{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "is_view": false, "human_description_en": "where chamber = \"Senate\", state = \"KY\" and year = 2024 sorted by date descending", "rows": [["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=3593F4B6-5B9F-4DB8-A270-C6C7146492D4", "President Jimmy Carter", "2024-12-29", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "LOUISVILLE, KY \u2014 U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) issued the following statement regarding the death of the 39th President of the United States, Jimmy Carter:\n\n\u201cElaine and I join the Senate and the nation in mourning the passing of our 39th president, Jimmy Carter.\n\n\u201cPresident Carter lived a truly American dream. A devoutly religious peanut farmer from small-town Georgia volunteered to serve his country in uniform. He found himself manning cutting-edge submarines hundreds of feet beneath the ocean. He returned home and saved the family farm before feeling drawn to a different sort of public service. And less than 15 years after his first campaign for the state Senate, his fellow Americans elected him leader of the free world.\n\n\u201cJimmy Carter\u2019s character and commitment, just like his crops, were fruits of all-American soil. After every season when life led him to lofty service far from home, he came back home again, determined to plow his unique experiences and influence into helping others; into building and teaching and volunteering; into further enriching the same rich soil that had made his own life possible.\n\n\u201cPresident Carter served during times of tension and uncertainty, both at home and abroad. But his calm spirit and deep faith seemed unshakeable. Jimmy Carter served as our commander-in-chief for four years, but he served as the beloved, unassuming Sunday school teacher at Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, Georgia for forty. And his humble devotion leaves us little doubt which of those two important roles he prized the most.\n\n\u201cAs Jimmy Carter is reunited with his beloved Rosalynn, our thoughts and prayers are with their children, Jack, Chip, Jeff, and Amy, their grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and the millions of Americans whose lives were touched by his service. We join them in mourning, but also in celebrating that Jimmy Carter is now reaping an eternal harvest in Heaven.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=70FC6608-BE27-412F-978B-1674D72A9E50", "McConnell Comments on the Passing of Pat Crowley", "2024-12-28", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY) released the following statement today regarding the passing of Pat Crowley:\n\n\u201cI was saddened to hear about the passing of one of Kentucky\u2019s finest political journalists, Pat Crowley. Over a long and distinguished career, Pat\u2019s work in the Commonwealth drew wide attention and well-earned national acclaim. Over the years, I enjoyed getting to know Pat and reading his characteristically well-reasoned coverage of important news. Elaine and I will remember Pat fondly, and we send our condolences to his wife, his daughter and son, and his grandchildren.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=5B020155-DA1C-44F0-86EC-031F4DD0410A", "Leader McConnell Delivers Remarks on Lessons of Leadership and Work Ahead", "2024-12-20", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor:\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s not entirely clear yet how or when Congress will conclude its end-of-year business. But when the Senate does adjourn, it\u2019ll just about mark the end of my tenure as Republican Leader.\n\n\u201cI\u2019ve made it clear this year that our colleagues haven\u2019t seen the last of me. I still fully intend to keep frustrating my critics in the years ahead.\n\n\u201cBut while I still command this particular podium, I thought I might make a few observations I\u2019ve picked up along the way.\n\n\u201cFolks come to Washington to do one of two things: either to make a point, or to make difference.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s usually not that hard to tell who\u2019s doing which\u2026 especially in situations like the one we\u2019re in right now.\n\n\u201cThe people who are here to make a difference recognize pretty quickly that you never get everything you want\u2026 but often you can get quite a lot.\n\n\u201cAnd the folks who prefer to make a point have a funny habit of reminding us \u2013 out loud \u2013 how poorly they understand that fact.\n\n\u201cI don\u2019t care to count how many times I\u2019ve reminded our colleagues \u2013 and our House counterparts \u2013 how harmful it is to shut the government down\u2026 and how foolish it is to bet that your own side won\u2019t take the blame for it.\n\n\u201cRecent history doesn\u2019t leave a whole lot of room for interpretation on that one: when you try to use normal government function as a bargaining chip, you pay a political price.\n\n***\n\n\u201cThat said, if I took it personally every time my advice went unheeded, I probably wouldn\u2019t have spent as long as I have in this particular job!\n\n\u201cGetting a legislative outcome in the Senate requires that large majorities of people who don\u2019t share all of the same views to actually work together toward outcomes where they do see eye to eye.\n\n\u201cWe\u2019ve had divided government here most of the time I\u2019ve been in this job. Neither side has owned the place. We have a choice. Do nothing. Or try to find things you can agree on and do them together.\n\n\u201cWith the exception of just one short period of a few months, this place hasn\u2019t seen a filibuster-proof Senate in fifty years. Getting things done almost inevitably requires getting with a lot of people who disagree with you on most things.\n\n\u201cAnd in the interests of stable, enduring outcomes, that\u2019s actually a good thing. Anyone who comes to the Senate hoping for both rigid, hardline conformity and prompt action is barking up the wrong tree.\n\n\u201cYou know, I\u2019ve heard folks who like making a point say they\u2019d rather serve with 30 colleagues who all agree than with a majority who didn\u2019t.\n\n\u2018So if you want to accomplish absolutely nothing, sign up with the group that would rather serve with the 30 people who all agree than those who had differences.\n\n\u201cEveryone I know who\u2019s interested in making a difference understands pretty quickly that it requires that kind of interaction in order to achieve something.\n\n\u201cLeading means letting folks take a walk when they need to, and rallying together when we need to.\n\n\u201cI\u2019ve been so grateful over the years to lead majorities that embrace these necessary rhythms\u2026\n\n\u201cI\u2019m gratified by the trust they\u2019ve placed in me repeatedly to determine what that moment requires\u2026\n\n\u201cAnd I\u2019m so proud of the outcomes we\u2019ve achieved for the country.\n\n\u201cI\u2019m looking forward to spending the next Congress as a member of another majority. In a different set of capable hands.\n\n\u201cI\u2019m rooting hard for my friend, John Thune, and the leadership team our conference has assembled around him.\n\n\u201cThere\u2019ll be no shortage of important work to do, and I\u2019ll stand ready to do my part.\n\n***\n\n\u201cBack in 2007, on my first day in this job, I told our colleagues [that] \u2018the Senate has no claim on greatness unless its power is put to great ends\u2019.\n\n\u201cAnd I stated my view that \u2018the first duty of government is the defense and protection of its citizens\u2019.\n\n\u201cThe Senate is great. And so is the Nation it represents.\n\n\u201cBut today, our nation faces one great challenge \u2013 from forces betting on our decline.\n\n\u201cAnd so that first duty of government is the task to which I\u2019ll devote my efforts in the coming years.\n\n\u201cOur prosperity and security depend on an order forged by American leadership and American strength \u2013 both of which require our urgent attention.\n\n\u201cThe arsenal of democracy must be restored. Peace through strength must once again actually mean something other than just a slogan.\n\n\u201cAnd I\u2019ll do everything in my power to help continue this to be the greatest country in the world.\n\n\u201cNo one can do what we can internationally and that\u2019s where I\u2019m going to put my focus.\n\n\u201cThank you all for the opportunity.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/dr-rand-paul-forces-amendment-vote-to-save-social-security-from-bankruptcy/", "Dr. Rand Paul Forces Amendment Vote to Save Social Security from Bankruptcy", "2024-12-20", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nDecember 20, 2024\n\nContact: Press_Paul@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343\n\nDr. Rand Paul Forces Amendment Vote to Save Social Security from Bankruptcy\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Tonight, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) forced a vote on his amendment to the Social Security Fairness Act to save Social Security from bankruptcy.\n\n\u201cIt is absurd to entertain a proposal that would make Social Security both less fair and financially weaker. To undo the damage made by this legislation, my amendment to gradually raise the retirement age to reflect current life expectancies will strengthen Social Security by providing almost $400 billion in savings,\u201d said Dr. Paul.\n\nDr. Paul\u2019s amendment would have gradually raised the retirement age to reflect current life expectancies, by three months per year until the retirement age reaches 70, and would save the program nearly $400 billion. His amendment would have also paid for the cost of the Social Security Fairness Act, which will total $200 billion over 10 years.\n\nDr. Paul offered a similar proposal in 2011 that would have been gradually implemented over the course of ten years. At the time, the Social Security trustees estimated that the trust fund would be solvent for 75 additional years.\n\nToday, the same proposal with almost immediate implementation only buys us a little over a year before the trust fund goes bankrupt.\n\nDr. Paul\u2019s amendment puts Social Security on a path toward solvency and helps undo some of the damage imposed by the Social Security Fairness Act.\n\nYou can read Dr. Paul\u2019s amendment HERE.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/dr-rand-paul-forces-vote-on-fiscally-responsible-solution-to-shutdowns/", "Dr. Rand Paul Forces Vote on Fiscally Responsible Solution to Shutdowns", "2024-12-20", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nDecember 20, 2024\n\nContact: Press_Paul@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343\n\nDr. Rand Paul Forces a Vote on Fiscally Responsible Solution to Shutdowns\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Tonight, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) forced a vote on his Government Shutdown Prevention Act, which was offered as an amendment to H.R. 82. Dr. Paul\u2019s amendment proposed a fiscally responsible solution that prevents shutdowns. His amendment would have also prevented a shutdown crisis, discouraged excessive spending, and attempted to balance the budget.\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,\u201d said Dr. Paul. \u201cThe Government Shutdown Prevention Act would take a major step forward toward bringing basic fiscal responsibility to Capitol Hill.\u201d\n\nInstead of Congress risking government shutting down operations, Dr. Paul\u2019s plan would keep government open but institute a six percent cut, consistent with his Penny Plan, to then-current funding levels for any agency, program, and activity that Congress failed to fund. Funding would be reduced by another one percent every 90 days thereafter that an agreement is still not enacted.\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 91 percent of their then-current levels.\n\nYou can read Dr. Paul\u2019s amendment HERE.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/dr-rand-paul-offers-fiscally-responsible-solution-to-shutdowns-and-stalemates/", "Dr. Rand Paul Offers Fiscally Responsible Solution to Shutdowns and Stalemates", "2024-12-20", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nDecember 20, 2024\n\nContact: Press_Paul@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343\n\nDr. Rand Paul Offers Fiscally Responsible Solution to Shutdowns and Stalemates\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) offered the Government Shutdown Prevention Act as a fiscally responsible amendment to prevent shutdowns and stalemates. Dr. Paul\u2019s amendment prevents shutdown crises, discourages excessive spending, and aims to balance the budget.\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,\u201d said Dr. Paul. \u201cThe Government Shutdown Prevention Act would take a major step forward toward bringing basic fiscal responsibility to Capitol Hill.\u201d\n\nInstead of Congress risking government shutting down operations, Dr. Paul\u2019s plan would keep government open but institute a six percent cut, consistent with his Penny Plan, to then-current funding levels for any agency, program, and activity that Congress failed to fund. Funding would be reduced by another one percent every 90 days thereafter that an agreement is still not enacted.\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 91 percent of their then-current levels.\n\nYou can read Dr. Paul\u2019s amendment HERE.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=180D1ACE-BCEA-4B03-9523-4EBF3DACE36E", "McConnell and Rogers Legislation to Name U.S. Courthouse Annex in Honor of Judge Siler Passes Congress", "2024-12-19", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and U.S. Congressman Harold \u201cHal\u201d Rogers (KY-05), Dean of the House, announced the passage of legislation to designate the United States Courthouse Annex in London, Kentucky as the \u201cEugene E. Siler, Jr. United States Courthouse Annex.\u201d The bill now goes to the President for his signature.\n\nBorn in Williamsburg, Kentucky, Judge Siler dedicated his life to serving Eastern Kentucky, establishing a reputation as an acclaimed jurist and a trusted source for sound legal advice. Judge Siler has served on the federal bench for nearly fifty years, nominated by two U.S. Presidents, Gerald Ford, and George H.W. Bush, to the United States District Court for the Eastern and Western Districts of Kentucky and, subsequently, the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit. In 2016, Leadership Tri-County recognized Judge Siler as their Leader of the Year for his contributions to Kentucky.\n\n\u201cServing on the federal judiciary for nearly five decades, Judge Siler has had massive impact on my home state of Kentucky, both on and off the bench. Today, alongside Congressman Rogers, it is my privilege to designate the U.S. Courthouse Annex in London, Kentucky in honor of this accomplished Kentuckian,\u201d said Senator Mitch McConnell. \u201cAs one of my home state\u2019s top legal minds and a man synonymous with Whitley County, there is no person more befitting of this honor. I join the chorus of voices back home in thanking Judge Siler for his lifetime of service to our country and the Commonwealth.\u201d\n\n\u201cJudge Siler\u2019s legacy as a jurist who earned appointments from two U.S. Presidents, gives us a great sense of pride in southeastern Kentucky. It is only fitting for the federal courthouse in London, Kentucky, where he dedicated many years of service and mentored aspiring legal minds, to bear his name. This designation for Judge Siler is a small token of appreciation on behalf of the Commonwealth of Kentucky to applaud his valiant service. It is an honor to join Senator Mitch McConnell to advance this worthy recognition from both chambers of this Congress,\u201d said Congressman Hal Rogers.\n\n\u201cI\u2019ve known Judge Siler most of my adult life, and he\u2019s been both a friend and mentor long before I became an attorney. His support, including letters of recommendation for law school, played a key role in shaping my legal career. Judge Siler isn\u2019t just one of the most outstanding legal scholars of our time but also a pillar of Southeastern Kentucky\u2014always gracious, whether at the bench or as a regular at Weaver\u2019s Hotdogs in London. His generosity, kindness and tireless dedication to upholding the founding principles of our Constitution define his legacy of service. He is an inspiration to the 6th Circuit and to our nation. Having spent countless hours working in the federal courthouse here in London, it\u2019s especially meaningful that the annex will be named in Judge Siler\u2019s honor. I\u2019m deeply grateful to Senator McConnell for his leadership in bringing this legislation forward and to Congressman Rogers for his partnership in securing this well-deserved recognition,\u201d said State Senator Brandon Storm.\n\n\u201cLaurel County is very fortunate to have a Federal Courthouse here in our area. I appreciate Senator McConnell and Congressman Rogers for recognizing Judge Eugene Siler\u2019s contribution to our community and it\u2019s court system. Judge Siler has been a good personal friend of mine for many years and this recognition is well deserved. I want to congratulate Judge Siler for this accomplishment,\u201d said Laurel County Judge-Executive David Westerfield.\n\n\u201cI\u2019m thankful to Senator McConnell and Congressman Rogers for recognizing such an outstanding member of the Whitley County community. Judge Eugene Siler, Jr. has had a distinguished and respected career on the Sixth Circuit where his decisions have helped shape the law of the entire nation. And that\u2019s not to mention the great number of East Kentucky law students he has encouraged through clerkships and other support, including myself. I cannot think of anyone else more deserving of this honor,\u201d said Whitley County Judge-Executive Pat White, Jr.\n\n\u201cI can\u2019t think of a more fitting tribute to be done by two of the most iconic figures in Kentucky, Senator McConnell and Congressman Rogers, for one of the most impressive figures to me Judge Siler. Judge is a friend of mine and my family and is beloved by everyone in Williamsburg,\u201d said City of Williamsburg Mayor Roddy Harrison.\n\n\u201cJudge Siler has been a blessing to so many in our community. He embodies the perfect example of what it means to live your life in service to others. Judge Siler has been a strong, compassionate, and dedicated leader in Eastern Kentucky throughout the years. I appreciate Senator McConnell and Congressman Rogers for honoring Judge Siler in this way,\u201d said City of Corbin Mayor Suzie Razmus.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/sens-paul-and-markey-urge-president-biden-to-extend-tiktok-divestment-deadline/", "Sens. Paul and Markey Urge President Biden to Extend Tiktok Divestment Deadline", "2024-12-19", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE\n:\nDecember 19, 2024\nContact\n:\nPress_Paul@paul.senate.gov\n, 202-224-4343\nSens. Paul and Markey Urge President Biden to Extend TikTok Divestment Deadline\nWASHINGTON, D.C.\n\u2013 Today, U.S. Senators Rand Paul (R-KY) and Edward J. Markey (D-MA) sent a letter to President Joe Biden urging him to provide TikTok owner ByteDance with a 90-day extension to either sell TikTok or face a ban in the United States, as authorized by the Protecting Americans Data from Foreign Adversaries Act. The lawmakers urged the Biden administration to trigger the 90-day extension before January 19, the deadline by which ByteDance must either divest TikTok or face a ban. On January 10, the U.S. Supreme Court has scheduled oral arguments to consider whether the law violates the First Amendment.\nIn the letter, the senators wrote\n,\n\u201cThe stakes here are high: As a practical matter, even if the Court rules that the law is constitutional by the January deadline, ByteDance cannot divest TikTok in that limited time. Consequently, absent a judicial injunction, decision overturning the law, or action by you, TikTok will soon be banned in the United States, causing its creators and users serious hardship.\u201d\nRead the letter\nHERE\n.\n###\nRelated posts:\nSenator Rand Paul Joins Push for School Choice\nSens. Paul, Booker Participate In Sullivan University Forum On REDEEM Act\nSens. Paul And Boxer Announce The Invest In Transportation Act\nSens. Paul and Booker Re-introduce the REDEEM Act\nShare This\nFacebook\nTwitter", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-07T22:13:55Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=499586D2-39FB-485D-A787-22B0D9F5373F", "McConnell On Push To Commute Mass Murderers: \u201cNo Legacy A President Should Seek\u201d", "2024-12-18", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "\u2018Let\u2019s be clear what commuting these sentences would mean. It would mean that the laws passed by Congress and applied by our judges and juries have no value. It would mean that progressive politics is more important to the President than the lives taken by these murderers. It would mean that society\u2019s most forceful condemnation of white supremacy and antisemitism must give way to legal mumbo jumbo.\u2019\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding President Biden\u2019s pardons:\n\n\u201cPresident Biden\u2019s decision earlier this month to pardon his son may well have set a unique and unfortunate precedent. But abuse of the presidential pardon doesn\u2019t stop there.\n\n\u201cLast week, the President went on to commute 1,500 sentences. And the way liberal activists see it, he should have done even more.\n\n\u201cMore than twenty liberal retired judges \u2013 including the Boston radical who recommended the disgraced pro-crime U.S. Attorney Rachael Rollins \u2013 have now urged the President to turn his eye to federal death sentences.\n\n\u201cThey claim that the federal death penalty is \u2018rife with fundamental problems\u2019 including race discrimination and poor representation of defendants.\n\n\u201cBut this is not just some theoretical recommendation about systemic injustice.\n\n\u201cIf the President heeded these former judges\u2019 call, it would mean commuting the death sentences of the mass murderer who slaughtered black churchgoers at Mother Emanuel in Charleston\u2026\n\n\u201c\u2026and the perpetrator of the massacre at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh.\n\n\u201cAre these men the victims of systemic racism? Did they have inadequate counsel? Of course not. They are mass murderers, guilty beyond any doubt whatsoever.\n\n\u201cLet\u2019s be clear what commuting these sentences would mean. It would mean that the laws passed by Congress and applied by our judges and juries have no value.\n\n\u201cIt would mean that progressive politics is more important to the President than the lives taken by these murderers. It would mean that society\u2019s most forceful condemnation of white supremacy and antisemitism must give way to legal mumbo jumbo.\n\n\u201cThe irony of claims of systemic racism causing the President to spare Dylann Roof is ludicrous to the point of tragedy.\n\n\u201cThis is no legacy a president should seek.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=4F373661-8515-491F-B190-20F8C92D3519", "Leader McConnell Meets With Scott Bessent", "2024-12-18", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) issued the following statement today on his meeting with Scott Bessent:\n\n\u201cI was glad to meet today with President-elect Trump\u2019s nominee to serve as Secretary of the Treasury, Scott Bessent. Over four years, the Biden Administration\u2019s runaway spending handed working families and job creators the worst inflation in four decades. Righting the ship will require a steady hand and deep expertise. The President-elect was right to turn to Mr. Bessent to lead the Treasury Department through this vital work.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=89CEF771-5598-4688-A432-FB82CBE47342", "McConnell Remarks On The Water Resources Development Act", "2024-12-18", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "\u2018Thanks in large part to the leadership of Ranking Member Capito and her team, the sensible legislation before us will strengthen our nation\u2019s water infrastructure from the Everglades to the Port of Los Angeles to the inland waterways that course through Kentucky. It\u2019s good news for communities across the country.\u2019\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding the Water Resources Development Act:\n\n\u201cLast week, the House passed the water resources bill with broad, bipartisan support. Today, it\u2019s the Senate\u2019s turn to act.\n\n\u201cThanks in large part to the leadership of Ranking Member Capito and her team, the sensible legislation before us will strengthen our nation\u2019s water infrastructure from the Everglades to the Port of Los Angeles to the inland waterways that course through Kentucky.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s good news for communities across the country. From clean drinking water to ecosystem maintenance to storm resiliency to navigable waterways for trade and commerce, the bill before us takes a comprehensive approach.\n\n\u201cAnd because our communities understand their challenges better than any bureaucrat in Washington, this bill will provide the flexibility to tailor solutions to each community\u2019s unique needs.\n\n\u201cI\u2019m also pleased it will authorize several projects important to the health and well-being of Kentuckians. One will build out infrastructure for water and wastewater treatment in Appalachia, always a concern of rural communities across America\u2019s heartland.\n\n\u201cAnother will help secure safe and reliable drinking water for the growing number of families in Scott County. And finally, another will update Greenbrier Lake Dam which supplies water for Kentuckians across Montgomery County.\n\n\u201cSo far, an impressive, broad coalition has thrown their support behind this bill, from ports and shippers, to farm groups and unions, to dozens of industry leaders who rely on our waterways to move goods, protect jobs, and keep costs low for the American people.\n\n\u201cI appreciate the House\u2019s work to move this must-pass legislation forward in bipartisan fashion.\n\n\u201cI hope the Senate will do the same today.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=9AB282EB-2E26-4293-855F-5C0AD0612D2D", "Leader McConnell Meets With John Ratcliffe", "2024-12-18", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) issued the following statement today on his meeting with John Ratcliffe:\n\n\u201cI was glad to meet today with President-elect Trump\u2019s nominee to serve as Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, former Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe. In the face of a growing array of coordinated threats, America will rely as much as ever on the intelligence professionals of the CIA. In turn, the agency will rely on Mr. Ratcliffe\u2019s steady leadership and sound judgment to fulfill its core missions of collecting foreign intelligence and providing policymakers with objective analysis.