of Audit the Fed, and the bill has passed the U.S. House of Representatives multiple times by wide, bipartisan majorities as standalone legislation.\n\nRepresentative Thomas Massie (R-KY-4) has once again introduced the companion bill, H.R. 24, in the U.S. House.\n\nS. 148 would require the nonpartisan, independent Government Accountability Office (GAO) to conduct a thorough audit of the Federal Reserve\u2019s Board of Governors and reserve banks within one year of the bill\u2019s passage and to report back to Congress within 90 days of completing the audit.\n\nAudit the Fed would amend section 714b of Title 31 of the U.S. Code to allow the GAO to fully audit:\n\n\u00b7 transactions for or with a foreign central bank, government of a foreign country, or nonprivate international financing organization;\n\n\u00b7 deliberations, decisions, or actions on monetary policy matters, including discount window operations, reserves of member banks, securities credit, interest on deposits, and open market operations;\n\n\u00b7 transactions made under the direction of the Federal Open Market Committee; or\n\n\u00b7 a part of a discussion or communication among or between members of the Board and officers and employees of the Federal Reserve System related to clauses (1)-(3) of this subsection.\n\nYou can read S. 148, the Federal Reserve Transparency Act, below:", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:13:43Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-dr-rand-paul-honors-2019-march-life-has-reintroduced-legislation-defend-life/", "Dr. Rand Paul Honors 2019 March for Life, Has Reintroduced Legislation to Defend Life", "2019-01-18", "2019", "2019-01", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nJanuary 18, 2019\n\nContact: Press@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) issued the below statement honoring the annual March for Life and discussing the Life at Conception Act and his legislation prohibiting federal funds from going to Planned Parenthood, both of which he reintroduced on Wednesday:\n\n\u201cEach year, the March for Life calls on the powerful to protect life at its most helpless. What we say about the value of human life fundamentally impacts who and what we will be as a nation. In recognition of this, I have reintroduced the Life at Conception Act to ensure the unborn receive equal protection under the law, along with legislation to end forced taxpayer support of Planned Parenthood. May the message heard today and the marchers\u2019 passionate dedication inspire change to reaffirm this most basic of rights,\u201d said Sen. Paul.\n\nS. 159, the Life at Conception Act, which has 12 cosponsors, does not amend or interpret the Constitution but simply relies on the 14th Amendment, which specifically authorizes Congress to enforce its provisions.\n\nYou can read the legislation below:\n\nIn addition to introducing the Life at Conception Act in multiple sessions of Congress, Dr. Paul\u2019s stand for life includes forcing the Senate to go on the record in 2015 and 2018 on his efforts to stop federal funding of Planned Parenthood.\n\nDr. Paul\u2019s reintroduced bill to prohibit federal dollars from going to Planned Parenthood (S. 158), which you can read below, would not reduce federal funding for women\u2019s health services, which would continue to be provided by other entities.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:13:43Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-dr-rand-paul-reintroduces-bill-prevent-government-shutdowns/", "Dr. Rand Paul Reintroduces Bill to Prevent Government Shutdowns", "2019-01-16", "2019", "2019-01", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nJanuary 16, 2019\n\nContact: Press@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) reintroduced the Government Shutdown Prevention Act to incentivize Congress to properly consider and debate spending legislation. U.S. Senators Mike Lee (R-UT) and Joni Ernst (R-IA) joined Dr. Paul in introducing the bill.\n\nInstead of government shutting down operations over stalled funding in the future, Dr. Paul\u2019s plan would keep government open but institute a one-percent cut to then-current funding levels for any agency, program, and activity that Congress failed to fund by the start of the fiscal year (October 1). Funding would be reduced by another one percent every 90 days thereafter that an agreement is still not enacted.\n\n\u201cNo matter where one stands on the debate over government spending, we should all be able to agree that Congress needs to handle Americans\u2019 money thoughtfully and hit its deadlines. The Government Shutdown Prevention Act would take a major step forward toward bringing basic fiscal responsibility to Capitol Hill,\u201d said Sen. Paul.\n\nCurrently, Congress does not face any consequences for failing to pass appropriations bills on time, which has helped lead to it pursuing procrastination over prudence and risking shutdowns due to impasses.\n\nAlong with ensuring government honors its obligations and maintains its operations, Dr. Paul\u2019s proposal would give agencies the certainty of knowing that, in a worst-case scenario, they will always be able to operate with a full year of funding at no less than 96 percent of their then-current levels.\n\nYou can read Dr. Paul\u2019s Government Shutdown Prevention Act below, and you can find a new video of Dr. Paul discussing his bill HERE.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:13:43Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-senator-rand-paul-meets-president-trump/", "Senator Rand Paul Meets with President Trump", "2019-01-16", "2019", "2019-01", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nJanuary 16, 2019\n\nContact: Press@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) issued the following statement after meeting with President Donald J. Trump regarding the United States\u2019 involvement in Syria and Afghanistan:\n\n\u201cI have never been prouder of President Donald Trump. In today\u2019s meeting, he stood up for a strong America and steadfastly opposed foreign wars. Putting America First means declaring victory in Afghanistan and Syria. President Trump is delivering on his promises!