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=A13EE0B3-1A39-4AB0-92F9-A9DFAC95731F", "McConnell Remarks On Retiring Senator Kyrsten Sinema", "2024-12-18", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "\u201cArizona\u2019s senior Senator stood up in the face of a grave threat to this institution\u2019s defining characteristic and said \u2018no\u2019. And in doing so, she sent a message that will resonate long after her departure from the chamber.\u201d\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding Senator Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ):\n\n\u201cI\u2019d like to close with just a few words about another of our departing colleagues, the senior Senator from Arizona.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s perhaps unconventional for the leader of one party to pay formal tribute to a departing Senator who\u2019s caucused with the other side.\n\n\u201cBut then, Kyrsten Sinema has never had trouble with bucking a trend.\n\n\u201cFor one thing, she\u2019s spent her six years in this body earning levels of influence, respect, and command of policy that are uncommon among Senate freshmen.\n\n\u201cShe\u2019s thrown herself into worthwhile projects, done the heavy lifting of legislation, and kept at it when longer-tenured colleagues might have thrown in the towel.\n\n\u201cNeedless to say, Senator Sinema\u2019s maverick streak extends to her efforts to broaden the Senate\u2019s fashion horizons, too.\n\n\u201cBut the cornerstone of our colleague\u2019s legacy in this chamber will be her willingness to defend the Senate, itself, when saying nothing would have been a great deal easier.\n\n\u201cArizona\u2019s senior Senator stood up in the face of a grave threat to this institution\u2019s defining characteristic and said \u2018no\u2019. And in doing so, she sent a message that will resonate long after her departure from the chamber.\n\n\u201cI admire our colleague for the courage, wisdom, and clarity that have guided her service to the people of Arizona and to the entire nation.\n\n\u201cAnd I wish her the very best in her next chapter.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=A33A9E40-AD45-427E-958E-A501782A53AF", "McConnell on Passage of the National Defense Bill: More Work to Be Done", "2024-12-18", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) secured several important priorities for Kentucky in the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which passed the Senate today. The legislation now goes to the President for his signature.\n\n\u201cThe National Defense Authorization Act, like all major legislation, is a compromise product. While this legislation falls short of the topline increase in defense investments my Republican colleagues and I have advocated, I\u2019d be remiss not to mention several important priorities this bill secures for Kentuckians,\u201d said Senator McConnell. \u201cThe NDAA once again deepens Kentucky\u2019s commitment to our nation\u2019s defense with provisions that establish a state-of-the-art aviation facility at Fort Knox and reinforce the role of Kentucky-based manufacturers in our defense industrial base. I\u2019m especially proud this bill expands telehealth services for servicemembers across state lines, so our nation\u2019s heroes and their families have ready access to the care they need.\u201d\n\nThis legislation authorizes several provisions to bolster America\u2019s defense, rebuild our arsenal, and reform antiquated procurement practices: pilots a program to commercially produce munitions, strengthens America\u2019s munitions supply chain, and significantly streamlines bureaucracy to expedite acquisition at the Department of Defense. The NDAA also embraces emerging innovations in counter-drone technology, artificial intelligence, and quantum computing, and it paves the way for generational upgrades in our nation\u2019s nuclear, hypersonic, missile defense, and space capabilities.\n\nExpanded Access to Online Mental Health Care\n\nSenator McConnell secured a new interstate authority for Tricare providers to expand access to mental healthcare for our nation\u2019s servicemembers and their families. This legislation authorizes delivery of telehealth services across state lines, expanding the network of available providers, increasing patient choice, reducing wait times, and allowing our nation\u2019s heroes to keep the providers they trust when moving from base to base. This provision helps ensure Kentucky\u2019s servicemembers at Fort Knox, Fort Campbell, and the Blue Grass Army Depot have ready access to the care they need.\n\nEnhanced Preparedness for Emerging Threats\n\nAt Senator McConnell\u2019s urging, the bill requires a comprehensive review of U.S. military training, doctrine, and technology necessary to address the proliferation of tunnels, bunkers, weapons silos, and other subterranean military facilities used by adversaries such as Hamas, Iran, and North Korea. Senator McConnell remains committed to ensuring the Department of Defense and our servicemembers have the resources they need to defend our nation in these complex threat environments.\n\nSenator McConnell also secured the following priorities that bolster the Commonwealth\u2019s central role in America\u2019s defense:", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=C8B14618-1E6D-4AE7-9D96-9FC48400C75B", "Leader McConnell Meets With Scott Bessent", "2024-12-18", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) issued the following statement today on his meeting with Scott Bessent:\n\n\u201cI was glad to meet today with President-elect Trump\u2019s nominee to serve as Secretary of the Treasury, Scott Bessent. Over four years, the Biden Administration\u2019s runaway spending handed working families and job creators the worst inflation in four decades. Righting the ship will require a steady hand and deep expertise. The President-elect was right to turn to Mr. Bessent to lead the Treasury Department through this vital work.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=6B87210B-392A-466F-A426-616201B788F3", "McConnell Honors Departing Senator Mike Braun", "2024-12-16", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding Senator Mike Braun (R-IN):\n\n\u201cMy earliest participation in politics was wearing an \u2018I Like Ike\u2019 pin on school picture day. Well, last month, the state of Indiana was chanting \u2018I like Mike\u2019.\n\n\u201cMike Braun\u2019s fellow Hoosiers like him so much, in fact, they\u2019ve decided to steal him back from Washington to be their governor. And if I know anything about Indiana\u2019s junior Senator, he\u2019s probably looking forward to trading in the trappings of this institution for a job a lot closer to home.\n\n\u201cBut I\u2019d like to say just a few words before he goes.\n\n\u201cYears ago, a local reporter asked Mike Braun about his approach to life and work. He told him, quote: \u2018You live like you are going out of business every day and it makes you healthy.\u2019\n\n\u201cFor a spry, former three-sport athlete like Mike, that much checks out. But needless to say, in the process of keeping him young, our colleague\u2019s mantra also brought a fair bit of [professional] success.\n\n\u201cSure, a cushy white-collar gig and a predictable corporate ladder would have been the natural next step for a high-achiever fresh out of Harvard Business School. But where\u2019s the fun in that?\n\n\u201cFor Mike, in order to live like you\u2019re going out of business, you have to run a business, yourself. You\u2019ve got to build a team and take risks. And what better place to do that than your hometown.\n\n\u201cMost of us are familiar with at least some of what came next for Mike and his high-school sweetheart, Maureen.\n\n\u201cThe life and business lessons of Mike\u2019s dad, Amos, a decorated World War II vet\u2026\n\n\u201cSteering a 15-person operation through the aftermath of the 1980s farm crisis, and turning it into a national team spread across 38 states\u2026\n\n\u201cFor years, running that success, with sleeves rolled up, from a trailer office\u2026\n\n\u201cAnd raising four kids along the way, three of whom have found their own callings in the family business.\n\n\u201cAs I understand it, we have Maureen to thank that this incredible story of hard work and entrepreneurial spirit took a turn into politics in the first place.\n\n\u201cWhen friends around Jasper tried drafting her to run for school board, she offered them Mike instead\u2026 and so began two decades and counting of life in politics.\n\n\u201cHere in the Senate, Mike\u2019s going-out-of-business approach to public service made an early impression. Careful observers ranked him at one point the most effective freshman in the chamber.\n\n\u201cHe dove head-first into legislation that mattered to him and to Indiana. He advocated passionately for farmers and for families impacted by rare diseases. He fought for outcomes, and stood on principle.\n\n\u201cBut Hoosiers will be proud to know he still doesn\u2019t like dressing up here on the Senate floor. And who can blame him. By Mike\u2019s own admission, most of what he likes to do \u2013 tend the farm, fish, and hunt (both animals and mushrooms) \u2013 he can do within 60 miles of Jasper!\n\n\u201cSo it speaks to Mike\u2019s commitment to his neighbors that, even though he\u2019s leaving Washington, he\u2019s not quite going home just yet \u2013 nor will he be able to hang up the coat and tie.\n\n\u201cThe trust of the people of Indiana is rightly a great source of pride for our colleague \u2013 second only to his pride in the family he and Maureen built. And I know he can\u2019t wait to get to work for them in Indianapolis.\n\n\u201cI know I speak for our colleagues when I thank Mike for his service these past six years.\n\n\u201cWe wish him all the best in the next chapter.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=946E3F11-1755-417F-88C3-573A9F869E14", "McConnell Remarks On Outstanding Business", "2024-12-16", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding Senate business:\n\n\u201cAs is typical this time of year, the Senate\u2019s attention is focused squarely on a long list of business with deadlines fast-approaching.\n\n\u201cExtending government funding by Friday is our top priority. Shutting the government down is a one-way ticket to needless disruption of important functions. It has never been a winning proposition, and this time is no different.\n\n\u201cDelivering urgent disaster relief is a non-negotiable. As communities across the country continue to pick up the pieces from a devastating storm season, they\u2019re watching closely for the Senate to deliver on the promise of a much-needed helping hand.\n\n\u201cAnd, after months of unnecessary delay, the Senate will vote on the National Defense Authorization Act.\n\n\u201cThe Armed Services Committee reported this year\u2019s NDAA six months ago by an overwhelming, bipartisan vote.\n\n\u201cThe fact that it has only reached the floor a week before Christmas is really inexcusable. So is the absence of a vote on defense appropriations legislation.\n\n\u201cAnd the blame for this neglect will rest squarely on the outgoing Senate majority.\n\n\u201cRanking Member Wicker and our colleagues on the Committee tried mightily to ensure that the final bill \u2013 Congress\u2019 main annual opportunity to shape national defense priorities \u2013 backs tough talk on growing threats with the tools required to meet them.\n\n\u201cBut the NDAA, like all major legislation, is a compromise product. And the absence of the Senate-backed increase to topline investments will go down as a tremendous missed opportunity.\n\n\u201cArtificial budget restraints mean that major bill provisions like a pay raise for enlisted servicemembers will come at the expense of investments in the critical weapons systems and munitions that deter conflict and keep them safe.\n\n\u201cFor all the talk about growing threats to America\u2019s national security, it\u2019s past time for an honest conversation about the military requirements to meet those needs.\n\n\u201cAnd if this NDAA offers any valuable lesson, it\u2019s that we have a tremendous amount of work left to do.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=F2D66ADF-E805-4D88-8C96-4B37CA8748AE", "McConnell in Foreign Affairs: The Price of American Retreat", "2024-12-16", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) contributed an article to Foreign Affairs magazine. Read an excerpt below and the full text here:\n\n\u201cWhen he begins his second term as president, Donald Trump will inherit a world far more hostile to U.S. interests than the one he left behind four years ago. China has intensified its efforts to expand its military, political, and economic influence worldwide. Russia is fighting a brutal and unjustified war in Ukraine. Iran remains undeterred in its campaign to destroy Israel, dominate the Middle East, and develop a nuclear weapons capability. And these three U.S. adversaries, along with North Korea, are now working together more closely than ever to undermine the U.S.-led order that has underpinned Western peace and prosperity for nearly a century.\n\n\u201cThe Biden administration sought to manage these threats through engagement and accommodation. But today\u2019s revanchist powers do not seek deeper integration with the existing international order; they reject its very basis. They draw strength from American weakness, and their appetite for hegemony has only grown with the eating.\n\n\u201cMany in Washington acknowledge the threat but use it to justify existing domestic policy priorities that have little to do with the systemic competition underway. They pay lip service to the reality of great-power competition but shirk from investing in the hard power on which such competition is actually based. The costs of these mistaken assumptions have become evident. But the response to four years of weakness must not be four years of isolation.\n\n\u201cEven though the competition with China and Russia is a global challenge, Trump will no doubt hear from some that he should prioritize a single theater and downgrade U.S. interests and commitments elsewhere. Most of these voices will argue for focusing on Asia at the expense of interests in Europe or the Middle East. Such thinking is commonplace among both isolationist conservatives who indulge the fantasy of \u2018Fortress America\u2019 and progressive liberals who mistake internationalism for an end in itself. The right has retrenched in the face of Russian aggression in Europe, while the left has demonstrated a chronic allergy to deterring Iran and supporting Israel. Neither camp has committed to maintaining the military superiority or sustaining the alliances needed to contest revisionist powers. If the United States continues to retreat, its enemies will be only too happy to fill the void.\n\n\u201cTrump would be wise to build his foreign policy on the enduring cornerstone of U.S. leadership: hard power. To reverse the neglect of military strength, his administration must commit to a significant and sustained increase in defense spending, generational investments in the defense industrial base, and urgent reforms to speed the United States\u2019 development of new capabilities and to expand allies\u2019 and partners\u2019 access to them.\n\n\u201cAs it takes these steps, the administration will face calls from within the Republican Party to give up on American primacy. It must reject them. To pretend that the United States can focus on just one threat at a time, that its credibility is divisible, or that it can afford to shrug off faraway chaos as irrelevant is to ignore its global interests and its adversaries\u2019 global designs. America will not be made great again by those who simply want to manage its decline.\u201d\n\n\u2026\n\nContinue reading the full article here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/sens-paul-and-booker-introduce-bipartisan-fair-act-to-reform-civil-forfeiture-laws-protect-americans-rights/", "Sens. Paul and Booker Introduce Bipartisan FAIR Act to Reform Civil Forfeiture Laws, Protect Americans\u2019 Rights", "2024-12-12", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nDecember 12, 2024\n\nContact: Press_Paul@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343\n\nSens. Paul and Booker Introduce Bipartisan FAIR Act to Reform Civil Forfeiture Laws, Protect Americans\u2019 Rights\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senators Rand Paul (R-KY) and Cory Booker (D-NJ) introduced the Fifth Amendment Integrity Restoration (FAIR) Act to reform civil forfeiture laws and protect Americans\u2019 rights from government abuse.\n\n\u201cThe government should never have the power to seize a person\u2019s property without due process. Yet, under current civil asset forfeiture laws, Americans are being stripped of their property without ever being charged or convicted of a crime. The FAIR Act directly addresses these injustices and is a critical step toward restoring fairness and accountability, protecting property owners\u2019 rights, and curbing the weaponization of civil forfeiture laws once and for all,\u201d said Dr. Paul.\n\n\u201cCivil asset forfeiture allows federal law enforcement to seize the property of Americans who haven\u2019t even been charged with or convicted of a crime,\u201dsaid Senator Booker.\u201cUnder this system, police can keep cash, cars, and even homes based on mere suspicion of a crime. These losses often become law enforcement\u2019s profit because the burden is on the property owner to prove they should get their property back. Reforming federal civil asset forfeiture is long overdue and the FAIR Act will ensure due process and protect the public from unfair deprivations and forfeiture abuses.\u201d\n\nThe latest version of the FAIR Act closely mirrors previous versions of the bill, with updates to reflect changes made by the House Judiciary Committee during a markup on June 14, 2023. The bill was favorably reported out of committee by a unanimous 26-0 vote, signaling broad bipartisan support and increasing the likelihood of legislative progress. In the Senate, the FAIR Act is currently cosponsored by Senators Mike Lee (R-UT), Angus King (I-ME), Mike Crapo (R-ID), Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), Ron Wyden (D-OR), and Chris Van Hollen (D-MD).\n\nYou can read the FAIR Act HERE.\n\nThe FAIR Act is also supported by:\n\n\u201cCivil forfeiture is an abomination and reform is long overdue,\u201d said Dan Alban, Senior Attorney for Institute for Justice. \u201cThe FAIR Act makes important strides by removing the profit incentive that drives so many of these abuses, preventing evasion of state law protections for property owners by ending the federal \u2018equitable sharing\u2019 program, and by ensuring that every property owner gets their day in court before a neutral judge by eliminating administrative forfeitures. It is urgent that Congress pass the FAIR Act.\u201d\n\n\u201cAt present, the government may seize, and ultimately keep, a person\u2019s belongings based on allegations of a connection to criminal activity without ever taking the next logical step of pursuing a criminal charge, much less securing a criminal conviction,\u201d said Brett Tolman, Executive Director of Right On Crime and former U.S. Attorney. \u201cAs a result, innocent citizens have lost their homes, cars, and life savings over a mistake or, worse yet, through the malice or indifference of a government official without requiring the government to justify the taking.\u201d\n\n\u201cMy family has experienced firsthand the devastating consequences of government overreach through the IRS\u2019s abuse of power,\u201d said Savannah Chrisley, CPAC Senior Fellow for Criminal Justice Reform. \u201cThe FAIR Act is a critical step toward restoring accountability and protecting innocent citizens from unjust seizures. By eliminating profit incentives and ensuring due process, this legislation addresses a fundamental violation of our rights and provides much-needed safeguards against these egregious abuses. I urge Congress to pass the FAIR Act to prevent other families from enduring the same injustices.\u201d\n\n\u201cRepublicans and Democrats alike have, for years, recognized civil asset forfeiture as one of the most egregious forms of government overreach. Nearly 30 years ago, then-Congressman Henry Hyde authored a book about the abuse of civil asset forfeiture. He wrote, \u2018Increased government and police powers, rising criminal activity and violence, popular anxiety about drug use \u2014 all have become justifications for curtailing the application of the Bill of Rights and the individual security it once guaranteed.\u2019 Many states have passed civil asset forfeiture reform laws to protect individuals from abuse of this tool, but Congress hasn\u2019t yet acted. Senator Paul\u2019s FAIR Act provides that opportunity. We urge all senators to cosponsor the FAIR Act and restore the Constitutional guarantees of the Fifth Amendment,\u201dsaid Jason Pye, Vice President of Due Process Institute.\n\n\u201cNFIB thanks Senator Paul for reintroducing this important legislation to protect small business owners from unjust asset seizures. The federal government should not be allowed to seize business owners\u2019 property without evidence of wrongdoing. Small business owners are constantly navigating numerous burdensome federal rules and regulations \u2013 spending time proving their own innocence without ever being charged for a crime should not be another burden on their plate,\u201d said Andrea McGee, Principal of Federal Government Relations at National Federation of Independent Business.\n\n\u201cThe Fifth Amendment Integrity Restoration Act (FAIR Act) is vital legislation that seeks to restore fundamental constitutional protections by reforming the federal civil asset forfeiture process, a system that too often undermines trust in law enforcement and the rule of law. Civil asset forfeiture, in its current form, allows government agencies to seize property based on mere suspicion of its involvement in criminal activity\u2014without charging or convicting the owner of a crime. This practice erodes public confidence in our justice system. By raising the evidentiary standard for seizures and providing better transparency and accountability, the Act helps ensure that the practice of asset forfeiture aligns with the Constitution and public expectations of justice. For these reasons, we are happy to support this legislative effort, and we applaud Sen. Rand Paul for his leadership. Restoring legitimacy and trust in law enforcement is not a partisan issue rather it is a shared priority for all who believe in the foundational principles of fairness and accountability,\u201d said Jillian Snider, Policy Director for Criminal Justice and Civil Liberties at the R Street Institute.\n\n\u201cThrough civil forfeiture, the federal government seizes billions of dollars in money and property each year without ever seeking a criminal conviction. Victims of forfeiture don\u2019t have to be found guilty of a criminal offense in court, and most of them never see the inside of a courtroom. Civil forfeiture, in its current form, is without due process and basic fairness. Senator Paul\u2019s Fifth Amendment Integrity Restoration (FAIR) Act would do much to fix the broken system of civil forfeiture. The bill would help restore the principle of \u201cinnocent until proven guilty\u201d by shifting the burden rightly back onto the government to prove one\u2019s money or property was used in criminal activity. It would also protect the right to counsel, improve transparency, remove government\u2019s incentives for civil forfeiture, and eliminate the pernicious \u201cequitable sharing program\u201d by which federal law enforcement is able to ignore and circumvent state laws that limit or prevent civil forfeiture. Those who need the protections of the law when government agents threaten to forfeit their property are not always the most popular, influential, or politically powerful members of their community. Senator Paul\u2019s leadership in this space to help protect the property rights of all is commendable and greatly appreciated,\u201dsaid Dan Greenberg, General Counsel for Competitive Enterprise Institute.\n\n\u201cNo American should have to worry about the government unjustly seizing their property, but current law allows law enforcement to \u201carrest\u201d property now and ask questions later. The FAIR Act strengthens due process protections for innocent property owners and removes the financial incentives policymakers have created for law enforcement to unjustly seize cash, cars, and even houses from individuals who haven\u2019t been charged with a crime. Civil asset forfeiture denies Americans their constitutionally guaranteed presumption of innocence, leaving them with few options to recover their property, while encouraging law enforcement agencies to use the proceeds to fund their activities. 30 states and the District of Columbia have acted to rein in civil asset forfeiture abuse, and we applaud Sen. Paul for working to solve the problem at the federal level,\u201dsaid Greg Glod, Senior Policy Fellow at Americans for Prosperity.\n\nBackground:\n\nCivil forfeiture laws present a threat to the rights of all property owners in the United States. These laws authorize the government to seize property based on the mere suspicion that it may be connected to criminal activity. No charges or conviction are required and, once property is seized, owners must navigate the confusing and expensive legal system to win it back. Worst of all, unlike criminal cases where the accused is afforded certain rights, such as the right to counsel, civil forfeiture cases are brought against the property itself and the government usually faces a lower evidentiary threshold, meaning the deck is stacked against the property owner.\n\nBy passing the Fifth Amendment Integrity Restoration (FAIR) Act, Congress can decisively remedy this unjust system by providing strong due process protections to property owners.\n\nThe FAIR Act would:\n\nEliminate \u201cEquitable\u201d Sharing: The \u201cequitable\u201d sharing program allows state law enforcement officers to turn seized property over to federal officials for forfeiture \u2014 and get up to 80% of the proceeds of the forfeited property. The FAIR Act ends \u201cequitable\u201d sharing and ensures that law enforcement cannot ignore state law.\n\nRemove the Profit Incentive: Law enforcement should be motivated by public safety, not financial rewards. The FAIR Act would restore the rule in which the proceeds of forfeiture go to the Treasury\u2019s General Fund, where Congress can appropriate the money for any purpose.\n\nRestore Principle of \u201cInnocent Until Proven Guilty\u201d: Under current law, federal law enforcement agencies may take property suspected of involvement in crime without charging the property owner with a crime. The FAIR Act places on the government the burden to show that a property owner consented or was willfully blind to his property being used in a crime by a third party.\n\nRequire Clear and Convincing Evidence: The FAIR Act would require that the government prove its case by the higher standard of clear and convincing evidence, instead of the current preponderance of the evidence standard that the property was used for an illegal purpose.\n\nProtect the Right to Counsel: Under current law, defendants receive appointed counsel due to indigency only if (1) they request it, and (2) their home has been seized. The FAIR Act would ensure that indigent owners can receive, at the discretion of the court, representation in civil forfeiture proceedings.\n\nReform IRS Seizures: The FAIR Act requires that the IRS prove that the defendant knowingly deposited funds with criminal intent before they can seize the property. It also requires that a probable cause hearing be held no later than 14 days after the IRS seizes funds under the pretense of a structuring violation.\n\nEnact Strong Reporting Requirements: Requires the Attorney General to report on deposits made to the Treasury Fund, and that such report shall indicate the state, type of forfeiture, and provide details to specifically identify which funds were obtained from civil forfeiture and which funds were acquired from criminal forfeiture.\n\nAbolish Administrative Forfeitures: Administrative forfeitures happen automatically when property owners fail to challenge a seizure in court for any reason, including the inability to afford a lawyer or a missed deadline to file a claim. The seized property is simply presumed \u201cguilty\u201d without a neutral arbiter such as a judge determining whether it should be permanently taken from its owner. According to the Institute for Justice, administrative forfeitures account for 88 percent of all forfeitures. This provision would effectively force the government to go to court to keep property it has seized.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/washington-d-c-this-week-u-s-senator-rand-paul-r-ky-reintroduced-the-support-children-having-open-opportunities-for-learning-school-act-to-provide-parents-and-students-with-much-need/", "Dr. Rand Paul Reintroduces the SCHOOL Act for Educational Freedom", "2024-12-11", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nDecember 11, 2024\n\nContact: Press_Paul@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343\n\nDr. Rand Paul Reintroduces the SCHOOL Act for Educational Freedom\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 This week, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) reintroduced the Support Children Having Open Opportunities for Learning (SCHOOL) Act to provide parents and students with much-needed flexibility and options regarding K-12 education.\n\n\u201cEvery child, regardless of neighborhood, color, class, or background, deserves access to a school that supports their success,\u201d said Dr. Paul. \u201cMy SCHOOL Act will provide parents and students with educational choices and the necessary tools to succeed, no matter where they are learning.\u201d\n\nThe Support Children Having Open Opportunities for Learning Act would allow Federal funds for K-12 education to follow the eligible child, regardless of whether the child is in public school, private school, or homeschool. These funds could be used for a wide range of educational needs, including curriculum materials, technological educational materials, and educational therapies for students with disabilities.\n\nNo matter what the learning landscape looks like moving forward, this bill empowers parents to put their children\u2019s futures first.\n\nDr. Rand Paul\u2019s Support Children Having Open Opportunities for Learning (SCHOOL) Act Would:\n\nAmend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act to allow certain funds authorized under those laws to follow a child, whether learning in person or remotely, to the public school, private school, or homeschool of choice.\n\nAllow those funds to be used for a range of needs, including:\n\nCurriculum materials\n\nTechnological educational materials\n\nTutoring\n\nExtracurricular activities\n\nPrivate school tuition\n\nEducational therapies for students with disabilities\n\nEnsure each child would receive the same amount of funding, regardless of where the child is enrolled.\n\nEnsure that no child choosing to take advantage of these opportunities would be precluded from a federally funded school food program.\n\nProtect non-public education providers from Federal and State control.\n\nYou can read the SCHOOL Act HERE.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=49AFD03F-8CD1-43E7-9047-FC850EE46D6D", "McConnell Meets With Pam Bondi", "2024-12-09", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) issued the following statement today on his meeting with Pam Bondi:\n\n\u201cI was glad to meet today with President-elect Trump\u2019s nominee to serve as Attorney General, Pam Bondi. The American people deserve federal law enforcement authorities worthy of immense public trust. Ms. Bondi\u2019s extensive legal and executive experience make her well-qualified to lead the Department of Justice.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=8CB982EA-5C67-4457-8EA0-EC6B962091A5", "McConnell Remarks On Fall Of Assad Regime In Syria", "2024-12-09", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "\u2018It\u2019s quite clear that the recent lightning success of Syrian rebel groups is due in part to the distraction of the Assad regime\u2019s essential patrons. For more than a decade, assistance from Russia and Iran has shored up the twin pillars of Assad\u2019s rule: repression and fear. But today, Russian attention and resources are tied up in protracted war of aggression in Ukraine. And Iran is busy propping up a network of terrorist proxies that Israel has dealt savage blows.\u2019\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding Syria:\n\n\u201cIn a matter of weeks, President Biden will hand off his authority to a new Commander in Chief, and his administration will submit its stewardship of U.S. foreign and national security policy to the judgment of posterity.\n\n\u201cAlready, the contours of history are coming into focus: on this Administration\u2019s watch, and frequently at its tacit invitation, the gravest threats to America, our allies, and our global interests have grown and aligned more closely.\n\n\u201cSenior Administration officials insist that the exact opposite is true, and that they\u2019re preparing to hand off a world that is safer and more stable than they found it.\n\n\u201cThis sort of spin isn\u2019t surprising\u2026 It\u2019s just profoundly untrue.\n\n\u201cAnd nowhere is the Administration\u2019s revisionist gaslighting more blatant or bizarre than in its account of events in the Middle East.\n\n\u201cYesterday\u2019s collapse of the Assad regime in Syria was a stunning close to half a century of authoritarian rule and thirteen years of senseless slaughter, torture, and innocent suffering.\n\n\u201cBashar Assad is an agent of Iran\u2026 An ally of Russia\u2026 And a butcher whose hands are stained with so much innocent blood that the death toll defies precise counting.\n\n\u201cThe destination of this butcher\u2019s flight from Damascus over the weekend is telling. Fellow dictators still find a warm welcome in Putin\u2019s Moscow. And, I might add, so do unrepentant traitors like Edward Snowden.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s quite clear that the recent lightning success of Syrian rebel groups is due in part to the distraction of the Assad regime\u2019s essential patrons.\n\n\u201cFor more than a decade, assistance from Russia and Iran has shored up the twin pillars of Assad\u2019s rule: repression and fear.\n\n\u201cBut today, Russian attention and resources are tied up in protracted war of aggression in Ukraine. And Iran is busy propping up a network of terrorist proxies that Israel has dealt savage blows.\n\n\u201cIf you ask the Biden Administration, this was all part of the plan. The President, himself, said as much yesterday.\n\n\u201cHe noted that the Assad regime\u2019s strongest backers \u2013 Russia, Iran, and Hizballah \u2013 are weaker today than they were four years ago\u2026 as if to suggest that it was his Administration\u2019s policy that made these events possible.\n\n\u201cBut my colleagues \u2013 and for that matter, America\u2019s allies and partners \u2013 know a lot better than that. We know that to the extent that our adversaries are weaker today than they were when the President took office, it\u2019s in spite of his chronic hesitation and half-measures in the conduct of American foreign policy.\n\n\u201cUkraine has blunted Russian military power in spite of this Administration\u2019s unfounded fear of escalation and repeated withholding of lethal assistance.\n\n\u201cIsrael has put Iran and its proxies on the back foot in spite of the Administration\u2019s repeated attempts to dictate the terms of Israeli military operations \u2013 and its ongoing freeze on transfers of essential precision munitions.\n\n\u201cIf the Assad regime\u2019s brutality was an abiding concern for the President, or if the ongoing plight of the Syrian people factored meaningfully into his Administration\u2019s policy, then his National Security Advisor\u2019s description of the Middle East last fall as \u2018quieter than it has been for decades\u2019 is even more incongruous than the horrors of October 7th already made it.\n\n\u201cIf the President now intends to claim credit for bringing a potential end to Syria\u2019s grinding civil war, it begs the question why, as Vice President, he agreed with President Obama\u2019s decision not to enforce his self-imposed red line on Assad\u2019s use of chemical weapons.\n\n\u201cThe last Democratic administration\u2019s approach to Syria helped Russia displace American influence and helped Iran turn it into a staging ground for its terror proxies\u2019 war on Israel.\n\n\u201cThe current Democratic administration\u2019s scolding and hectoring of the Jewish state has made defending against this war more difficult.\n\n\u201cThe Commander in Chief\u2019s record will speak for itself. History will reflect that, if his Administration wanted to heed the urging of leaders of both parties in Congress and deliver the sort of lethal capabilities and permissions Ukraine needed to defend against Russian aggression at the speed of relevance, it was fully empowered to do so.\n\n\u201cAnd had this President even once expressed a willingness to take a serious, bipartisan approach to the Middle East\u2019s primary agents of chaos in Tehran \u2013 and its proxies and vassals from Yemen to Syria \u2013 it would have found willing partners on this side of the aisle.\n\n\u201cI made this much crystal-clear from the first days of his Administration.\n\n\u201cAt best, the Biden Administration has been an impassive observer. At worst, it restrained America\u2019s friends from defending themselves and hampered the otherwise transformational success of Israel\u2019s operations against the enemies who started this war.\n\n\u201cIn spite of the Administration\u2019s fixation on de-escalation, Israel decimated Hizballah, the crown jewel of Iran\u2019s terror web.\n\n\u201cWhile the Administration obsessed over the illusion of returning to a stable status quo ante, Israel has turned the tables on Iran and its proxies.\n\n\u201cToday, there is no longer such a status quo in Syria.\n\n\u201cAfter years of war stoked by Russia and Iran, the prospects of a beleaguered Syrian people are complicated and uncertain.\n\n\u201cBut the fall of the Assad regime is an opportunity for our partners in the Middle East to chart a new future\u2026\n\n\u201cAnd to press the advantage earned by Israel\u2019s decisive operations and uproot Iran\u2019s remaining influence throughout the region.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/icymi-senators-paul-and-markey-statement-on-tiktok-court-decision/", "ICYMI: Senators Paul and Markey Statement on TikTok Court Decision", "2024-12-09", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "\u201cThe Court of Appeals decision to uphold the TikTok ban is disappointing and a serious threat to TikTok and its users\u2019 constitutional rights across the country. Congress pushed through this law with limited debate about its impact on TikTok\u2019s diverse base of users and creators and their rights. As public support for the ban wanes, we urge Congress to reconsider the law and intend to work with our colleagues to do so.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=6D1F91EB-F901-4308-B049-0148F042DE52", "McConnell Remarks Accepting \u2018Peace Through Strength\u2019 Award At Reagan National Defense Forum", "2024-12-07", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "\u201cThe task before us is urgent. We can\u2019t afford to miss opportunities to restore American hard power and industrial capacity before conflicts ignite. We need to be investing \u2013 yesterday \u2013 in long-range fires, munitions, air and missile defenses, shipbuilding, and more. It\u2019s all well and good to spend time talking about grave threats. But our enemies care much more about what we do than what we say\u2026 We have an obligation to provide for the common defense.\u2019\n\nSIMI VALLEY, C.A. \u2013 U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks at the Reagan National Defense Forum. Below is the text as prepared for delivery:\n\n\u201cI\u2019m glad to be with all of you. And I\u2019m so honored by this recognition.\n\n\u201cI believe in American primacy and in the power of alliances. I make no apology for these beliefs, and I trace them directly to the example of our 40th president.\n\n\u201cPresident Reagan\u2019s leadership was a source both of professional wisdom and personal inspiration to me. I suspect the same is true for so many of you here today. Even in the climactic moments of a struggle that defined half a century, the consummate cold warrior spoke for posterity.\n\n\u201cPresident Reagan knew that the principles that guided the West\u2019s triumph were not to be discarded with the rubble of Soviet tyranny. He called our attention to the old adage that \u2018America is great because it is good, and if America ever ceases to be good, America will cease to be great.\u2019\n\n\u201cAnd just as greatness follows goodness, he reminded us of another principle, no less important: peace through strength.\n\n\u201cThe value of these lessons is timeless. But as we all know, their endurance is hardly certain.\n\n\u201cAt the Reagan Library, I\u2019m preaching to the choir. But in Washington, as we face down a new era of great power competition, influential voices want to leave the lessons of the last such competition, the Cold War, at the door.\n\n\u201cAt both ends of our politics, a dangerous fiction is taking hold \u2013 that America\u2019s primacy and the fruits of our leadership are self-sustaining. Even as allies across NATO and the Indo-Pacific renew their own commitments to hard power, to interoperability, and to collective defense, some now question America\u2019s own role at the center of these force-multiplying institutions and partnerships.\n\n\u201cWithin the party Ronald Reagan once led so capably, it is increasingly fashionable to suggest that the sort of global leadership he modeled is no longer America\u2019s place. But let\u2019s be absolutely clear: America will not be made great again by those who are content to manage our decline.\n\n\u201cSo how do we turn back this tide? How do we renew a firm American commitment to peace through strength? As I take on my next role as Chairman of the Defense Appropriations subcommittee, these are some of the questions I\u2019ll be focused on.\n\n\u201cThe answers will be rooted in the centrality of hard power and the importance of alliances and partnerships \u2013 things our 40th president understood well.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019ll mean standing with friends in need \u2013 whether they\u2019re resisting neo-Soviet imperialism in Ukraine, Iran-backed terrorist slaughter in Israel, or PRC hegemony in the Indo-Pacific.\n\n\u201cAnd we\u2019ll have to bring back into focus another lesson of President Reagan\u2019s leadership: the link between capability and credibility. The 40th Commander-in-Chief knew that changing Soviet behavior required both the military capability to prevent or punish hostile action and the will to exercise this power and follow through on threats.\n\n\u201cToday, the United States has given the world reason to doubt both our capability and our credibility. For years, we\u2019ve neglected our military readiness, the depth of our magazine, and our defense industrial base. We\u2019ve allowed our deterrent capabilities to atrophy. And we\u2019ve let hesitation and half-measures drain the potency of the capabilities we have maintained.\n\n\u201cRebuilding this mechanism of deterrence and influence begins with generational investments in the national defense enterprise. We are right to call out the growing alignment and coordination of China, Russia, and Iran. They represent the gravest combined threat to U.S. security since the Cold War \u2013 or even the Second World War.\n\n\u201cBut if we mean what we say, then we ought to invest accordingly. As the bipartisan National Defense Strategy Commission recently argued, a challenge this great requires an effort at least on par with that of the Cold War.\n\n\u201cPut that in perspective. In 1945, America had just finished pouring untold human sacrifice, and a material investment reaching 37% of our GDP, into winning the Second World War.\n\n\u201cOver the course of the Cold War, we invested nearly 14% of GDP during Korea, over 9 percent during Vietnam, and 6 percent in 1986.\n\n\u201cToday, we spend roughly 3% of our GDP on defense, barely half of the Reagan buildup that buried the Soviet Union. In this House of Reagan, I should point out that even Jimmy Carter invested more in defense than America does today.\n\n\u201cThere is no escaping the fact that quantity has a quality all its own. The sort of great power war America\u2019s military must prepare for today would entail staggering requirements we haven\u2019t seen since World War II.\n\n\u201cThe Pentagon is not equipped to meet the demands of protracted or multi-theater conflict. Neither is our defense industrial base.\n\n\u201cBlame for this chronic deficiency is plentiful. It begins with anemic defense budget requests that encourage using critical munitions as bill-payers for other priorities\u2026 And, of course, Congress bears blame for the glacial pace of appropriations. Consistent demand signals for critical capabilities are a square-one requirement.\n\n\u201cAt the same time, the need for interceptors and long-range munitions is obvious. The demand from both American forces and our allies and partners isn\u2019t going anywhere anytime soon. Industry partners should recognize it and plan accordingly.\n\n\u201cPatriotic companies have more work to do to expand production capacity. And they need to do it today, rather than wait for contracts we all know are coming. We need to adopt new technologies more quickly and expand production capacity at the same time.\n\n\u201cThis is not the time for idle, abstract promises. The challenges before us require serious, sustained commitments and durable solutions. The threat of simultaneous conflict in multiple theaters is real. And half-measures are not enough.\n\n\u201cAs Admiral Harold Stark, CNO through the early months of the last war in the Pacific, put it: \u2018Dollars cannot buy yesterday\u2019.\n\n\u201cThe task before us is urgent. We can\u2019t afford to miss opportunities to restore American hard power and industrial capacity before conflicts ignite. We need to be investing \u2013 yesterday \u2013 in long-range fires, munitions, air and missile defenses, shipbuilding, and more.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s all well and good to spend time talking about grave threats. But our enemies care much more about what we do than what we say. Merely invoking \u2018peace through strength\u2019 is not enough. We have an obligation to provide for the common defense. And it calls us to actually build and maintain that strength.\n\n\u201cUnless we\u2019re willing to spend the necessary resources to address them, talk is cheap. And a defense authorization bill that fails to set topline funding above the President\u2019s request would be a tragic missed opportunity we would likely come to regret. A re-run of the Budget Control Act\u2019s harm to military readiness would be a devastating abdication of our responsibility.\n\n\u201cWe need to make the sort of investments in American primacy and hard power that the world hasn\u2019t seen since Ronald Reagan was calling the shots. And it\u2019s not just proud Reagan Republicans saying so. By the Institute\u2019s latest survey, the American people understand intuitively what this particularly dangerous world demands of its greatest military and the arsenal of democracy.\n\n\u201cA clear majority \u2013 seventeen points greater than just two years ago \u2013 agrees that America should be more engaged and take the lead. And \u2013 surely to the dismay of proponents of \u2018managed decline\u2019 or \u2018leading from behind\u2019 \u2013 when asked what objectives the U.S. military should be prepared to achieve if faced with simultaneous major-power conflicts, the largest share said: \u2018victory\u2019.\n\n\u201cThese citizens have it exactly right. America shouldn\u2019t play for a tie. And to accept decline is to invite defeat.\n\n\u201cThe American people\u2019s message echoes a chapter of history that Washington would do well to brush up on. Think back to 1940. Isolationism had already lost its grip on American public opinion. In the Nazi conquests of Poland and France, and in the blitz over London, Americans saw an aggressor who wouldn\u2019t stop at the water\u2019s edge.\n\n\u201cThey saw their own security and prosperity hanging in the balance. And they said so. Overwhelming majorities of Americans told pollsters they supported massive new investments in defense and even the institution of the draft. But as we know, their leaders didn\u2019t feel the same urgency.\n\n\u201cAt critical moments, their president waited for events to force his hand. Meanwhile, the anti-intervention bloc in Congress continued to protest equipping frontline allies and partners to fight back and scoffed at the notion that war overseas threatened America\u2019s interests.\n\n\u201cThat is\u2026 until 83 years ago, today.\n\n\u201cArthur Vandenberg, one of the Senate\u2019s staunchest anti-interventionists, confessed that December 7th, 1941 \u2018ended isolationism for any realist.\u2019 And thank God it did \u2013 American industry already had its work cut out for it after years of neglect for military might.\n\n\u201cIt is reckless to assume once again that we can buy readiness overnight. It is dangerous to pretend that America\u2019s credibility is divisible. President Reagan knew better than to wait for calamity to force his hand.\n\n\u201cSo should we.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=F2BC915B-085B-4F85-98D3-5648CE32B031", "McConnell Remarks on Israel-Hizballah Ceasefire", "2024-12-04", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding Israel:\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s been a week since Israel and Hizballah agreed to a ceasefire. War is hell, and I hope sincerely that this marks a durable end to the immediate conflict.\n\n\u201cBut hope is not a strategy, and I know better than to expect honest dealing from hardened terrorists.\n\n\u201cIt would be na\u00efve enough a year and a half ago to believe Iran and its proxies had suddenly decided to accept Israel\u2019s right to exist.\n\n\u201cBut in light of the horrors of October 7th and the sustained campaign of terror since then, it\u2019s more likely that Iran and its proxies mean to alleviate the pressure of Israel\u2019s successful operations and give Hizballah \u2013 the A-team of international terrorism and the vanguard of Iran\u2019s axis of anti-Semitic violence \u2013 a chance to catch its breath.\n\n\u201cIn the weeks and months to come, the strength of this ceasefire will be tested repeatedly.\n\n\u201cWill it prevent Iran from resupplying and regenerating Hizballah\u2019s capacity to wage terror?\n\n\u201cWill it enable Lebanon\u2019s political leaders to chart a new path out of Hizballah\u2019s stranglehold of the country?\n\n\u201cWill it allow residents of northern Israel to feel safe enough to return home?\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s important to remember why Israel faced this terror in the first place: despite Chapter 7 UN Security Council resolutions demanding compliance, the ceasefire agreement that ended hostilities in 2006 was never enforced.\n\n\u201cEven with Lebanese Armed Forces and UN peacekeepers on the ground, Hizballah re-armed and Iranian influence reached deeper into Lebanon. Such a tragic farce must not be allowed to repeat itself.\n\n\u201cThis ceasefire is not a solution. If regional powers want peace, they will need to act.\n\n\u201cFirst, Israel\u2019s neighbors must decide whether they want to be peaceful and sovereign countries\u2026 or vassals of Iran and legitimate targets of war. This applies to Syria, Iraq, and Lebanon\u2019s fractured government.\n\n\u201cThe United States, for its part, must ensure Israel has the freedom of maneuver to target and destroy Iran\u2019s military and logistical lifelines. And America should move quickly to restore Israel\u2019s munitions stockpiles.\n\n\u201cAs I expect the incoming administration already knows, this means removing restrictions on the sale of needed weapons like 2000-pound smart bombs.\n\n\u201cBut there\u2019s a broader, more fundamental lesson I hope we\u2019ll take away from Israel\u2019s stunningly successful campaign against Hizballah \u2013 it\u2019s about the credibility of threats.\n\n\u201cIt was Israel\u2019s bold and decisive operations, not the overly cautious calls for restraint from Washington, that made a cessation of hostilities possible. The Jewish state has left Iran no reason to doubt Israel\u2019s capacity and willingness to protect its citizens and restore its sovereignty by force.\n\n\u201cAmerica ought to apply this lesson to our own approach to the Iran-backed groups that continue to attack American forces across the region. And to Ukraine, as well. Too many in Washington still believe that the path to peace lies in restraining our friends.\n\n\u201cThe evidence of coordination between our adversaries \u2013 China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea \u2013 is incontrovertible. It\u2019s high time that America\u2019s support for our friends carried real weight.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=38E31512-AF02-42D7-B6CD-3096D4BD8B98", "McConnell On Judges Un-Retiring: \u2018If You Play Political Games, Expect Political Prizes.\u2019", "2024-12-02", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding judicial nominees:\n\n\u201cJust before Thanksgiving, the Senate reached a deal on judicial nominees.