\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:13:43Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/news-senators-reintroduce-reins-act-0/", "Senators Reintroduce REINS Act", "2019-01-10", "2019", "2019-01", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nJanuary 10, 2019\n\nContact: Sergio Gor (Paul), 202-224-4343\n\nMichael Zona (Grassley), 202-224-0472\n\nLiz Bowman (Ernst), 202-224-3254\n\nAmy Grappone (Young), 202-224-1892\n\nMaria Jeffrey (Cruz), 202-228-7561\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY), along with Senators Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Todd Young (R-IN), Ted Cruz (R-TX), and 29 other cosponsors, reintroduced the \u201cRegulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny\u201d (REINS) Act to increase accountability and transparency in the federal regulatory process. Senator Paul has been lead Senate sponsor of the bill each Congress since 2011.\n\nThe REINS Act would rein in unelected federal bureaucrats by requiring that Congress affirmatively approve every new \u201cmajor rule\u201d proposed by the Executive Branch before it can be enforced on the American people, as opposed to the status quo, where regulations ultimately take effect unless Congress specifically disapproves.\n\n\u201cLast Congress, we made tremendous progress on relieving the burdens placed on the American people by unelected bureaucrats, but much more remains to be done. Passing the REINS Act would reassert Congress\u2019 legislative authority and help us further reduce unnecessary, overreaching government interference in Americans\u2019 everyday lives,\u201d said Senator Paul.\n\n\u201cEven when well-intended, government regulations are all too often ineffective, counterproductive or even outright harmful. Heavy-handed Washington regulators frequently fail to understand the real-world effect of their actions. As the Constitution outlines, laws are written and passed by the people\u2019s branch of government, not by unseen and unknown executive branch employees behind closed doors who can\u2019t be voted out of office. Thankfully, the Trump administration has taken significant action to repeal burdensome regulations. But more needs to be done to reclaim the rightful role of Congress as the lawmaking body of government and restore democratic accountability for rules that impact the lives and livelihoods of Americans,\u201d said Senator Grassley.\n\n\u201cWe must increase transparency and hold regulatory agencies accountable to ensure they are upholding the congressional intent of our nation\u2019s laws. The REINS Act gives Congress the authority to review sweeping rules and regulations and is a step in the right direction to rein-in burdensome, out-of-control government regulations that impact Iowans, and all Americans,\u201d said Senator Ernst.\n\n\u201cWe have made significant progress reining in costly, job-killing regulations since I first introduced the REINS Act in the House six years ago, but we still have more work to do to protect hardworking Americans. I will continue fighting for the passage of this common-sense legislation in the new Congress,\u201d said Senator Young.\n\n\u201cIn an age where unelected federal bureaucrats have unprecedented power to unilaterally invent binding, economically destructive federal regulations, the REINS Act is a necessary step in curbing this excessive power. If enacted, the REINS Act would be the most significant, far-reaching structural regulatory reform ever passed, and I will continue to fight for this important reform,\u201d said Senator Cruz.\n\nReiterating current federal law, the bill defines a \u201cmajor\u201d rule as one that the Office of Management and Budget determines may result in an economic impact of $100 million or greater each year; \u201ca major increase in costs or prices\u201d for American consumers, government agencies, regions, or industries; or \u201csignificant adverse effects\u201d on the economy.\n\nBy passing the REINS Act, the American people \u2013 through their elected officials \u2013 will once again have the final say on whether or not such rules are the right course for our future.\n\nIn the 115th Congress, the legislation passed the U.S. Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on May 17, 2017, while the U.S. House passed Rep. Doug Collins\u2019 (R-GA) companion legislation by a vote of 237-187 in January 2017.\n\nYou can read the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act below:", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-06-27T23:13:43Z"]], "truncated": false, "filtered_table_rows_count": 59, "expanded_columns": [], "expandable_columns": [], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "units": {}, "query": {"sql": "select url, title, date, year, month, party, chamber, state, member_name, bioguide_id, domain, scraper, source, date_source, text, has_text, collected_at, updated_at from releases where \"chamber\" = :p0 and \"state\" = :p1 and \"year\" = :p2 order by date desc limit 101", "params": {"p0": "Senate", "p1": "KY", "p2": "2019"}}, "facet_results": {"party": {"name": "party", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&state=KY&year=2019", "results": [{"value": "Republican", "label": "Republican", "count": 59, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&state=KY&year=2019&party=Republican", "selected": false}], "truncated": false}, "chamber": {"name": "chamber", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&state=KY&year=2019", "results": [{"value": "Senate", "label": "Senate", "count": 59, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?state=KY&year=2019", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "state": {"name": "state", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&state=KY&year=2019", "results": [{"value": "KY", "label": "KY", "count": 59, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&year=2019", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}, "year": {"name": "year", "type": "column", "hideable": false, "toggle_url": "/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&state=KY&year=2019", "results": [{"value": "2019", "label": "2019", "count": 59, "toggle_url": "http://dpwillis-congress-press-search.hf.space/press/releases.json?chamber=Senate&state=KY", "selected": true}], "truncated": false}}, "suggested_facets": [], "next": null, "next_url": null, "private": false, "allow_execute_sql": true, "query_ms": 240.25132413953543, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}