\n\n\u201cRepublicans would forego our available procedural roadblocks on the remaining nominations to district courts\u2014which have the votes to be confirmed\u2014and in exchange the Democratic Leader won\u2019t bring any of the remaining nominations to circuit courts to the floor\u2014because they don\u2019t have the votes to be confirmed.\n\n\u201cAs a result, President Biden is getting around a dozen more district judges and the next president will get four more circuits to fill. At least, I expect he will.\n\n\u201cWe have already seen two partisan Democrat district judges \u2018un-retire\u2019 after the American people voted to fire Democrats last month. This is noteworthy. Looking to history, only two judges have ever \u2018un-retired\u2019 after a presidential election\u2014one Democrat in 2004, and one Republican in 2009.\n\n\u201cBut now, in just a matter of weeks, Democrats have already met that all-time record.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s hard to conclude that this is anything other than open partisanship.\n\n\u201cThey rolled the dice that a Democrat could replace them and now that he won\u2019t, they\u2019re changing their plans to keep a Republican from doing it.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s a brazen admission. And the incoming administration would be wise to explore all available recusal options with these judges, because it\u2019s clear now that they have a political finger on the scale.\n\n\u201cThis sort of partisan behavior undermines the integrity of the judiciary. It exposes bold Democratic blue where there should only be black robes.\n\n\u201cBut it would be especially alarming if either of the two circuit judges whose announced retirements created the vacancies currently pending before the Senate\u2014in Tennessee and North Carolina\u2014were to follow suit.\n\n\u201cNever before has a circuit judge unretired after a presidential election. It\u2019s literally unprecedented. And to create such a precedent would fly in the face of a rare bipartisan compromise on the disposition of these vacancies.\n\n\u201cIt was no surprise to hear the New York Times bemoan this deal. But its editorial didn\u2019t doubt that these vacancies now properly belong to the next President.\n\n\u201cTo borrow from President Obama, elections have consequences. But those consequences are for the political branches of government. For sitting judges to change their announced retirement plans because of presidential election results or the Senate Executive Calendar puts them three zip codes away from their proper judicial role.\n\n\u201cIf these circuit judges unretire because they don\u2019t like who won the election, I can only assume they will face significant ethics complaints based on Canons 2 and 5 of the Code of Conduct for U.S. Judges, followed by serial recusal demands from the Department of Justice. And they\u2019ll have earned it.\n\n\u201cAs I have repeatedly warned the judiciary in other matters, if you play political games, expect political prizes.\n\n\u201cSo let\u2019s hope these judges do the right thing and enjoy their well-earned retirements.\n\n\u201cLeave the politics to the political branches, where we just demonstrated that even on an issue as contentious as judicial nominations, both sides can still come together for a good deal.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=7C3C9D9A-A948-4D2D-88E0-3DD1F950B9EC", "McConnell: It\u2019s Well Past Time For The Senate To Pass NDAA, Government Funding", "2024-12-02", "2024", "2024-12", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding outstanding business:\n\n\u201cThe Senate has three weeks to complete some of the most important business of the year. And at this late hour, we\u2019ll have to act on legislation that comes to us from the House.\n\n\u201cBut let\u2019s be absolutely clear: December drama is not the way to demonstrate we\u2019re serious about our most basic governing responsibilities.\n\n\u201cWith the exception of urgent supplemental assistance to states and communities hit hard by natural disasters in recent months, essential and predictable annual assignments like the NDAA and government funding are now well overdue.\n\n\u201cOur colleagues on the Armed Services Committee completed their work on the NDAA back in June. They conducted extensive hearings, considered a wide array of amendments, and \u2013 thanks to the work of Ranking Member Wicker \u2013 secured an increase to topline authorization with bipartisan support.\n\n\u201cThey handed the legislation off to the Democratic Leader with months to spare.\n\n\u201cSimilarly, in the Appropriations Committee worked diligently to present full-year funding bills ahead of the start of the fiscal year. I\u2019m particularly proud of the work of committee Republicans, under Vice Chair Collins\u2019 leadership, to secure higher topline funding for the national defense.\n\n\u201cThe most important power in the Senate is the power to set our agenda. Only the Majority Leader holds that power.\n\n\u201cAnd last year, the Majority Leader said publicly that \u2018The United States is ready to compete vigorously with the PRC.\u2019\n\n\u201cThe overwhelming consensus of U.S. national security experts contradicts that view.\n\n\u201cBut even if we once were ready to compete and deter aggression from the adversaries who are working together to threaten us\u2026\n\n\u201c\u2026Letting critical national security legislation collect dust for months while the Senate rubber-stamps radical nominees is one heck of a way to sustain that elusive readiness or project American resolve.\n\n\u201cThe full Senate was denied a chance to work its will on the NDAA.\n\n\u201cAs a result, the ranking member of the Armed Services Committee was forced to negotiate against the House\u2019s much lower top line for defense spending from a weaker position.\n\n\u201cThe same is true for Defense appropriations and Vice Chair Collins\u2019 efforts.\n\n\u201cAs Ranking Member Wicker has pointed out repeatedly, we\u2019ve got a lot of work to do to repair America\u2019s military and rebuild our defense industrial base.\n\n\u201cAnd finishing urgent business in December won\u2019t be cause for celebration.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019ll just be the end of an utterly avoidable delay.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:07:19Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=183CABD6-B9D0-41B8-B197-52ACB0146A45", "McConnell Announces Kentucky Selected as U.S. Army TNT Production Facility", "2024-11-08", "2024", "2024-11", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "MUHLENBERG COUNTY, KY \u2013 At a press conference today, U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) announced the U.S. Army will award Repkon USA $435,000,000 to construct a Trinitrotoluene (TNT) production facility in Graham, Kentucky, the first domestic source of TNT in the United States since the 1980s. Senator McConnell was instrumental in securing this investment, a top strategic priority for the U.S. Army, through his work to shepherd the FY 2024 National Security Supplemental to Senate passage.\n\nSenator McConnell was joined by U.S. Congressman Brett Guthrie (KY-02), Repkon USA, Army officials, and County Judge-Executive Mack McGehee for the announcement in Muhlenberg County.\n\nTNT is a critical explosive our military uses for artillery shells, bombs, grenades, and other materiel. The Muhlenberg County facility will utilize state-of-the-art technology, maximizing the use of automation and digitization, and a novel waste neutralization process.\n\n\u201cFor the first time in decades, America will produce TNT on its own soil, manufacturing the explosive material our military uses for everything from hand grenades to 155mm artillery. I\u2019m proud that the National Security Supplemental I championed in the Senate will bring home $435 million in federal funding to establish this TNT capability right here in Kentucky, helping retool the defense industrial base our military relies on. Through this partnership with the Army and Repkon USA, our state is proving once again that we have the infrastructure, workforce, and logistics edge to take on projects critical to our national defense,\u201d said Senator Mitch McConnell. \u201cWorking alongside Congressman Guthrie and CJE McGehee, I will continue to ensure Western Kentucky always punches above its weight.\u201d\n\n\u201cI was proud to support today\u2019s announcement of a significant military investment in Muhlenberg County led by Leader McConnell and joined by Repkon USA President Bryan Van Brunt, Muhlenberg County Judge-Executive Mack McGehee, and Department of Defense officials. This critical investment in Muhlenberg County will not only make a direct and positive economic impact on our community bringing in more than 50 jobs, but will also help to reshore our military supply chains by producing TNT on American soil for the first time in decades. I am pleased to support this project and the partnership that is now formed between our Western Kentucky Community, the Army and Repkon USA,\u201d said Congressman Guthrie.\n\n\u201cToday marks the beginning of the return of TNT production to American soil, a capability we have not had since 1986. This history making initiative underscores our commitment to strengthening our national security and reducing reliance on foreign sources for critical materials. A domestic source of TNT is a crucial step in strengthening and building resilience in our Defense Industrial Base to ensure our armed forces have timely access to essential resources,\u201d said Maj. Gen. John T. Reim, Joint Program Executive Officer for Armaments and Ammunition and Commanding General of Picatinny Arsenal located in New Jersey. \u201cI would like to thank Senator McConnell and fellow members of Congress for placing their trust and confidence in the Army and the men and women of Picatinny Arsenal who work tirelessly to support the Warfighter. The authorities and resourcing entrusted to us is clearly reenergizing the defense industrial base and is enabling our efforts to rebuild the Arsenal of Democracy and we look forward to the continued partnership with Repkon USA and the great people from Kentucky in making this new facility a reality.\u201d\n\n\u201cRepkon USA is honored to perform this project for the US Army. This is a historic opportunity to build a brand new domestic capability that is vital to our military services and will be used for decades to come. We are grateful to leaders at the Army for their trust in us to establish this facility, and to Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell for his steadfast leadership and advocacy on behalf of our nation's military, without which we would not be here today,\u201d said Bryan Van Brunt, President, Repkon USA Holdings, Inc.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:02:12Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=1EC5405A-B253-430B-A548-B83ACEE81707", "McConnell Statement On The Passing Of Bernie Marcus", "2024-11-05", "2024", "2024-11", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) issued the following statement today on the passing of Bernard \u201cBernie\u201d Marcus:\n\n\u201cElaine and I were saddened to hear of the passing of Bernie Marcus, a good friend and a great American.\n\n\u201cBernie\u2019s life story bears every hallmark of the American dream. A son of immigrants made something out of nothing, and now leaves his entire nation better than he found it. This is especially true of Bernie\u2019s adopted home of Atlanta, Georgia, where he built a great American company and where he returned so many of the fruits of his success in generous philanthropy.\n\n\u201cCreating an engine of hundreds of thousands of American jobs is a monumental legacy, in itself. But Bernie rightly took greatest pride in honoring the Jewish calling of \u201ctzedakah\u201d, making a tremendous difference for worthy causes \u2013 from autism and cancer research to veteran and community support.\n\n\u201cCountless lives improved and saved are an enduring testament to Bernie Marcus\u2019 generosity. Today, we join his wife, Billi, and the entire Marcus family in remembrance of a big heart and a life well lived.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:02:12Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/dr-rand-paul-files-bipartisan-bicameral-amicus-brief-urging-supreme-court-to-restore-federal-accountability-in-wrong-house-raid-case/", "Dr. Rand Paul Files Bipartisan, Bicameral Amicus Brief Urging Supreme Court to Restore Federal Accountability in Wrong-House Raid Case", "2024-11-01", "2024", "2024-11", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nNovember 1, 2024\n\nContact: Press_Paul@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343\n\nDr. Rand Paul Files Bipartisan, Bicameral Amicus Brief Urging Supreme Court to Restore Federal Accountability in Wrong-House Raid Case\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senators Rand Paul (R-KY), Ron Wyden (D-OR), and Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), alongside Representatives Harriet Hageman (R-WY), Nikema Williams (D-GA-5), Thomas Massie (R-KY-4), and Dan Bishop (R-NC-8) filed a bipartisan, bicameral amicus brief, urging the U.S. Supreme Court to hear Martin v. United States and address the alarming gap in federal accountability created by the Eleventh Circuit\u2019s ruling in this case.\n\nThis case centers around a mistaken, forceful raid by federal agents who entered the wrong home in the early hours of the morning. The family inside was jolted awake by a flashbang grenade exploding within their walls. This raid left the family not only traumatized but physically harmed. Despite the evident toll on these innocent individuals and the assault that they suffered, the Eleventh Circuit\u2019s ruling currently bars them from any avenue for recourse under the FTCA, even though Congress designed this law in the wake of several wrong house raids to ensure accountability for federal overreach. This brief asserts that the Eleventh Circuit\u2019s interpretation of the FTCA contradicts the FTCA\u2019s legislative intent and threatens Americans\u2019 protections against federal overreach.\n\n\u201cCongress specifically designed the Federal Tort Claims Act (FTCA) to ensure that individuals harmed by government overreach\u2014such as the wrongful raiding of an innocent person\u2019s home\u2014have a means of recourse. By blocking Trina Martin\u2019s right to seek redress, the Eleventh Circuit\u2019s decision not only undermines Congress\u2019 intent and the FTCA\u2019s fundamental purpose but also establishes troubling precedent that places government actions beyond accountability, compromising Americans\u2019 rights. We must ensure that when the government makes a mistake, citizens can hold it accountable and seek justice. This case is a critical step in preserving that protection,\u201d said Dr. Rand Paul.\n\n\u201cThrough the Federal Tort Claims Act, Congress provided a remedy for federal wrong-house raids, but the Eleventh Circuit has taken it away,\u201d explained Patrick Jaicomo, a Senior Attorney at the Institute for Justice, which represents the innocent family. \u201cThe brief filed by members of Congress today confirms the availability of that federal remedy, and that the constitutional role of the courts is to enforce\u2014not revoke\u2014the remedy Congress has provided.\u201d\n\nIn Martin v. United States, the Eleventh Circuit ruled that victims of the wrong-house raid could not recover damages due to the Supremacy Clause, despite the FTCA\u2019s purpose to hold federal law enforcement accountable for wrongful actions. Congress introduced the FTCA\u2019s law enforcement provision specifically to protect citizens harmed in cases like these, yet the Eleventh Circuit\u2019s stance nullifies that protection, leaving innocent citizens vulnerable.\n\nThe Supremacy Clause was intended to assert the primacy of federal statutes\u2014not to obstruct claims explicitly permitted by Congress. The bipartisan, bicameral brief makes it clear that if the Eleventh Circuit\u2019s interpretation is upheld, it will fundamentally undermine the FTCA\u2019s role in federal accountability, allowing agents to act with impunity and without fear of recourse from innocent citizens.\n\nBy granting review and overturning the Eleventh Circuit\u2019s decision, the Supreme Court would reinforce the FTCA as Congress intended\u2014empowering Americans to hold federal agents accountable for intentional harms, particularly in cases like these that carry such personal and constitutional significance.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:02:12Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/dr-rand-paul-joins-call-for-potus-to-engage-on-stalled-u-s-china-adoptions/", "Dr. Rand Paul Joins Call for POTUS to Engage on Stalled U.S.-China Adoptions", "2024-11-01", "2024", "2024-11", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nNovember 1, 2024\n\nContact: Press_Paul@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343\n\nDr. Rand Paul Joins Call for POTUS to Engage on Stalled U.S.-China Adoptions\n\n103 members of Congress amplify adoptive families\u2019 plea to Biden: \u2018Your leadership could be life altering for these families\u2019\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) joined Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA), and Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Ben Cardin (D-MD) to urge President Biden to stand up for families navigating the People\u2019s Republic of China\u2019s (PRC) decision to end intercountry adoptions for those without Chinese familial ties. Representatives Erin Houchin (R-IN-9) and Val Hoyle (D-OR-4) are co-leading the bipartisan effort, which garnered a total of 103 bicameral signatories, in the House of Representatives.\n\n\u201cWe request that you act in the best interest of these children and families by urging the PRC to fulfill and uphold the commitment the country has made,\u201d the lawmakers wrote, noting approximately 300 children in the PRC \u2013 some with various health conditions \u2013 are already paired with families in the United States.\n\n\u201cThe American families that have been matched with their adoptive children are prepared to meet their long-term medical and emotional needs, and to give them the love and nurturing they need,\u201d they continued. \u201cMany of these children know that they have a home, which in many cases have been prepared for their arrival since the families were notified that they were matched and moving forward with the adoption process.\u201d\n\nDr. Paul and his colleagues also acknowledged the PRC may complete adoptions for families in some countries, per a State Department notice last week. They called on President Biden to ensure such an action would pertain to the United States, too.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T19:02:12Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=9E266722-594B-4F6B-A2C0-D27D33D7B027", "Leader McConnell Comments on Gov. Beshear's Call to Abolish Electoral College", "2024-10-31", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "LOUISVILLE, KY - U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) released the following statement regarding Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear's comments today in support of abolishing the Electoral College:\n\n\"I wish I could say I\u2019m surprised by Governor Beshear\u2019s latest calls to abolish the Electoral College \u2013 but I\u2019m not. Democrats\u2019 disregard \u2013 and borderline disdain \u2013 for the constitutional guardrails that safeguard our political system has lurked below the surface of their rhetoric for a long, long time.\n\n\"No institution is too dear if it stands between a Democrat and their progressive \u2018reforms\u2019 to \u2018preserve democracy\u2019 \u2013 the standard euphemism for partisan power grabs on the Left. Those genuinely concerned about the future of our country should call for strengthening our constitutional guardrails, not obliterating them.\n\n\"At its core, the Electoral College protects Americans from the whims of the majority, something I\u2019m familiar with in the Senate. It\u2019s what makes our democracy, and our sprawling nationwide elections, feasible. And it\u2019s what compels presidents to govern nationally rather than pandering to the interests of New York and California. Without it, no presidential candidate would ever travel to a small state in Middle America, like Kentucky.\"", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:55:29Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=6658802F-C655-40C9-BDCC-761E76134F82", "McConnell Helps Secure $1 Million in Federal Funding for Capital City Airport in Frankfort", "2024-10-30", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) announced today the U.S. Department of Transportation will provide $1 million to the Capital City Airport in Frankfort, Kentucky to support the redevelopment of the terminal. According to airport officials, the federal funding will be used to construct a new, modern two-story facility that will expand passenger access, increase airfield safety, and support aviation career training programs.\n\nSenator McConnell contacted the U.S. Secretary of Transportation in support of the airport\u2019s competitive grant application for this project.\n\nThe federal grant is funded through the U.S. Department of Transportation\u2019s Airport Terminal Program, established in the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA). Senator McConnell led the IIJA to Senate passage in 2021, and the President signed the bill into law. The IIJA gives Kentucky billions of federal dollars over five years to improve the Commonwealth\u2019s roads, bridges, railroads, riverports, airports, broadband, and more.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:55:29Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=605CA0C0-47DC-43B6-9CA5-64F509A6B08D", "McConnell Announces Over $38 Million in Federal Funding for Kentucky\u2019s Railroads", "2024-10-28", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) announced today that the U.S. Department of Transportation will award $32,183,290 to the R.J. Corman Railroad Group and $6,492,000 to the Louisville and Indiana Railroad Company (LIRC) through the Consolidated Rail Infrastructure and Safety Improvements (CRISI) Program.\n\nR.J. Corman will use today\u2019s award to rehabilitate tracks across multiple rail lines in Central and Western Kentucky, enhancing the efficiency and timeliness of its rail operations. The federal funding awarded to LIRC will support critical repairs to Clagg Bridge, an important rail bridge traversing the Ohio River between Louisville, Kentucky and Clarksville, Indiana that services both rail and waterway traffic.\n\nToday\u2019s awards are funded through the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act as well as annual appropriations from Fiscal Year 2023 and Fiscal Year 2024. Senator McConnell, a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, contacted the U.S. Secretary of Transpiration in support of both railways\u2019 competitive grant applications and advocated for CRISI funding in both the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the annual appropriations process.\n\n\"As a transportation and logistics hub, Kentucky\u2019s railroads have been the linchpin of economic growth for generations of workers and job creators in the Commonwealth. The grants announced today will increase the speed, efficiency, and safety on two of Kentucky\u2019s keystone rail operations, improvements that support good jobs and commerce across our state. I supported the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law precisely for projects like these, and I\u2019ll continue to be a fierce advocate for Kentucky\u2019s railroads, riverports, and waterways in years to come,\" said Senator McConnell.\n\n\"We are incredibly grateful to the Federal Railroad Administration for this grant, as well as to Senator McConnell, officials, and communities that supported this initiative. This partnership with R. J. Corman and Logan Aluminum underscores the power of collaboration between the public and private sectors. By leveraging federal infrastructure dollars alongside private investment, we are maximizing economic development opportunities for rail infrastructure in Kentucky. These enhancements will not only strengthen our ability to serve our customers but will also benefit a range of manufacturing companies and industries in central Kentucky. By improving the transportation of key commodities\u2014such as agricultural products, automotive components, and raw materials\u2014this project will bolster the region\u2019s economy, expand market access, and enhance the overall efficiency of our supply chain,\" said R. J. Corman Railroad Group President and CEO Ed Quinn.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:55:29Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=5CBC805B-A26E-4098-B09A-182D1EF4B193", "Leader McConnell and Speaker Johnson to VP Harris: End The Dangerous Rhetoric", "2024-10-25", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Leader McConnell and Speaker Johnson released the following statement:\n\n\u201cThis summer, after the first attempted assassination of a presidential candidate in more than a century, President Biden insisted that \u2018we cannot allow this violence to be normalized.\u2019 In September, after President Trump escaped yet another close call, Vice President Harris acknowledged that \u2018we all must do our part to ensure that this incident does not lead to more violence.\u2019\n\n\u201cThese words have proven hollow. In the weeks since that second sobering reminder, the Democratic nominee for President of the United States has only fanned the flames beneath a boiling cauldron of political animus. Her most recent and most reckless invocations of the darkest evil of the 20th century seem to dare it to boil over. The Vice President's words more closely resemble those of President Trump's second would-be assassin than her own earlier appeal to civility.\n\n\u201cThe man who was caught waiting in ambush in Florida left others with a chilling call to arms: \u2018It is up to you now to finish the job\u2019. Labeling a political opponent as a \u2018fascist,\u2019 risks inviting yet another would-be assassin to try robbing voters of their choice before Election Day.\n\n\u201cVice President Harris may want the American people to entrust her with the sacred duty of executive authority. But first, she must abandon the base and irresponsible rhetoric that endangers both American lives and institutions. We have both been briefed on the ongoing and persistent threats to former President Donald Trump by adversaries to the United States, and we call on the Vice President to take these threats seriously, stop escalating the threat environment, and help ensure President Trump has the necessary resources to be protected from those threats.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:55:29Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=064493E9-CF8B-48C2-9A63-B8B5A00E57DB", "McConnell Statement on the Passing of Senator Johnnie Turner", "2024-10-23", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "LOUISVILLE, KY \u2013 U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) issued the following statement today regarding the passing of Kentucky State Senator Johnnie Turner:\n\n\u201cElaine and I were saddened to hear of the passing of our friend, Senator Johnnie Turner. Throughout his service to Kentucky and the nation \u2013 in the U.S. Army, the State House, and the State Senate, representing Eastern Kentucky\u2019s communities \u2013 Johnnie lived his life for others. In recent years, I remember crossing paths with Johnnie to survey the damage left by the devastating floods that hit Eastern Kentucky. Johnnie was on the scene, ankle-deep in mud, his equipment from home in tow, ready to help folks in Letcher County. That\u2019s just who he was: a good man who loved the mountains and its people. We send our condolences to the entire Turner family, Johnnie\u2019s colleagues in the Senate, and all those touched by his service.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:55:29Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=6EAAAF11-2470-407A-A52E-3A4C5E9F84A4", "McConnell Helps Secure Over $500,000 in Federal Funding for Workforce Development Facility in Western Kentucky", "2024-10-22", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) announced today the Delta Regional Authority (DRA) will award $509,000 to the Murray-Calloway Industrial Development Authority (MCIDA) through the States\u2019 Economic Development Assistance Program. Today\u2019s funding will support the development of a skills training and workforce development facility for underemployed and unemployed workers in the community, which will help boost the earning potential of program participants and address worker shortages in the region.\n\nThis federal funding is made possible through a DRA assistance program, which is funded by the FY2023 government funding bill and the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.\n\nSenator McConnell, a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, advocated for DRA funding in both the annual appropriations process and the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. The Senator also wrote a letter to Dr. Corey Wiggins, Federal Co-Chair of the Delta Regional Authority, in support of this project.\n\n\u201cLast year\u2019s government funding bill, as well as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, provide big investments for Western Kentucky\u2019s communities, including assistance for Murray and Calloway counties\u2019 first workforce development facility. This project will help hardworking Kentuckians get back to work in their communities while addressing the growing needs of job creators in the Commonwealth. I was proud to support funding for this project and I'll continue to do what I can to ensure federal resources go toward Kentucky\u2019s communities that need them most,\u201d said Senator McConnell.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:55:29Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=94EBB26E-0BD6-4687-ADD8-FB3BF843BD74", "McConnell Secures Over $33 Million in Federal Funding for the Paducah and Louisville Railway", "2024-10-17", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) announced today the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) will provide $33,780,304 in federal funding to Paducah and Louisville (P&L) Transportation to support several infrastructure projects along its 280-mile main line between Louisville and Paducah, Kentucky; including upgrades to signals and track infrastructure, installation of a wheel truing machine, and rehabilitation of five rail bridges in Hardin and Muhlenberg Counties.\n\nDOT awarded this grant as part of the Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) program, which awards competitive grants for freight and highway projects. Senator McConnell helped secure $3.2 billion for the INFRA program in the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, which passed Congress with the Senator\u2019s support and was signed into law by the President. Senator McConnell also wrote to the Secretary of Transportation in support of P&L Transportation\u2019s grant application.\n\nThe P&L main rail line connects with four major railroads in North America, transporting equipment for Kentucky\u2019s military installations, materials used for manufacturing, and other freight vital to interstate commerce.\n\n\u201cAs a transportation and logistics hub, Kentucky keeps millions of American goods and people on the move. From strengthening our regional economy to facilitating interstate commerce nationwide, our rail infrastructure \u2013 and investments to sustain it \u2013 has benefits that ripple across the entire country. Projects like this one are precisely the reason I supported the bipartisan infrastructure law, which has delivered billions for Kentucky\u2019s roads, ports, railroads, and waterways. I look forward to watching this much-needed investment spur development along the entire P&L corridor,\u201d said Senator McConnell.\n\n\u201cP&L is excited to continue our work to rebuild critical freight railroad infrastructure. This project will benefit all Kentuckians by keeping employers in the Commonwealth connected to markets around the world. I want to especially thank Senator McConnell for all of his hard work to ensure that Kentucky infrastructure projects receive their fair share of funding. These projects and the funding announced today would not be possible without his support,\u201d said Chairman, President, and CEO of P&L Transportation Tom Greene.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:55:29Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=8011787F-883E-4911-9B61-9D42B410E1C1", "McConnell Announces Nearly $2 Million for West Industrial Park in Russellville, Kentucky", "2024-10-15", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) announced today the Logan Industrial Development Authority, Inc., in collaboration with Logan Economic Alliance for Development (LEAD), will receive $1,920,000 in federal funding to support the construction of a new two-lane roadway at the West Industrial Park in Russellville, Kentucky.\n\nFunded by the Fiscal Year 2024 government funding bill, this federal grant is distributed through the U.S. Department of Commerce\u2019s Economic Development Administration (EDA). Senator McConnell, a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, contacted the EDA in support of LEAD\u2019s competitive grant application and advocated for EDA funding during the annual appropriations process.\n\n\"Impactful organizations like LEAD \u2013 and their work to drive industry into the Commonwealth \u2013 form an integral part of Western Kentucky\u2019s growing economy. I was proud to work with LEAD to help bring home today\u2019s funding which will lay the groundwork for new jobs and economic opportunity in Logan County. I look forward to seeing these funds go to good use and I'll continue to do what I can to ensure Western Kentucky is a place full of growth and opportunity,\u201d said Senator McConnell.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:55:29Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=DAB6CE7B-BCD1-4FE3-A194-7DF84324DDCE", "McConnell Statement On The Passing Of Tom Donohue", "2024-10-14", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) released the following statement today on the passing of former U.S. Chamber of Commerce CEO Tom Donohue:\n\n\u201cElaine and I were saddened to learn of the passing of our good friend, Tom Donohue. Around Washington and across the country, so many people will remember Tom as exactly that: a friend. And no doubt, that is what Tom would prefer.\n\n\u201cBut those fortunate to call Tom a friend also knew a visionary leader, an extraordinary advocate, and a tireless builder of coalitions whose transformative work left the U.S. Chamber, the broader business community, and our entire nation stronger.\n\n\u201cJob creators and entrepreneurs across America could hope for no greater partner than Tom. He was a seasoned navigator of the halls of power and a clearinghouse for professional connections who turned the Chamber into an unmatched champion of American enterprise.\n\n\u201cToday, our prayers are with the entire Donohue family as they mourn an incredible life.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:55:29Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=1B040BEB-33F6-4CA7-9933-E1AC8AF80FB7", "McConnell Helps Secure Nearly $2 Million to Combat Opioid Abuse in Kentucky", "2024-10-09", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "The funding comes from the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) announced today the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will distribute $1,908,214 to three Kentucky organizations through the Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP).\n\nBaptist Health Foundation (Baptist Health) in Corbin, Kentucky, will receive $750,000, Memorial Hospital Inc. in Manchester, Kentucky will receive $500,000, and WestCare Kentucky in Ashcamp, Kentucky, will receive $658,214 through today\u2019s distribution. Senator McConnell sent a letter of support to Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Administrator Carole Johnson on behalf of Baptist Health.\n\nAs a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator McConnell supports funding for RCORP during the annual appropriations process. To date, the Senator has helped secure more than $700 million in competitive and block grant funding to combat drug abuse in Kentucky.\n\n\u201cThe substance abuse epidemic has hollowed out communities across the nation, especially here in the Commonwealth. Now more than ever it\u2019s important that we utilize every tool we have to combat this crisis and save lives,\u201d said Senator McConnell. \u201cThe funding announced today will help several Kentucky recovery centers fund programs that treat opioid addiction, helping Kentuckians struggling with substance abuse return to healthy and productive lives. I\u2019m proud to support RCORP in the Senate and am glad to see its resources go to impactful organizations in the Commonwealth.\u201d\n\nWe are honored to be awarded federal funding that will allow us the opportunity to create new access points for mental health and addiction treatment and recovery services. Additionally, this grant will give us the resources to develop a workforce development plan aimed to address the shortage of addiction and mental health professionals in the region. We are extremely grateful to Senator McConnell for his advocacy for quality healthcare services that improve the quality of lives of Kentuckians,\u201d said CEO of Baptist Health Gerard Colman.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:55:29Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=7FB3520D-AD56-4E27-B935-910B60EC1699", "McConnell: The United States Must Recommit to Stand with Israel in its Righteous Fight", "2024-10-07", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "LOUISVILLE, KY \u2013 U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) issued the following statement today regarding the one-year anniversary of the brutal terrorist attacks on Israel:\n\n\u201cTime has not dulled the pain inflicted on the people of Israel one year ago today, nor eased the grief left in its wake. October 7th confronted the world with the irredeemable evil of Iran-backed terror, and drew emboldened strains of the world\u2019s oldest hatred out of the shadows.\n\n\u201cThe Jewish state has met a year of trial with unshakeable resolve. In the face of resurgent anti-Semitism, Jewish families and communities around the world have refused to live in fear. And in steadfast vigil, families of innocent hostages have kept the faith.\n\n\u201cIsrael\u2019s determined response to the barbaric attacks of October 7th casts in stark relief the difference between a sovereign democracy\u2019s effort to minimize innocent suffering and savage terrorists\u2019 effort to exploit it. No matter how many leaders or elite institutions attempt to draw moral equivalence, the difference is unmistakable.\n\n\u201cThe stakes of Israel\u2019s fight against the terrorists surrounding it are as clear today as they were one year ago. So are the obligations of free societies across the civilized world. The terrorists and their patrons seek not only to destroy Israel, but to challenge the very American-led order that preserves our way of life.\n\n\u201cMake no mistake: a future of peace in the Middle East must include a secure and sovereign Israel. There is no place in such a future for terrorists like Hamas, Hizballah, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, or the Houthis. Today, as Americans and free people around the world remember the victims of October 7th and pray for peace, let us recommit to stand with Israel in its righteous fight.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:55:29Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=9F6DF130-AFCF-410D-9F0A-9FB624C60CE0", "McConnell Comments on the Passing of Elizabeth Tori", "2024-10-03", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) released the following statement today on the passing of former Kentucky State Senator Elizabeth Tori:\n\n\u201cElaine and I were saddened to hear of the passing of former Kentucky State Senator Elizabeth Tori. The daughter of a veteran and wife of a retired Army Major, Elizabeth was a constant advocate for Kentucky\u2019s active duty military and the many veterans who call the Commonwealth home. Serving Kentucky\u2019s 10th District for over 16 years, Elizabeth was always looking for ways to improve the lives of our servicemembers and to give them the thanks they deserve. Now it\u2019s our turn to give thanks to Elizabeth for all her years inside and outside the state legislature serving Kentucky\u2019s veterans, students, and families. We send our condolences to Elizabeth\u2019s four children and all her friends and family at this difficult time.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:55:29Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=9E72D574-EA58-4C8F-BE84-93DB027295B0", "McConnell: Iran, Proxies Must \u201cFace Severe Consequences\u201d", "2024-10-01", "2024", "2024-10", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) issued the following statement today regarding the Iranian attacks on Israel:\n\n\u201cIsrael has a right to defend itself against terrorists bent on destroying it. The United States must stand with our friend under fire.\n\n\u201cThe Biden Administration has repeatedly threatened Iran with \u2018severe consequences\u2019 for its campaign of terror against Israel and the United States, but failed to impose them. It has pledged \u2018ironclad\u2019 support for Israel, only to delay and withhold the security assistance that would give this pledge any weight.\n\n\u201cIt is not enough to issue statements. It is not enough to intercept missiles and drones moments before they reach civilians in Israel or U.S. personnel in the Red Sea. It is time for America to act like the friend of Israel we claim to be. It is time to replenish Israel\u2019s supply of critical munitions.\n\n\u201cIt is time for the world\u2019s leading architects of terror, and their proxies, to face severe consequences.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:55:29Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=E62ED531-095B-4CC7-AB12-59DDA78151DF", "McConnell, Warner Introduce Vital Bill To Support Bourbon Production And Environment", "2024-09-26", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and U.S. Senator Mark R. Warner (D-VA) announced today the introduction of the White Oak Resilience Act of 2024, which will mobilize greater federal resources and direct research into safeguarding our nation\u2019s White Oak tree population.\n\nWhite Oak trees are vital to the environmental ecosystem, as well as several trademark American industries, like bourbon and furniture production. Considered the most important hardwood tree in the eastern United States, White Oak trees provide sustenance and shelter for a host of wildlife species across the country.\n\nWhite Oak trees can take up to 25 years to reach full maturity, but a lack of seedlings has created an impending shortage that threatens the future of this species and the billions of dollars in economic impact they generate nationwide. This bipartisan legislation will help reverse the depletion of this iconic tree and address the threat its extinction poses to the American economy.\n\n\u201cKentucky bourbon is synonymous with the White Oak tree, used to age our state\u2019s signature spirit in its wooden barrels. As we face an impending White Oak shortage, I\u2019m proud to introduce bipartisan legislation that will help protect this species and preserve Kentucky's iconic bourbon industry that bolsters our economy and supports thousands of jobs across the Commonwealth. This is commonsense conservation at its best,\u201d said Senator McConnell.\n\n\u201cVirginia is home to one of the highest concentrations of White Oak trees in the country, and they play an indispensable role in our ecology and our economy,\u201d said Senator Warner. \u201cThese trees have tremendous utility as both food for many species and material for the forestry industry, but without further action, we could face a severe shortage soon. I\u2019m glad to sponsor bipartisan legislation that will get ahead of that crisis by bolstering a plan to regenerate our White Oak trees, keeping Virginia beautiful and investing in one of the forestry industry\u2019s most valuable species.\u201d\n\nIn a statement from Brown-Forman, the largest American-owned spirits and wines company: \u201cWe are pleased to see the introduction of the White Oak Resilience Act to the Senate. Brown-Forman depends on healthy forests to provide the white oak for our bourbon barrels. White Oak barrels are more than just a container, they\u2019re an important ingredient that provides all of the color and more than half the flavor to our whiskeys. We are committed to the conservation of the existing hardwood forests we rely on and have undertaken several initiatives to support sustainable forestry practices. We are appreciative of the leadership from Senators McConnell and Warner, supporting this key legislation will provide critical resources for white oak restoration.\u201d\n\n\u201cSazerac commends Senators McConnell and Warner for introducing the Senate companion to HR 5582, the White Oak Resilience Act. Although Sazerac has locations in numerous states, we have distilleries in both Kentucky and Virginia (Buffalo Trace and 1792 in Kentucky; A. Smith Bowman in Virginia) making it particularly significant that these two senators have come together to recognize the importance of this species. The spirits industry has found the ideal wood in White Oak for our barrels and has endeavored to regenerate it for years to come,\u201d said Elizabeth Wise, Chief Global Government and Public Affairs for Sazerac.\n\n\u201cOn behalf of the Kentucky Distillers\u2019 Association, the worldwide voice of Bourbon, we applaud Leader McConnell and Senator Warner for their leadership in introducing the White Oak Resilience Act,\u201d said Kentucky Distillers\u2019 Association President Eric Gregory. \u201cWhite Oak is instrumental to our signature industry as the new charred oak barrel is where the magic happens, transforming young whiskey into the mellow, amber nectar that is Kentucky Bourbon. The KDA and its 68-member companies have an enduring commitment to the sustainable and conscientious use of our natural resources that our legendary distilleries depend on to make the world\u2019s greatest whiskey. The White Oak Resilience Act will help ensure the future of this important species for our communities, our homegrown Bourbon industry, and generations to come.\u201d\n\n\u201cOn behalf of the University of Kentucky, I want to extend our sincere thanks to Leader McConnell and Senator Warner for introducing the White Oak Resilience Act that addresses White Oak sustainability, which is crucial to Kentucky's signature bourbon industry. The research this measure directs will allow us to leverage our scientific expertise, particularly in genetics and genomics, to support the health and resilience of White Oak tree populations. As a land-grant institution committed to the Commonwealth's economic development, we are well-positioned to translate our findings into practical applications for the bourbon industry,\u201d said University of Kentucky President Eli Capilouto.\n\n\u201cWhite Oak is a keystone species that supports over 500 types of wildlife while also bolstering rural economies and providing wood products to cities and towns across America,\u201d said Jason Meyer, Executive Director of the White Oak Initiative. \u201cWe\u2019d like to thank Senators Warner and McConnell for their leadership in bringing this bill forward and working together to ensure a long, sustainable future for this critical American resource.\u201d\n\n\u201cVirginia's upland oak forests are on the decline and are incredibly important for wildlife and sustainable forestry,\" said Virginia State Forester Robert W. Farrell. \u201cThe White Oak Resilience Act will help Virginia's forest landowners care for their hardwood forests and ensure White Oak is on the Virginia landscape for generations to come.\u201d\n\nEarlier this year, Senators McConnell and Warner supported Senate passage of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2024 and the President signed it into law. As a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator McConnell secured measures to help preserve the nation\u2019s natural beauty, including language instructing the U.S. Forest Service to work on White Oak restoration, used for barrels that only bourbon can be aged in.\n\nU.S. Congressman Andy Barr (KY-06) introduced the companion bill in the U.S. House of Representatives.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:46:43Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/dr-rand-paul-introduces-hemp-act-to-relieve-unnecessary-constraints-on-hemp-industry-provide-transparency-and-certainty/", "Dr. Rand Paul Introduces HEMP Act to Relieve Unnecessary Constraints on Hemp Industry, Provide Transparency and Certainty", "2024-09-26", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nSeptember 26, 2024\n\nContact: Press_Paul@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343\n\nDr. Rand Paul Introduces HEMP Act to Relieve Unnecessary Constraints on Hemp Industry, Provide Transparency and Certainty\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Recently, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) continued his efforts to address Kentucky hemp farmers\u2019 concerns with federal overreach and bring clarity, transparency, and certainty to regulation by introducing the Hemp Economic Mobilization Plan (HEMP) Act.\n\n\u201cFor years, I\u2019ve led the fight in Washington to restore one of Kentucky\u2019s most historically vital crops by legalizing industrial hemp. We achieved a hard-won victory, but there is still work to do to prevent the federal government from weighing down our farmers with unnecessary bureaucratic micromanaging. My legislation will help this growing industry reach its full economic potential and bring transparency to government regulations,\u201d said Dr. Paul.\n\nThis legislation creates transparency and certainty by defining a margin of error in hemp testing and provides real solutions to help Kentucky hemp farmers and processors.\n\nThe HEMP Act amends the definition of \u201chemp\u201d from 0.3 percent THC to 1 percent THC. It also requires testing of hemp-derived products rather than the hemp flower or plant itself. Additionally, to help prevent legal hemp from being seized during transport, the bill requires that hemp shipments be accompanied by one of two easily accessible types of documentation.\n\nDr. Paul is proud to be a leading voice for removing government restrictions on hemp, including championing legislation, testifying before the Kentucky legislature, and advocating for Kentucky farmers in Washington. This legislation ensures Kentucky can rebuild its hemp industry and push forward to a prosperous future.\n\nYou can read Dr. Paul\u2019s HEMP Act HERE.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:46:43Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=2C9B46D2-CBA3-435C-814E-CBA00A363B78", "McConnell: VP Harris\u2019 Willingness To Throw Away Senate\u2019s Guardrails As Disqualifying As Her Record", "2024-09-25", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "\u2018There is nothing normal or rational about blowing up the dam holding back simple majority rule. And the fact that a major political party has welcomed this short-sighted radicalism into the mainstream will be to their eternal shame. To lean on today\u2019s fill-in-the-blank justification is to miss entirely what\u2019s at stake. The Senate\u2019s protections against the vacillations of simple majority rule are bigger than Washington Democrats\u2019 policy preferences.\u2019\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding the filibuster:\n\n\u201c\u2019I am prepared to get rid of the filibuster to pass a Green New Deal.\u2019\n\n\u201c\u2018I think we should eliminate the filibuster for Roe.\u2019\n\n\u201cThese are the words of the Vice President of the United States and the Democratic nominee for President.\n\n\u201cHer willingness to shatter the institution of the Senate is not unique. Nearly every single one of our Democratic colleagues was willing to do it two years ago. And they would have succeeded had two members of their own caucus not stood in the breach.\n\n\u201cNor is this campaign to rip up precious safeguards for political minorities confined here to the Senate. From a sitting President all the way down to grassroots activists, Democrats have made smashing institutions a core pillar of their party\u2019s platform.\n\n\u201cThe Vice President\u2019s latest comments are not novel. But they are shocking \u2013 no less so than the votes our colleagues cast here on January 19, 2022.\n\n\u201cThere is nothing normal or rational about blowing up the dam holding back simple majority rule. And the fact that a major political party has welcomed this short-sighted radicalism into the mainstream will be to their eternal shame.\n\n\u201cTo lean on today\u2019s fill-in-the-blank justification is to miss entirely what\u2019s at stake. The Senate\u2019s protections against the vacillations of simple majority rule are bigger than Washington Democrats\u2019 policy preferences. They\u2019re bigger than my own.\n\n\u201cA Senate that can steamroll a legislative minority to codify Roe v. Wade or enshrine the lunacy of the Green New Deal into law\u2026\n\n\u201c\u2026is a Senate that will drive a stake through liberal hopes as soon as the political winds change.\n\n\u201cTo gamble the guardrails that make the Senate what it is\u2026 To short-circuit the process by which dissenting views are guaranteed a hearing\u2026 That ought to be disqualifying, by itself.\n\n\u201cThen again, so should the Vice President\u2019s record on the issues.\n\n\u201cIn November, the Democratic nominee will own the worst border crisis in American history, and the broken policies that invited it.\n\n\u201cShe will own the worst inflation in forty years, and the reckless spending and tie-breaking votes that enabled it.\n\n\u201cThe American people may well worry, like I do, about the future of an institution designed to be the world\u2019s greatest deliberative body.\n\n\u201cBut more than that, they worry about keeping their families safe and putting food on the table. And I expect they\u2019ll vote accordingly.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:46:43Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=B3B83FB2-D0D0-4BE3-8A54-E08FC04DE208", "McConnell, Kaine Applaud Final Rule To Raise Minimum Age For Tobacco Sales Set By Their Bill", "2024-09-25", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and U.S. Senator Tim Kaine (D-VA), a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee, applauded a final rule issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regarding ID requirements for the purchase of tobacco products at retail establishments. The rule, which will go into effect on September 30, was required by McConnell and Kaine\u2019s Tobacco-Free Youth Act. Signed into law in December 2019, the bipartisan McConnell-Kaine legislation raised the minimum age to buy all tobacco products, including e-cigarettes, from 18 to 21.\n\nLast week, Senator McConnell delivered remarks on the Senate floor highlighting a recent survey by the FDA and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) which concluded the number of young people in America smoking e-cigarettes dropped to its lowest level in the last decade.\n\n\u201cYouth e-cigarette use was at its peak just five years ago. That\u2019s when I introduced legislation along with Senator Kaine to raise the minimum age to purchase tobacco products to 21. Today, the number of young people smoking e-cigarettes dropped to its lowest level in a decade,\u201d said Senator McConnell. \u201cI\u2019m glad to see the FDA finally produce this rule that will help keep even more children from getting their hands on addictive vaping devices. While more work remains, I\u2019m grateful to see our bipartisan legislation making a big impact.\u201d\n\n\u201cI\u2019m glad the FDA issued final guidance to implement our bipartisan legislation to raise the tobacco age to 21,\u201d said Senator Kaine. \u201cI was proud to work with Senator McConnell to get this legislation signed into law. Our bipartisan bill has already made a huge difference in keeping tobacco products away from young people, and this final rule will only further these efforts.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:46:43Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=B581D305-80F9-4F96-B294-816D498880C6", "McConnell: Subservience To Autocrats Neither An American Value Nor Strategic Interest", "2024-09-25", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "\u2018Hungary\u2019s leaders have made no secret of their conviction that the future is one of American decline. They\u2019re not hiding the ways they\u2019re preparing for American weakness and betting on our failure. There\u2019s nothing tough about bowing to autocrats. And there\u2019s nothing for America\u2019s leaders to gain by praising those who do.\u2019\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding NATO:\n\n\u201cI\u2019ve spoken frequently about the welcome signs that America\u2019s European allies are waking up to the strategic challenge posed by the PRC, and to the dangers of predatory Chinese influence in their own backyards.\n\n\u201cLike America, our allies are watching the flaws of China\u2019s statist economic model laid bare. They\u2019re increasingly wary to hitch their wagons to a totalitarian system that stifles innovation, discourages free thought, and complicates free enterprise.\n\n\u201cThey\u2019re hesitant to take risks in a system where the rule of law is trampled by the whims of the state, and assets are subject to expropriation by the regime.\n\n\u201cEncouraging progress, like a German security strategy that explicitly recognizes the Chinese threat, and efforts across the EU to reduce reliance on Chinese technologies, presents opportunities for the West to work closer together. To secure supply chains. And to lower barriers to cooperation among allies.\n\n\u201cUnfortunately, this progress is not across-the-board. China may not be a safe business partner, but it\u2019s still an enticing one for far too many economies\u2026 including within the NATO alliance.\n\n\u201cI\u2019ve spoken before about Hungary\u2019s decade-long drift into the orbit of the West\u2019s most determined adversaries. It\u2019s an alarming trend. And nobody \u2013 certainly not the American conservatives who increasingly form a cult of personality around Prime Minister Viktor Orban \u2013 can pretend not to see it.\n\n\u201cHungary\u2019s leaders aren\u2019t cozying up to Moscow, Beijing, and Tehran in private. They\u2019re doing it publicly and vocally as well.\n\n\u201cThe Orban government has welcomed China\u2019s view of a \u2018European bridgehead\u2019 in Hungary as the perfect complement to its own declared policy of an \u2018opening to the East.\u2019 And it hasn\u2019t been shy about turning words into actions.\n\n\u201cWhen Chinese state enterprise has said jump, Hungarian officials have asked, how high?\n\n\u201cAs European allies began to heed warnings from the Trump Administration to reduce reliance on Chinese industry and technology, Budapest repeatedly blocked EU progress and welcomed a geyser of Chinese Belt-and-Road investment.\n\n\u201cIncluded in the torrent of PRC influence was five-hundred-million Euros from a Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer to build a new facility on Hungarian soil\u2026 and another seven-billion-euro investment in a new EV battery plant.\n\n\u201cMeanwhile, the Prime Minister of a former vassal of Russian communism has nothing but praise for the neo-Soviet imperialist responsible for the first major land war in Europe since 1945.\n\n\u201cViktor Orban describes the regime that has sacrificed tens- if not hundreds of thousands of Russian lives and more than $200 billion dollars in military force for its unprovoked \u2013 and thus far unsuccessful \u2013 aggression against Ukraine as \u2018hyper-rational\u2019.\n\n\u201cBut this NATO Prime Minister doesn\u2019t just admire Putin. He helps him. His government runs interference for Moscow, gumming up European and trans-Atlantic efforts to combat Russia\u2019s unlawful aggression at every turn.\n\n\u201cEuropean allies are providing more assistance to Ukraine than the US is, but Americans who complain the EU isn\u2019t doing more to help Ukraine should look no further than to Budapest\u2019s efforts to block additional EU assistance for the answer.\n\n\u201cAnd then there\u2019s Budapest\u2019s relationship with the Islamic Republic of Iran. Hungary\u2019s Foreign Minister has bemoaned that ongoing international sanctions make it \u2018really challenging to build effective economic and trade cooperation\u2019 with the world\u2019s most active state sponsor of terror.\n\n\u201cI have little sympathy for Hungarian companies that struggle to profit from their ties to the genocidal regime in Tehran.\n\n\u201cOf course, that hasn\u2019t stopped Hungarian firms from committing tens of millions of dollars to financing joint nuclear projects with Iran.\n\n\u201cIt didn\u2019t stop a national Hungarian university from inviting the former Iranian President to a conference on \u2018common values in the global environment\u2019.\n\n\u201c\u2019Common values\u2019 with Tehran. And here I thought it was American conservatives who claimed shared values with Hungary\u2019s ruling party. Has the Orban government forgot its adoring fans on this side of the Atlantic?\n\n\u201cNo. Hungary\u2019s leaders have made no secret of their conviction that the future is one of American decline. They\u2019re not hiding the ways they\u2019re preparing for American weakness and betting on our failure.\n\n\u201cThere\u2019s nothing tough about bowing to autocrats. And there\u2019s nothing for America\u2019s leaders to gain by praising those who do.\n\n\u201cSubservience to revanchist powers is not an American value. But far more importantly, it is not in America\u2019s interests.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:46:43Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/dr-rand-paul-forces-vote-on-six-penny-plan-to-balance-the-federal-budget-in-five-years/", "Dr. Rand Paul Forces Vote on Six Penny Plan to Balance the Federal Budget in Five Years", "2024-09-25", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nSeptember 25, 2024\n\nContact: Press_Paul@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343\n\nDr. Rand Paul Forces Vote on Six Penny Plan to Balance the Federal Budget in Five Years\n\nSenate Votes 39-56 on Dr. Paul\u2019s Six Penny Plan\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) forced the Senate to vote on his \u201cSix Penny Plan\u201d federal budget that will balance within five years. Dr. Paul spoke on the Senate floor ahead of the vote, below are excerpts from his remarks.\n\n\u201cThis year, the United States will spend over $6 trillion while only bringing in $4 trillion in revenue. That\u2019s a profound gap, $2 trillion will be borrowed this year. To add insult to injury, Congress spends like drunken sailors without even bothering to pass a budget\u2026In fact, over the past 20 years, Congress has passed a budget less than half the time. So, today, I will attempt to do what both parties have failed to do and that is pass a budget\u2026The Penny Plan that I offer today will balance the budget in 5 years.\n\n\u201cAmericans will pay dearly for Congress\u2019s insatiable appetite for more and more spending. The high level of spending that is currently crushing the American family is just the beginning. If we continue down this unsustainable path, American families will be forced to deal with even higher inflation, confiscatory tax rates, rising interest rates, and a weak economy. It will be harder to find a job and provide for a family because the deals made in the halls of Congress always stick the taxpayers with the bill.\n\n\u201cAs interest payments on the national debt crowd out the rest of the government\u2019s budget, tax increases, inflation, and an eventual default on the debt are what lie ahead for the American economy. Unfortunately, a debt crisis will not just stop with our economy. A threat to our financial security is also a threat to our national security.\n\n\u201cEven the Biden-Harris Administration\u2019s own Treasury has admitted that our current path is unsustainable. The math is clear, and I urge my colleagues: do not get in an argument with math. You will lose.\n\n\u201cOur current trajectory weakens our national security and drains productivity from our economy. History will remember those who had the courage to make the hard choices now and who chose to leave their children with less of the burden. For just six pennies on the dollar, we can reverse this dismal trajectory. In just five years, we can restore trust in the U.S. dollar, the U.S. economy, and walk the U.S. government off the fiscal cliff. Vote yes on this plan, vote yes on restoring fiscal sanity, vote yes on securing a future for our country.\u201d\n\nYou can watch Dr. Paul\u2019s full floor remarks HERE and HERE.\n\nBackground:\n\nThe Six Penny Plan is a federal budget resolution that will balance on-budget outlays and revenues within five years by cutting six pennies off every dollar projected to be spent in the next five fiscal years. This plan is the most recent in a series of plans that Dr. Paul has introduced to address an ever-worsening budget crisis:\n\nIn the 100 days between CBO\u2019s February and June budget baselines, the federal government added an additional $540 billion to the national debt (an additional $1,600 per U.S. citizen).\n\nCBO\u2019s June estimates increased projected deficits by $2.5 trillion over CBO\u2019s February estimates.\n\nInterest payments on the debt account for more spending than our entire defense budget.\n\nAt over $35 trillion, the national debt is nearly double the amount of total bank deposits in the U.S. In other words, emptying every bank account in the U.S. would only cover half of the government\u2019s debt.\n\nIn 2017, Dr. Paul introduced a budget that would have only required a spending freeze to balance in five years. An annual six percent cut is now required to achieve the same results. Dr. Paul\u2019s Six Penny Plan implements these cuts while preserving congressional discretion regarding how to achieve these spending targets. This plan would:\n\nReduce spending by $329 billion in the first year. The plan would continue to cut six percent until balance in year five, then allows spending to rise with the pace of revenues in the five years remaining.\n\nMake no specific policy assumptions. All savings are reflected in the newly defined budget function 930: New Efficiencies, Consolidations, and Other Savings. The budget sets a goal of balance and then calls on Congress to make the changes needed to achieve this objective.\n\nAssume the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is made permanent (originally set to expire in 2027). Since CBO originally assumed this would expire and federal revenues would increase, this plan accounts for the decrease in projected revenues if TCJA were to be made permanent.\n\nYou can read the Six Penny Plan HERE.\n\nDr. Paul\u2019s Six Penny Plan has wide support:\n\n\u201cFor decades, the government has spent beyond its means and expected hardworking taxpayers to foot the bill. This reckless spending in Washington has delivered nothing but record inflation, leaving the American people unable to make ends meet. It\u2019s past time for Congress to make the hard decisions required to put our financial house back in order. Heritage Action thanks Sen. Paul for his consistent support for fiscal responsibility and backs his \u2018Six Penny Plan\u2019 to balance the budget,\u201d said Ryan Walker, Executive Vice President of Heritage Action.\n\n\u201cThe Council for Citizens Against Government Waste supports Sen. Paul\u2019s amendment to cap spending for five years and achieve a balanced budget. His proposal to cut spending by 6 percent annually should be supported by every senator who believes in fiscal responsibility and getting the nation back on the right track,\u201d said Tom Schatz, President of Council for Citizens Against Government Waste.\n\n\u201cSenator Paul has been a true pioneer in new concepts for fiscal responsibility, with his first introduction of a Penny Plan to balance the budget back in 2017. At the time, achieving eventual balance would have only required cutting 1 cent per dollar of federal spending. However, due to continued reckless policies, a Six Penny Plan, requiring annual 6 percent savings to tackle deficits, is now necessary. Senator Paul\u2019s legislation also locks in the pro-growth Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, preventing tax hikes on top of inflation. Also important, the Six Penny Plan wisely proposes scorekeeping reforms to identify duplicate programs in new proposals and strengthened budget enforcement in the Senate. Taxpayers can only hope that Congress acts swiftly on the Six Penny Plan, so Senator Paul won\u2019t need to introduce a Dime Plan or, worse, a Quarter Plan,\u201d said Demian Brady, Vice President of Research, National Taxpayers Union Foundation.\n\n\u201cSenator Rand Paul has been fighting for fiscal responsibility and raising the alarm on federal spending with his Penny Plan since 2017. Had Congress listened to Sen. Paul and passed his plan, the country would have a balanced budget today. Instead, Congress continues to exacerbate inflationary pressures with unprecedented and obscene spending levels. As President of the Taxpayers Protection Alliance, I thank Senator Rand Paul for this commonsense and much-needed solution to balance the budget and protect taxpayers,\u201d said David Williams, President of Taxpayers Protection Alliance.\n\n\u201cCitizens for Renewing America supports Senator Rand Paul\u2019s Six Penny Plan, which offers a real solution to years of reckless spending policies. As Congress continues to avoid addressing the root causes of our growing national debt, Senator Paul\u2019s plan forces genuine cuts to the woke and weaponized federal bureaucracy. This legislation is critical to restoring the fiscal sanity that Washington has sorely lacked and provides the necessary course correction to years of flawed policies that have failed to reduce our national debt or deficits,\u201d said Wade Miller, Executive Director of Citizens for Renewing America.\n\n\u201cUnfortunately, the Biden Administration continues to advocate for inflationary spending plans that would add to the crushing tax burden faced by hardworking Americans. As we face the real threat of stagflation for the first time since the 1970s, we need a major course correction from policymakers in Washington. Senator Rand Paul should be commended for his bold approach to address our $35 trillion national debt, while avoiding economically damaging tax increases. Sen. Paul\u2019s common sense spending reforms put our hardworking taxpayers first by addressing the root cause of our national debt: overspending,\u201d said Jonathan Williams, ALEC Chief Economist and Executive Vice President of Policy.\n\n\u201cUnsustainable federal spending is driving the bloated national debt and contributes to economic weakness and elevated inflation, so I applaud Senator Paul\u2019s Six Penny Plan to get control of the spending crisis,\u201d said Vance Ginn, Ph.D., President of Ginn Economic Consulting and former Chief Economist of Trump White House OMB.\n\n\u201cSenator Rand Paul has long been a champion of balancing the federal budget and protecting the American taxpayer. Senator Paul has a plan that will balance the budget in five years. Interestingly, if Congress had voted for Senator Paul\u2019s plan five years ago, we would not be suffering runaway inflation, economic downturns, slowdowns, severe shortages, and empty shelves at the store. And we\u2019d be celebrating a balanced budget too! And balancing the budget has national security benefits as well. If we wait even longer to take action, we will suffer more inflation, larger and larger deficits, and more economic instability and our national security will slide downhill as well. And then it will take much larger cuts to get things back on track. So now is the time to act before the problem becomes so large that it cannot practically be fixed,\u201d said George Landrith, President of Frontiers for Freedom.\n\n\u201cSenator Rand Paul is one of the few Senators who are serious about the fiscal challenges facing America. Quite simply, the current rate of government spending is unsustainable with interest payments on the debt for the first ten months of fiscal year 2024 reaching a staggering $763 billion fully $202 billion more than the same period the previous year. Net interest payments on the debt surpass every other spending category other than Social Security. It is astonishing that the fiscal apocalypse that we have worried about for decades is now upon us with even defense spending dwarfed by the cost of simply making interest payments on our $35 trillion national debt. Senator Paul\u2019s Six Penny Plan forces an honest discussion about the crisis our nation faces and some of the tough decisions which will be required to reverse course from the almost $2 Trillion in debt our country adds onto the ledger every single year. Higher interest rate payments on more of the debt combined with the spending spree which has raised the debt from $26.9 Trillion on September 30, 2020 to more than $35 Trillion. America is in trouble and Senator Paul is one of the few members of Congress willing to propose solutions,\u201d said Richard Manning, President of Americans for Limited Government Foundation\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:46:43Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=8A80F6D0-07C4-4D94-A46A-8F0DE99AF851", "McConnell Helps Secure Over $1 Million for Maysville Community and Technical College", "2024-09-24", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "Senator McConnell advocated for this funding in the annual government funding bill\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) announced today the Maysville Community and Technical College will receive $1,004,000 in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Commerce\u2019s Economic Development Administration (EDA). The federal grant will be used to build out a welding training facility on its Montgomery County campus in Mount Sterling, Kentucky.\n\nSenator McConnell, a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, contacted the EDA in support of Maysville Community and Technical College\u2019s competitive federal grant application and advocated for EDA funding in the Fiscal Year 2023 government funding bill.\n\n\u201cToday\u2019s federal grant announcement is welcome news. I hear constantly about the challenges Kentucky employers face finding workers to fill open jobs across the Commonwealth. Maysville Community and Technical College\u2019s new facility will go a long way in training Kentuckians with the hands-on skills they need to get to work in their communities,\u201d said Senator McConnell. \u201cI was proud to bring home today\u2019s federal grant, and I'm thrilled to see these funds invest in the future of Kentucky\u2019s workforce.\u201d\n\n\u201cI am proud of the EDA\u2019s investment in the Maysville Community and Technical College's Mount Sterling/Montgomery County campus, and I appreciate Senator McConnell\u2019s support in helping us secure this federal funding. This critical project not only enhances our facilities but also strengthens our capacity to meet the growing demands of the welding industry,\u201d said Dr. Laura McCullough, President and Chief Executive Officer of Maysville Community and Technical College. \u201cBy fostering workforce development and empowering our students with high-demand skills, we are laying the foundation for new business growth, attracting private investment, and driving long-term economic vitality in the region. Together, we are building a stronger future for our community.\"\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:46:43Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=EEB25A95-32C8-48A6-AD70-EE569814D9B5", "McConnell Urges Administration, Colleagues Not To Make Israel\u2019s Job Harder", "2024-09-23", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding national security priorities:\n\n\u201cIn May, 2000, Israeli forces withdrew from southern Lebanon. But while the occupation ended, Hizballah\u2019s appetite for waging war on Israel only grew. And its further deadly attacks on Israel invited the 2006 conflict.\n\n\u201cThe history of Israel\u2019s fight to defend its northern border and innocent civilians against Hizballah terrorists bears eerie parallels to the story of brutal violence Hamas has perpetrated from Gaza.\n\n\u201cIsrael withdrew there in August, 2005. And by 2007, Iran-backed terrorists had bent the enclave to its all-consuming mission: war on Israel.\n\n\u201cBut the most glaring through-lines in Israel\u2019s north and south are not the relentless bloodlust of terrorists. They\u2019re the predictable delusion of Israel\u2019s \u2018friends\u2019\u2026 And the shameful cowardice of international authorities that claim to stand for peace.\n\n\u201cTake, for starters, how the Biden-Harris Administration chose to welcome the U.N. General Assembly by signaling its openness to resuming funding for UNRWA. And how it apparently still clings to the fiction that an organization so thoroughly corrupted by Hamas that nearly a dozen of its staff directly participated in the October 7th attacks is somehow reform-able.\n\n\u201cBut while the civilized world gathers in one place, the General Assembly might productively spend its time contemplating other pressing questions. For example:\n\n\u201cWhy hasn\u2019t the U.N. Security Council managed to enforce resolutions 1559 and 1701 in Lebanon? These resolutions were passed to end and prevent further conflict between Israel and Lebanon by removing the threat Hizballah posed on Israel\u2019s border, and to end the threat Hizballah posed to the state of Lebanon itself.\n\n\u201cAnd why has the U.N. peacekeeping force in Lebanon allowed Hizballah to build up massive stockpiles on Israel\u2019s border in clear preparation for war? Why has the UN looked the other way as Hizballah has expanded its corrosive influence over the institutions of Lebanon\u2019s government?\n\n\u201cBut setting aside the failures of the so-called international community, this past weekend once again cast a spotlight on America\u2019s own naivete toward the glaring facts of Iran-backed war on our friend, Israel.\n\n\u201cIn an interview that might rightly attract scrutiny for its host\u2019s obfuscation of the facts on Israel\u2019s latest responses to Hizballah terrorism, the White House national security communications advisor said out loud what the Biden-Harris Administration has been saying by its actions for nearly a year.\n\n\u201cQuote: \u2018We\u2019ve been working since the beginning of this conflict, October 8th\u2026 to try to prevent an escalation\u2026\u2019\n\n\u201cThink about it, Madam President. The only way to claim credit for working to \u2018prevent an escalation\u2019 is by pretending like Hizballah\u2019s October 8th attacks \u2013 or Hamas\u2019 October 7th massacre \u2013 weren\u2019t actually escalations, themselves!\n\n\u201cUnfortunately, the Administration official also seemed to suggest a moral equivalence between Israel and Hizballah. He suggested that \u2018military action, by either side\u2019 would not be \u2018in either side\u2019s best interest,\u2019 and implied that an Israeli response would itself be escalation.\n\n\u201cSecond-guessing Israel\u2019s interests. Micromanaging their defensive efforts. Blaming Israel for escalation when it\u2019s clear Hamas and Hizballah have been the instigators of this conflict. It\u2019s a tired playbook.\n\n\u201cThe Administration is telling the world that what America wants is a return to October 6th, as if the status quo ante was sustainable or peaceful. This, of course, is pure fantasy. Hamas broke a cease-fire on October 7th.\n\n\u201cOr consider Hizballah\u2019s history as the centerpiece of Iran\u2019s \u2018ring of fire\u2019 around Israel:\n\n\u201cJust since the 2006 conflict, Hizballah terrorists have imported tens of thousands of rockets to target Israel, deployed forces directly to Israel\u2019s border, and constructed tunnels that would allow them to emulate Hamas\u2019 October 7th invasion.\n\n\u201cRecent estimates suggest the terrorists posses up to 200,000 rockets, missiles, drones, and precision-guided munitions, along with 25,000 active-duty militants. All of it is pointed south at Israel. And all of it, as Hizballah\u2019s leader has boasted, is from Iran.\n\n\u201cOr consider Lebanon itself. Hizballah is a cancer on the Lebanese state. It wields its power as a sectarian terror squad, and leaves a long trail of blood through the highest ranks of civilian government and civil society. Sunnis, Christians, Druze, and fellow Shiites \u2013 none are immune from Hizballah\u2019s wrath.\n\n\u201cThen again, National Public Radio refers to Hizballah as a \u2018political\u2019 group. Perhaps the Administration officials\u2019 confusion is a symptom of their media diet. Or, more likely, the foundations of their foreign policy are fundamentally flawed:\n\n\u201cRemember the declaration by the President\u2019s national security advisor early last fall that the Middle East was \u2018quieter than it has been for decades\u2019.\n\n\u201cThe absurdity of this boast in light of October 7th is striking enough. But even when it was written, it betrayed the Administration\u2019s naivete toward glaring and abiding threats to Israel and America\u2019s national security interests in the region.\n\n\u201cIran\u2019s agents in Syria and Iraq had already fired hundreds of rockets at American forces on this Administration\u2019s watch. Since last October, these attacks have only metastasized, including into the Red Sea. Was this an acceptable status quo?\n\n\u201cWas Hizballah\u2019s steady preparation for war? Was Hamas\u2019 expropriation of humanitarian assistance in order to build terror tunnels?\n\n\u201cThe United States ought to stand with our friend, Israel, as it faces these terrorists down. The goal should not be simply to avoid escalation or to return to the status quo ante, but to help Israel defend itself against terrorists bent on Israel\u2019s destruction.\n\n\u201cWe have a stake in ensuring Israel emerges from this conflict stronger and these terrorist organizations and their Iranian patron weaker. These same terrorists want to expel the United States from the region. We are the Great Satan, in their own parlance.\n\n\u201cInstead, by their misplaced obsession with escalation, the Administration and Washington Democrats are making Israel\u2019s job harder.\n\n\u201cIf the President and Vice President want to see an end to war in Gaza and prevent greater hostilities in Lebanon, then it\u2019s time to switch the focus of their diplomatic pressure.\n\n\u201cEvery time Administration officials try to tie Israel\u2019s hands in public comments\u2026 And every time a U.S. Senator threatens to hold critical security assistance hostage\u2026 Hamas, Hizballah, and their patrons in Tehran are emboldened.\n\n\u201cIf our colleagues want peace, it\u2019s time to show support for a nation founded on peace\u2026 And resolve toward terrorists whose reason for existence is chaos and violence.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:46:43Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=02F8F81A-7163-4FA2-A094-816E80EAA907", "McConnell Applauds Passage of Veterans Funding Bill", "2024-09-19", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) applauded Senate passage today of the Veterans Benefits Continuity and Accountability Supplemental Appropriations Act. The legislation provides $2.88 billion in supplemental funding to ensure veterans in the Commonwealth continue to receive disability compensation, pensions, and education benefits. The legislation also requires important accountability measures to reign in VA mismanagement, including requiring a VA Inspector General-led review into the circumstances and causes of the shortfall.\n\n\u201cOne of our most sacred obligations is to support the millions of brave men and women who answered our nation\u2019s call to serve. The egregious mismanagement of the Department of Veterans Affairs put this commitment in serious jeopardy, and the blame falls squarely on the Biden-Harris Administration. Their negligence produced an unprecedented budget shortfall, imperiling the essential benefits veterans and their families rely on,\u201d said Senator McConnell. \u201cI\u2019m proud Senate Republicans stepped up to correct the VA\u2019s failure and demand greater accountability from this Administration. Kentucky\u2019s veterans and every American who has worn the uniform deserve nothing less.\u201d\n\nOn July 19, 2024, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) informed Congress of a mandatory funding shortfall of $2.88 billion for the Veterans Benefits Administration in FY 2024. This budget shortfall threatened veterans\u2019 disability benefits scheduled for delivery beginning on October 1st.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:46:43Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=2EE4EFA1-F9A6-48C1-A153-F07EB1C7F800", "McConnell: \u201cBorder Czar\u201d Can\u2019t Escape Far-Left Record", "2024-09-19", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding Vice President Kamala Harris\u2019 record:\n\n\u201cI spoke yesterday about how working Americans are having a tough time figuring out where Vice President Harris stands on left-wing climate policy. She\u2019s played both sides of issues that carry real consequences for their livelihoods and family budgets.\n\n\u201cAnd unfortunately, it doesn\u2019t stop at the Green New Deal. Voters consistently report that border security is among their top concerns. And with good reason.\n\n\u201cIn the last four years, humanitarian chaos and a security crisis at the southern border has set all the wrong records. Since the Biden-Harris Administration took office, CBP has recorded more than 9.9 million encounters with illegal aliens. And this doesn\u2019t include the nearly 2 million known gotaways.\n\n\u201cIn the past fiscal year alone, CBP have encountered 2.3 million people attempting to illegally enter the country. And the Democratic nominee for President also happens to be the current administration\u2019s point person responsible for this exact issue.\n\n\u201cYou might expect the border czar to have taken command and left a clear idea of where she stands on the issue. Think again.\n\n\u201cBack in 2020, she described President Trump\u2019s border wall as \u2018a complete waste of taxpayer money\u2019 that, \u2018won\u2019t make us any safer.\u2019\n\n\u201cBut recently, she said that she would sign Senator Lankford\u2019s border bill into law if it landed on her desk. Remember, this is the bill that would\u2019ve unlocked hundreds of millions of dollars to fund construction of the wall.\n\n\u201cIn 2019, when she first ran for President, our former colleague expressed support for decriminalizing illegal border crossing. Apparently this was a longstanding view \u2013 in her maiden speech in the Senate she proclaimed, 'I know what a crime looks like, and I will tell you: an undocumented immigrant is not a criminal.\u2019\n\n\u201cBut according to her campaign, she no longer believes this.\n\n\u201cOn other aspects of border policy, her campaign has declined to say whether her earlier commitments still hold true.\n\n\u201cVice President Harris has bragged that she was \u2018one of the first Senators after President Trump was elected to advocate for a decrease in funding to ICE.\u2019 Is she still proud of that stand? The Harris campaign won\u2019t say.\n\n\u201cThis is especially puzzling given her stated support for the Lankford border bill which increased funding for ICE. Does she not know what\u2019s in the legislation she says she now endorses?\n\n\u201cIn this body, she introduced legislation to decrease detention by at least 50% and end funding for new detention facilities. Would she sign a bill like that today? Her campaign is mum on the issue.\n\n\u201cAnd they\u2019re similarly tight-lipped on the Vice President\u2019s 2019 statement of support for taxpayer-funded gender transition treatment for persons in immigration detention facilities.\n\n\u201cThis isn\u2019t to say that the American people are at a total loss for clues on where Vice President Harris stands. She\u2019s repeated often on the campaign trail that, \u2018My values have not changed.\u2019\n\n\u201cAnd it\u2019s useful to note who\u2019s taken her word for it. The executive director of a progressive immigration group recently put it this way, \u2018We all know and trust Harris to make the right decisions when she's in office.\u2019\n\n\u201cWhen it comes to campaign strategy, some of our Democratic colleagues are even saying the quiet part out loud. The senior Senator for Vermont, a self-described democratic socialist, said \u2018I don\u2019t think she\u2019s abandoning her ideals. I think she\u2019s tried to be pragmatic and doing what she thinks is right in order to win the election.\u2019\n\n\u201cThe senior Senator for Hawaii reiterated this point. He\u2019s said, \u2018I certainly don\u2019t think we should be demanding that she take unpopular positions in key states.\u2019\n\n\u201cSitting Democratic Senators are calling it like it is: Our former colleague is saying what needs to be said to appeal to independent voters. But when it comes to her progressive agenda, she\u2019s dyed in the wool. She just needs to wait until the election to let the mask come off.\n\n\u201cSo for voters trying to make sense of where the Vice President stands, it comes down to this:\n\n\u201cIf Washington Democrats\u2019 left-wing base isn\u2019t afraid of her flip-flops\u2026\n\n\u201c\u2026then it\u2019s safe to say that working Americans probably should be.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:46:43Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=DE8640AC-4A93-48AC-8C19-A16669758A53", "McConnell Corrects the Record: Hizballah Is A Terrorist Organization", "2024-09-19", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding the terror group Hizballah:\n\n\u201cSince October 7th, the Israeli military has achieved remarkable success in destroying Hamas\u2019 capacity to wage war and in targeting Hizballah terrorists.\n\n\u201cBut Israel\u2019s operations against the Iran-backed terrorists surrounding it have also succeeded in exposing some of the most malignant and persistent biases of Western media against the Jewish state of Israel.\n\n\u201cWe need look no further than the astonishing willingness of the most prominent outlets in America to parrot the terrorists\u2019 preferred casualty figures, produced by Hamas\u2019 own health ministry\u2026 Or the haste of even the nation\u2019s so-called \u2018paper of record\u2019 to attribute to Israel a devastating rocket strike on a hospital that careful observation showed to be the work of the terrorists, themselves.\n\n\u201cTo deny the role of careless coverage \u2013 and outright bias \u2013 in the groundswell of anti-Israel and anti-Semitic hate across the West is willful ignorance.\n\n\u201cConsider just this morning\u2019s example, courtesy of taxpayer-funded National Public Radio.\n\n\u201cIn its coverage of an apparent Israeli operation to target Hizballah terrorists via their specialized communications networks, NPR described Hizballah as a \u2018Lebanese militant and political group\u2019.\n\n\u201cThe most accurate descriptor of Hizballah \u2013 a terrorist organization \u2013 was conspicuously absent. But NPR editors did manage to include a quote from a man on the street accusing Israel of terrorism.\n\n\u201cWell, as intrepid journalists so often remind us, context matters. And it matters especially in the work of an organization that takes federal government funding and whose CEO has declared that \u2018reverence for the truth might be a distraction\u2026\u2019\n\n\u201cSo let\u2019s establish some context.\n\n\u201cHizballah is arguably the world\u2019s most dangerous terrorist group. The U.S. government, and more than sixty other countries, recognize this essential characteristic.\n\n\u201cHizballah is funded, trained, and equipped by Iran. And with Iran\u2019s help, Hizballah has conducted terror attacks around the world \u2013 from bombings in Argentina and Greece to backing the ghoulish Assad regime in the Syrian Civil War.\n\n\u201cUntil 9/11, Hizballah was responsible for the deadliest terror attacks against the United States, killing 321 Americans in bombings of the U.S. Embassy, Marine barracks, and annex in Beirut in 1983 and 1984.\n\n\u201cThey also coordinated with the IRGC and its master terrorist, Qassem Soleimani, to kill hundreds of U.S. servicemembers in Iraq. And of course, Hizballah continues to threaten U.S. personnel in Iraq and Syria today.\n\n\u201cBut of course, one of Hizballah\u2019s primary reasons for existence is the murder of Jews and the destruction of the Jewish state.\n\n\u201cTo the extent that it is a political entity, it has corrupted and strangled Lebanon\u2019s fragile democracy. And it is Hizballah\u2019s efforts to threaten Israel with tens of thousands of rockets and missiles and its terror tunnels to facilitate infiltration of Israel that has put Lebanon in the spotlight.\n\n\u201cSo it may be worth mentioning that perhaps the most carefully targeted series of simultaneous attacks against terrorist operatives in human history comes in response to this all-consuming campaign, which has turned Lebanon into the staging area for war on Israel\u2019s existence.\n\n\u201cHow\u2019s that for context?\n\n\u201cIt is my understanding that the senior Senator from Vermont has said he will introduce joint resolutions of disapproving of U.S. security assistance to Israel. Such a signal would only empower and embolden terrorists like Hamas and Hizballah.\n\n\u201cEach of our colleagues deserves the chance to go on the record right away to reject this extremism.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:46:43Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/dr-rand-paul-offers-amendment-to-fully-fund-veterans-benefits-by-cutting-doe-waste/", "Dr. Rand Paul Offers Amendment to Fully Fund Veterans Benefits by Cutting DOE Waste", "2024-09-19", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nSeptember 19, 2024\n\nContact: Press_Paul@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343\n\nDr. Rand Paul Offers Amendment to Fully Fund Veterans Benefits by Cutting DOE Waste\n\nSenate Votes 47-47 on Dr. Paul\u2019s Amendment\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) offered an amendment to ensure veterans receive benefits they were promised without adding to the national debt by cutting $2.9 billion in Department of Energy (DOE) green energy loan guarantees.\n\nGreen energy loan guarantees are often known for being too risky to attract private investment. A 2015 Government Accountability Office report lists five companies that defaulted on DOE loans, including Solyndra, Fisker, Abound Solar, Beacon Power, and Vehicle Production Group, costing taxpayers a total of $807 million.\n\nDr. Paul spoke on the Senate floor ahead of the vote on his amendment, you can watch his floor remarks HERE and read them as prepared below.\n\n\u201cWashington\u2019s fiscal recklessness is putting the American dream out of reach for millions of Americans.\n\n\u201cHistorically high rates of inflation have made every American poorer. As families across this country struggle to put food on the table, Washington seems content to continue spending without regard to the consequences.\n\n\u201cBut sometimes the consequences are too shameful to ignore. Congressional spending and financial mismanagement at the Department of Veterans Affairs are the latest examples, with both resulting in a $2.9 billion shortfall threatening the benefits of millions of veterans.\n\n\u201cOur veterans should not pay the cost for the federal government\u2019s incompetence.\n\n\u201cThat is why I ask the Senate to adopt my amendment, which ensures veterans receive the benefits they were promised without adding to the national debt.\n\n\u201cMy amendment is simple. It pays for our veterans\u2019 care by rescinding $2.9 billion in Department of Energy loan guarantees.\n\n\u201cThe American taxpayer should not be asked to subsidize companies with vast resources to gamble on energy projects that the private sector finds too risky to invest in.\n\n\u201cUnsurprisingly, these gambles taken by the Department of Energy\u2019s Loan Programs come at an exorbitant cost. A 2015 Government Accountability Office report reveals the extent of the Department of Energy\u2019s loan program failures.\n\n\u201cThat report lists five companies that defaulted on similar Department of Energy loans, including Solyndra, Fisker, Abound Solar, Beacon Power, and Vehicle Production Group, costing taxpayers a total of $807 million.\n\n\u201cUnfortunately, the VA\u2019s shortfall was just as foreseeable as the failures of Department of Energy loans. The VA has been overwhelmed, receiving more than 2.4 million claims applications in 2023\u2014the most ever, and 39 percent higher than in 2022.\n\n\u201cYou may recall that I stood here on the Senate floor and warned that the PACT Act would put veterans\u2019 benefits at risk by creating presumptions of service connection for the most common of ailments.\n\n\u201cFor example, the PACT Act created a presumption of service connection for hypertension. Well, the CDC estimates that 116 million Americans have hypertension. 50% of men and 44% of women have hypertension. In fact, more than 60% of people over the age of 60 have hypertension.\n\n\u201cIncluding hypertension as a trigger for benefits broadens the category of recipients so much that it has contributed to the depletion of funds necessary for veterans suffering respiratory ailments and cancer secondary to inhalations of toxins.\n\n\u201cBecause of Congress\u2019s inability to make difficult decisions, precious resources that ought to go to veterans exposed to toxic substances are at risk of going up in smoke.\n\n\u201cCongress must also take its oversight responsibilities seriously and hold the VA accountable for fiscal mismanagement and corruption.\n\n\u201cIn fiscal year 2023, the VA issued $3 billion in improper payments\u2014meaning the VA sent payments to the wrong people or in the wrong amount. Over the past three years, it is estimated that such improper payments exceed $10 billion.\n\n\u201cIn May 2024, the VA\u2019s inspector general reported the department improperly awarded over $10 million in incentives to senior executives in the VA\u2019s central office.\n\n\u201cThese are resources that could have been devoted to veterans\u2019 benefits. Instead, the VA shamefully squandered them.\n\n\u201cIt is high time the Members of this body face the incontrovertible fact that Congress\u2019s reckless spending has awful consequences. We have seen it in the form of inflation, which has made all Americans poorer. And now we see that overspending threatens the benefits we promised our veterans.\n\n\u201cWe must use these failures as a warning. We must get serious about our spending and oversight responsibilities. I encourage my colleagues to vote for my amendment as a first step to ensure our veterans receive the care they deserve.\u201d\n\nYou can read Dr. Paul\u2019s amendment HERE.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:46:43Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=82E220CF-0575-49CF-A1B2-73A222596824", "U.S. Global Leadership Benefits American Workers, Drives Growth in Kentucky", "2024-09-18", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding foreign investments in American companies:\n\n\u201cI've noted frequently that America\u2019s resolve and willingness to lead are being tested by a dangerous world. How we respond has everything to do with preserving the peace, prosperity, and security America and our allies have enjoyed for decades.\n\n\u201cToday, I want to talk about how the free and uninterrupted flow of goods, people, and ideas has fueled American prosperity.\n\n\u201cWe all know that trade is important for American workers and American jobs. But the benefits of trade run far deeper than exports of American-made goods, services, ideas, and values.\n\n\u201cTrade is a two-way street. When we engage in the global market, we open our doors to new sources of economic strength\u2026 To lower prices and more choices... And to good-paying jobs from foreign companies that set up shop here at home.\n\n\u201cFor 12 years straight, America has been the top destination for foreign businesses to invest their capital \u2013 investments that do a lot of good in big and small towns alike.\n\n\u201cLet\u2019s take a look at Kentucky for example, the Toyota plant in Georgetown. The Japanese automaker has invested billions in our economy. Today, it supports nearly 10,000 jobs in Central Kentucky.\n\n\u201cIn Carroll County \u2013 Northern Kentucky \u2013 a Spanish-owned steel manufacturer supports nearly 1,600 more manufacturing jobs. And it's getting even bigger. Just this year, the company announced a new quarter-of-a-billion-dollar investment.\n\n\u201cHead west to Owensboro, where close to 500 jobs are on the way, thanks to a Swedish manufacturer that invested hundreds of millions into their Kentucky-based production plant.\n\n\u201cIn Kentucky alone, businesses from 33 foreign nations support over 116,000 jobs.\n\n\u201cThese jobs aren't just benefiting the biggest cities either. Roughly 60 percent of all counties in Kentucky are home to at least one international business.\n\n\u201cNow, I've highlighted just a few examples in my home state. These aren\u2019t anomalies. They speak to a situation true across the country: foreign investment benefits American workers and American communities.\n\n\u201cBut it doesn\u2019t happen on its own. Foreign businesses invest in America because they know they can count on our commitment to free markets and free enterprise\u2026 And on our rule of law.\n\n\u201cTurning our backs on the world means signaling that we're closed for business. It means dulling the magnet of foreign direct investment that draws capital from all over the world to our shores.\n\n\u201cWhen our leaders throw up barriers to foreign investment from friends and allies, they risk hurting the very communities they intend to protect.\n\n\u201cUnfortunately, that's precisely what some loud voices are urging our leaders to do. And if they succeed, our economy will be worse for it.\n\n\u201cTo be absolutely clear, this isn\u2019t an appeal to the na\u00efve globalism of the 1990s. Trade is not a cure-all for the serious challenges of global competition with China and Russia.\n\n\u201cBut if our adversaries\u2019 predatory trading practices and exploitation of institutions tell us anything, it\u2019s that leaving a vacuum in global markets is an invitation for further misbehavior. Working closer with like-minded friends and allies to preserve free and fair trade \u2013 and to protect critical supply chains \u2013 is essential to both our security and prosperity.\n\n\u201cWhen friends and allies invest in the U.S. economy and likewise, when American companies invest in theirs, we drive growth, boost paychecks, and increase American-made exports.\n\n\u201cThat\u2019s good news for Kentucky, and for workers and job-creators across America.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:46:43Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=8696DE5B-B0B3-477E-9940-8E3CE07D3FE4", "McConnell: Americans Fed Up With Flip-Flops, VP Harris Must Own Her Record", "2024-09-18", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding Vice President Kamala Harris\u2019 record:\n\n\u201cIn the weeks since Washington Democrats made Vice President Harris their nominee, the American people have had their hands full trying to figure out where her campaign stands on the issues at the top of their mind.\n\n\u201cThey\u2019ve got serious questions about her role in everything from the runaway spending that gave them the worst inflation in forty years\u2026 to the open-borders policies that invited the worst humanitarian and security crisis the southern border has ever seen. And thus far, they haven\u2019t received many answers.\n\n\u201cThe problem is not that the Vice President doesn\u2019t have a record. She\u2019s campaigned for President once before, and worked hand-in-hand with President Biden for four years since.\n\n\u201cInstead, the problem is that on issue after issue, Vice President Harris has, at one time or another, played both sides.\n\n\u201cWell, working families want to know which side she\u2019s on.\n\n\u201cTake energy policy. Back in 2019, then-Senator Harris went on the record saying \u2018There\u2019s no question I\u2019m in favor of banning fracking.\u2019\n\n\u201cFast forward, after four years of undermining exploration of abundant American energy, the Harris campaign says her policies as president would be different.\n\n\u201cDuring her time in the Senate, our former colleague cosponsored of the Zero-Emission Vehicles Act, a bill that would require car manufactures to sell only zero-emission vehicles after 2040. These days, her campaign avoids getting pinned down about whether she would seek an electric vehicle mandate.\n\n\u201cThen-Senator Harris also went on the record in support of the Green new Deal, including its make-work programs and job guarantees. These days, as the Biden-Harris war on American energy rages on, the Harris campaign conveniently reveals that she no longer supports this resolution.\n\n\u201cAnd apparently, there\u2019s no policy too small for the campaign to walk back. Not even the Vice President\u2019s stated support for \u2013 get this \u2013 a federal ban on plastic straws. According to the campaign, that one\u2019s been reversed as well.\n\n\u201cWell, micromanaging fountain drinks is one thing. But as millions of Americans contend with the business end of the Biden-Harris climate and economic agenda, they ought to know precisely where the Democratic Party\u2019s nominee stands.\n\n\u201cPolicies matter. They can quite literally be the difference between affording gas and groceries and going without.\n\n\u201cVoters are fed up with flip-flops. And the Vice President ought to come clean.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:46:43Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/dr-rand-paul-and-rep-kat-cammack-introduce-reins-act-to-put-power-back-in-the-peoples-hands/", "Dr. Rand Paul and Rep. Kat Cammack Introduce\u00a0REINS\u00a0Act to Put Power Back in the People\u2019s Hands", "2024-09-18", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nSeptember 18, 2024\n\nContact: Press_Paul@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343\n\nDr. Rand Paul and Rep. Kat Cammack Introduce REINS Act to Put Power Back in the People\u2019s Hands\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) and Congresswoman Kat Cammack (R-FL-03) introduced the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny (REINS) Act to help put power back in the people\u2019s hands instead of the administrative state.\n\n\u201cThe whims of an unaccountable administrative state should never rule our lives. For too long, an ever-growing federal bureaucracy has piled regulations and red tape on the backs of the American people without any approval by Americans\u2019 elected representatives. The recent Supreme Court decision to dismantle Chevron deference stripped away some of the power it wrongly gave to unelected bureaucrats years ago, but there\u2019s still work to do. By making Congress more accountable for the most costly and intrusive federal rules, our REINS Act would give Kentuckians and all Americans a greater voice in determining whether these major rules are truly in America\u2019s best interests,\u201d said Dr. Paul.\n\n\u201cNameless, faceless, unelected bureaucrats in Washington have had too much power over the American people for far too long. The federal bureaucracy\u2019s rapid growth over the last several decades has resulted in serious damage to the livelihoods of millions of Americans with reckless rulemaking not approved by the body granted Article I authority,\u201dsaid Rep. Kat Cammack.\u201cThe REINS Act is a critical step toward \u2018reining\u2019 in this unchecked power and restoring the lawmaking authority to Congress instead of the executive branch. With SCOTUS\u2019 Loper Bright decision earlier this year, we\u2019ve made solid progress in dismantling Chevron, and I\u2019m encouraged for the future of REINS and what it will mean in stopping executive overreach. I thank Senator Paul for his partnership in the Senate and look forward to earning my colleagues\u2019 support for this legislation in the House.\u201d\n\nCosponsors in the Senate include U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Steve Daines (R-MT), Mike Lee (R-UT), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Eric Schmitt (R-MO), and Rick Scott (R-FL).\n\n\u201cThe American people deserve a voice against unelected bureaucrats mandating burdensome regulations. The REINS Act will ensure major rule changes that could hurt consumers are first put before the people\u2019s elected officials for approval. This legislation will give power back to the people and limit bureaucratic red tape,\u201dsaid Sen. Blackburn.\n\n\u201cThe last thing Montanans want to see is big government overreach and more heavy-handed mandates from Washington. It\u2019s time we give the American people through their elected leaders the power to hold DC bureaucrats accountable,\u201d said Sen. Daines.\n\n\u201cJames Madison said, \u2018It will be of little avail to the people, that the laws are made by men of their own choice, if the laws be so voluminous that they cannot be read, or so incoherent that they cannot be understood \u2026\u2019 We are now in this circumstance where, not only are our laws so voluminous and complex that we can\u2019t read them, but they\u2019re not even written by men and women of our own choosing. This kind of unreviewable legislative discretion has historically been reserved for despots and tyrants. This is tyranny, and we\u2019re going to handle it with the REINS Act,\u201d said Sen. Lee.\n\n\u201cAmerican entrepreneurs and businesses know all too well how bureaucratic regulation can lead to job-destroying uncertainty. By returning lawmaking power to the people\u2019s elected representatives in Congress, the REINS Act is an important measure that will bring greater transparency and accountability to a regulatory system that undermines private sector job creation,\u201dsaid Sen. Rubio.\n\n\u201cThe Supreme Court\u2019s repudiation of the Chevron deference doctrine in Loper Bright is not the end of the battle against the bureaucracy\u2019s unchecked control, but only the beginning. I am proud to co-sponsor Senator Paul\u2019s REINS Act in our efforts to restore power in the Article 1 branch, the people\u2019s branch, and away from these nameless, unaccountable bureaucrats who have governed by fiat for too long. The American people deserve a government that is responsive and accountable to them. That is how the Founders always intended for our government to function when they established this great nation,\u201d said Sen. Schmitt.\n\n\u201cAfter nearly four years of the Biden-Harris administration\u2019s gross expansion of the bureaucracy of the federal government and forcing more burdensome regulations on hardworking families, it is time to cut the red tape and Make Washington Work for the American people. I am proud to stand with Senator Rand Paul to hold Washington accountable, get big government out of the way and put some fiscal sense back into Congress,\u201dsaid Sen. Rick Scott.\n\nThe REINS Act also has wide support:\n\n\u201cFour years of unprecedented executive branch spending and a record-setting stream of new rules from unelected bureaucrats in Washington have caused the price of everything to go up at the same time the value of every dollar has gone down. American families are left paying more for less in a broken economy that was roaring just a few short years ago,\u201d said Tarren Bragdon, President and CEO of the Foundation for Government Accountability. \u201cThe REINS Act would empower Congress to free working families from the suffocating weight of the Biden-Harris bureaucracy and cure the cost-of-living crisis dimming the American Dream. The REINS Act cuts to the core of the fundamental question facing our nation at this critical moment in history: Do we want our future determined by unelected bureaucrats in Washington, D.C., or the elected representatives closest to the people?\u201d\n\n\u201cFor years, the executive branch has grown its power and subverted the will of the people by imposing expensive rules and regulations that should require the consent of Congress. No administration should have the authority to place sweeping regulations on every facet of Americans\u2019 daily lives without giving them the chance to weigh in through their elected representatives and fight back when the executive branch skirts the law. Sen. Paul\u2019s updated REINS Act will help restore the legal rights of Americans and the balance of power laid out in the Constitution,\u201d said Ryan Walker, Executive Vice President of Heritage Action.\n\n\u201cFor too long, bureaucrats in the administrative state have imposed trillions of dollars in regulatory costs onto American citizens and businesses as they embark on their personal crusades \u2013 all without needing the support of a single member of the legislative branch. Now that the Supreme Court has overturned the Chevron Doctrine, leaders on Capitol Hill must pass the REINs Act to return Article 1 lawmaking authority to its rightful home in Congress and end the delegation of power to unelected regulators,\u201d said Club for Growth PAC President David McIntosh. \u201cWe applaud Sen. Rand Paul for his work to introduce and champion this bill in the Senate. Every member of Congress should support this commonsense plan to create a more representative approach to how the Federal Government imposes the hidden tax of regulation,\u201d said David McIntosh, President of Club For Growth.\n\n\u201cSenator Paul\u2019s updated version of the REINS Act is an essential government reform bill that would strengthen congressional oversight, put a brake on administrative state power, and reinstate accountability in the rulemaking process. Building upon all the good the preexisting REINSAct would do, Senator Paul\u2019s updated REINS Act includes a number of new provisions that would further empower Congress to check big government. Importantly, the bill would require that guidance documents and other forms of \u201cregulatory dark matter\u201d be subject to congressional approval. The bill would also address the concern that rules and guidance documents are not properly submitted to Congress or the Government Accountability Office. Together, these provisions would help give greater scrutiny to the regulatory process \u2013 a move especially important now since the Biden administration has dismantled President Trump\u2019s guidance portals and rewrote the rules of rulemaking with their Modernizing Regulatory Review directive (Executive Order 14,094). These updates are vitally important as the Supreme Court\u2019s recent rejection of the Chevron Doctrine still leaves progressives with many tools in their toolbox to work around Congress and pursue their regulatory pursuits. Ultimately, Senator Paul\u2019s updated REINS Act is a vital step in restoring accountability to the administrative state and in ensuring that the American people are governed by their duly elected representatives, rather than by unaccountable bureaucrats,\u201d said Clyde Wayne Crews Jr., Fred L. Smith Jr. Fellow in Regulatory Studies at Competitive Enterprise Institute.\n\n\u201cRegulatory agencies seem to think they can make any rules they want. The REINS Act was already an important reminder that Congress has lawmaking powers, and executive agencies do not. The new version\u2019s expanded protections make REINS even more urgent to pass,\u201d said Ryan Young, Senior Economist at Competitive Enterprise Institute.\n\n\u201cFederal regulation is out of control. It\u2019s time for Congress to REINS it in,\u201d said James Carter, Deputy Assistant Secretary, U.S. Treasury (2002-06), America First Policy Institute.\n\n\u201cThe REINS Act is desperately needed. We hear a lot about defending democracy today, but we don\u2019t see much real effort from the administrative state to honor the principles of democracy. Senator Paul\u2019s updated REINS Act will make sure that the people\u2019s representatives in Congress will have to approve of any major rules proposed by an unelected administrative agency. If the economic impact of a rule is $100 million or more, it must have congressional approval. This guarantees that we the people have a voice in the regulatory state that has the impact of being law. It would also guarantee individuals the right to use as an affirmative defense that the regulation they are accused of violating do not logically follow from the statute. It would also allow citizens to seek judicial relief when an agency fails to seek or obtain congressional approval. Any who opposes the REINS Act is clearly not a fan of democracy, but rather prefers a system of unelected oligarchy,\u201d said George Landrith, President, Frontiers of Freedom Institute.\n\nBackground:\n\nUnder the REINS Act, once major rules are drafted, they must then be affirmatively approved by both chambers of Congress and then signed by the President, satisfying the bicameralism and presentment requirements of the Constitution. Currently, regulations ultimately take effect unless Congress specifically disapproves.\n\nThe 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\nThe REINS Act also includes the following changes from the original bill which has been introduced every Congress since Dr. Paul has been in office:\n\nNew Defense for Individuals:Individuals can argue that the average person would not have known their actions violated federal law if the statute did not clearly state it.\n\nRight to Sue: People can sue to stop enforcement if an agency implements a major rule without getting congressional approval.\n\nLIBERTY Act:Agency guidance with an economic impact of $100 million or more needs congressional approval just like major rules.\n\nDeregulatory Actions Exempted:Agencies do not need congressional approval to withdraw costly or burdensome rules\n\nYou can read the REINS Act HERE.\n\nAlong with introducing the REINS Act, Dr. Paul also recently participated in efforts discussing the impact of the Supreme Court\u2019s decision in Loper Bright, which overturned the longstanding Chevron doctrine.\n\nDr. Paul also joined Sen. Eric Schmitt in his efforts to retake legislative authority away from administrative agencies and place it back where it belongs: the Article I branch. These efforts include the filing of the Separation of Powers Restoration Act (SOPRA), the launching of a working group of Senators that will regularly meet to discuss furthering this goal, and letters to 101 agencies that have published more than 50 final rules since 2000 demanding answers on how current regulatory processes will be handled following the Loper Bright decision.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:46:43Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/dr-rand-paul-introduces-six-penny-plan-to-balance-the-federal-budget-in-five-years/", "Dr. Rand Paul Introduces Six\u00a0Penny\u00a0Plan\u00a0to Balance the Federal Budget in Five Years", "2024-09-18", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nSeptember 18, 2024\n\nContact: Press_Paul@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343\n\nDr. Rand Paul Introduces Six Penny Plan to Balance the Federal Budget in Five Years\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Recently, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) introduced his \u201cSix Penny Plan\u201d federal budget that will balance within five years.\n\n\u201cSeven years ago, we could balance our budget with a freeze in spending without cutting anything. Since then, our national debt has skyrocketed to over $35 trillion with $6.6 trillion just in the past four years. Americans across the nation are struggling to make ends meet while their government recklessly spends and fuels the inflation crisis,\u201d said Dr. Paul. \u201cThe greatest threat to our national security is our national debt, and we are now in a situation that a simple penny, two, three, or even a five pennies per-dollar reduction is insufficient to balance our budget. It requires six. We cannot keep ignoring this problem at the expense of taxpayers, and my budget will put our nation on track to solve this crisis that Congress created.\u201d\n\nBackground:\n\nThe Six Penny Plan is a federal budget resolution that will balance on-budget outlays and revenues within five years by cutting six pennies off every dollar projected to be spent in the next five fiscal years. This plan is the most recent in a series of plans that Dr. Paul has introduced to address an ever-worsening budget crisis:\n\nIn the 100 days between CBO\u2019s February and June budget baselines, the federal government added an additional $540 billion to the national debt (an additional $1,600 per U.S. citizen).\n\nCBO\u2019s June estimates increased projected deficits by $2.5 trillion over CBO\u2019s February estimates.\n\nInterest payments on the debt account for more spending than our entire defense budget.\n\nAt over $35 trillion, the national debt is nearly double the amount of total bank deposits in the U.S. In other words, emptying every bank account in the U.S. would only cover half of the government\u2019s debt.\n\nIn 2017, Dr. Paul introduced a budget that would have only required a spending freeze to balance in five years. An annual six percent cut is now required to achieve the same results. Dr. Paul\u2019s Six Penny Plan implements these cuts while preserving congressional discretion regarding how to achieve these spending targets. This plan would:\n\nReduce spending by $329 billion in the first year. The plan would continue to cut six percent until balance in year five, then allows spending to rise with the pace of revenues in the five years remaining.\n\nMake no specific policy assumptions. All savings are reflected in the newly defined budget function 930: New Efficiencies, Consolidations, and Other Savings. The budget sets a goal of balance and then calls on Congress to make the changes needed to achieve this objective.\n\nAssume the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act is made permanent (originally set to expire in 2027). Since CBO originally assumed this would expire and federal revenues would increase, this plan accounts for the decrease in projected revenues if TCJA were to be made permanent.\n\nYou can read the Six Penny Plan HERE.\n\nDr. Paul\u2019s Six Penny Plan has wide support:\n\n\u201cFor decades, the government has spent beyond its means and expected hardworking taxpayers to foot the bill. This reckless spending in Washington has delivered nothing but record inflation, leaving the American people unable to make ends meet. It\u2019s past time for Congress to make the hard decisions required to put our financial house back in order. Heritage Action thanks Sen. Paul for his consistent support for fiscal responsibility and backs his \u2018Six Penny Plan\u2019 to balance the budget,\u201d said Ryan Walker, Executive Vice President of Heritage Action.\n\n\u201cThe Council for Citizens Against Government Waste supports Sen. Paul\u2019s amendment to cap spending for five years and achieve a balanced budget. His proposal to cut spending by 6 percent annually should be supported by every senator who believes in fiscal responsibility and getting the nation back on the right track,\u201d said Tom Schatz, President of Council for Citizens Against Government Waste.\n\n\u201cSenator Paul has been a true pioneer in new concepts for fiscal responsibility, with his first introduction of a Penny Plan to balance the budget back in 2017. At the time, achieving eventual balance would have only required cutting 1 cent per dollar of federal spending. However, due to continued reckless policies, a Six Penny Plan, requiring annual 6 percent savings to tackle deficits, is now necessary. Senator Paul\u2019s legislation also locks in the pro-growth Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, preventing tax hikes on top of inflation. Also important, the Six Penny Plan wisely proposes scorekeeping reforms to identify duplicate programs in new proposals and strengthened budget enforcement in the Senate. Taxpayers can only hope that Congress acts swiftly on the Six Penny Plan, so Senator Paul won\u2019t need to introduce a Dime Plan or, worse, a Quarter Plan,\u201d said Demian Brady, Vice President of Research, National Taxpayers Union Foundation.\n\n\u201cSenator Rand Paul has been fighting for fiscal responsibility and raising the alarm on federal spending with his Penny Plan since 2017. Had Congress listened to Sen. Paul and passed his plan, the country would have a balanced budget today. Instead, Congress continues to exacerbate inflationary pressures with unprecedented and obscene spending levels. As President of the Taxpayers Protection Alliance, I thank Senator Rand Paul for this commonsense and much-needed solution to balance the budget and protect taxpayers,\u201d said David Williams, President of Taxpayers Protection Alliance.\n\n\u201cCitizens for Renewing America supports Senator Rand Paul\u2019s Six Penny Plan, which offers a real solution to years of reckless spending policies. As Congress continues to avoid addressing the root causes of our growing national debt, Senator Paul\u2019s plan forces genuine cuts to the woke and weaponized federal bureaucracy. This legislation is critical to restoring the fiscal sanity that Washington has sorely lacked and provides the necessary course correction to years of flawed policies that have failed to reduce our national debt or deficits,\u201d said Wade Miller, Executive Director of Citizens for Renewing America.\n\n\u201cUnfortunately, the Biden Administration continues to advocate for inflationary spending plans that would add to the crushing tax burden faced by hardworking Americans. As we face the real threat of stagflation for the first time since the 1970s, we need a major course correction from policymakers in Washington. Senator Rand Paul should be commended for his bold approach to address our $35 trillion national debt, while avoiding economically damaging tax increases. Sen. Paul\u2019s common sense spending reforms put our hardworking taxpayers first by addressing the root cause of our national debt: overspending,\u201d said Jonathan Williams, ALEC Chief Economist and Executive Vice President of Policy.\n\n\u201cUnsustainable federal spending is driving the bloated national debt and contributes to economic weakness and elevated inflation, so I applaud Senator Paul\u2019s Six Penny Plan to get control of the spending crisis,\u201d said Vance Ginn, Ph.D, President of Ginn Economic Consulting and former Chief Economist of Trump White House OMB.\n\n\u201cSenator Rand Paul has long been a champion of balancing the federal budget and protecting the American taxpayer. Senator Paul has a planthat will balance the budget in five years. Interestingly, if Congress had voted for Senator Paul\u2019s plan five years ago, we would not be suffering runaway inflation, economic downturns, slowdowns, severe shortages, and empty shelves at the store. And we\u2019d be celebrating a balanced budget too! And balancing the budget has national security benefits as well. If we wait even longer to take action, we will suffer more inflation, larger and larger deficits, and more economic instability and our national security will slide downhill as well. And then it will take much larger cuts to get things back on track. So now is the time to act before the problem becomes so large that it cannot practically be fixed,\u201d said George Landrith, President of Frontiers for Freedom.\n\n\u201cSenator Rand Paul is one of the few Senators who are serious about the fiscal challenges facing America. Quite simply, the current rate of government spending is unsustainable with interest payments on the debt for the first ten months of fiscal year 2024 reaching a staggering $763 billion fully $202 billion more than the same period the previous year. Net interest payments on the debt surpass every other spending category other than Social Security. It is astonishing that the fiscal apocalypse that we have worried about for decades is now upon us with even defense spending dwarfed by the cost of simply making interest payments on our $35 trillion national debt. Senator Paul\u2019s Six Penny Planforces an honest discussion about the crisis our nation faces and some of the tough decisions which will be required to reverse course from the almost $2 Trillion in debt our country adds onto the ledger every single year. Higher interest rate payments on more of the debt combined with the spending spree which has raised the debt from $26.9 Trillion on September 30, 2020 to more than $35 Trillion. America is in trouble and Senator Paul is one of the few members of Congress willing to propose solutions,\u201d said Richard Manning, President of Americans for Limited Government Foundation\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:46:43Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/hsgac-passes-dr-rand-pauls-bipartisan-republic-act-to-rein-in-presidential-emergency-powers/", "HSGAC Passes Dr. Rand Paul\u2019s Bipartisan REPUBLIC Act to Rein in Presidential Emergency Powers", "2024-09-18", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nSeptember 18, 2024\n\nContact: Press_Paul@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343\n\nHSGAC Passes Dr. Rand Paul\u2019s Bipartisan REPUBLIC Act to Rein in Presidential Emergency Powers\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Today, the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee (HSGAC), which U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) is Ranking Member of, passed the bipartisan Reforming Emergency Powers to Uphold the Balances and Limitations Inherent in the Constitution (REPUBLIC) Act. The legislation, which wasintroduced in May, would allow the President to take immediate action in crisis situations but also require congressional review of presidential invocation of emergency powers that threaten the constitutional principles of separation of powers and due process.\n\n\u201cThe REPUBLIC Act reins in the blank check of power presidents write themselves in the name of self-declared emergencies,\u201d said Dr. Paul. \u201cIt does all this while preserving the president\u2019s authority to act immediately to defend our nation in a real emergency.\u201d\n\nCurrent law, under the National Emergencies Act of 1976, authorizes the President to unilaterally determine when and how to unlock and exercise extraordinary powers not permitted during normal operations. Once declared, emergencies are rarely terminated. To wit, the 1979 national emergency relating to the Iranian hostage crisis is still in effect.\n\nSome powers are so inimical to the concept of a constitutional republic they should have never been granted in the first place. One such emergency power pursuant to the Communications Act of 1934 gives the President nearly unchallenged authority to restrict access to the internet, conduct email surveillance, and control computer systems, television and radio broadcasts, and cell phones. Additionally, the executive branch issues secret Presidential Emergency Action Documents, which, among other things, have in the past authorized the detention of \u201cdangerous persons\u201d within the United States and the suspension of the writ of habeas corpus during emergency situations.\n\nThe REPUBLIC Act would:\n\nAllow the President to exercise emergency powers for 30 days prior to congressional approval.\n\nProhibit the President from issuing a subsequent declaration and exercising emergency powers with respect to the same circumstances if a national emergency is not approved or renewed.\n\nProvide expedited procedures in each House of Congress to consider joint resolutions of approval.\n\nTerminate the ability of the President to seize control of U.S. communications infrastructure pursuant to the Communications Act of 1934.\n\nProhibit the use of IEEPA to sanction U.S. persons without due process.\n\nRequire the disclosure of Presidential Emergency Action Documents to Congress.\n\nYou can read the REPUBLIC Act HERE and watch Dr. Paul\u2019s remarks on the bill HERE.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:46:43Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=0790619B-332C-499E-AB6E-8416B180BB69", "Five Years After Tobacco 21, McConnell Highlights Progress Against Youth Nicotine Addiction", "2024-09-17", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding the Tobacco-Free Youth Act:\n\n\u201cI\u2019d like to end on something the walls of this chamber don\u2019t hear enough of: some good news.\n\n\u201cAccording to an annual survey conducted by the CDC and the FDA, the number of young people in America smoking e-cigarettes dropped to its lowest level in the last decade.\n\n\u201cLet me say that again: e-cigarette use among America\u2019s youth is now roughly one-third of the all-time high it hit just five years ago.\n\n\u201cNow there are a lot of factors at play in this downward trend. But one powerful tailwind originated right here in the Senate.\n\n\u201cIn 2019, youth e-cigarette use was at its peak. That\u2019s the year that I wrote and introduced the Tobacco-Free Youth Act with my friend Senator Kaine. Our bipartisan bill raised the minimum age to purchase tobacco products \u2013 including e-cigarettes devices \u2013 from 18 to 21.\n\n\u201cWe didn\u2019t try to reinvent the wheel. We knew that nearly all smokers \u2013 roughly 95 percent \u2013 started by the age of 21. By raising the age limit, less tobacco winds up in high schools, which means less opportunity for children to get their hands on addictive vaping devices.\n\n\u201cThis issue hits close to home. Kentucky has the highest cancer rate in the country. In years past, we\u2019ve even topped the list for highest proportion of cigarette-related cancer deaths.\n\n\u201cNow as the senior Senator of Kentucky, my decision to spearhead this legislation surprised some people. My home state has a close connection to tobacco. But as I\u2019ve pointed out in the past, Kentucky farmers don\u2019t want their children forming nicotine addictions any more than the next parent.\n\n\u201cIf we\u2019ve learned anything in the fight against addiction, it\u2019s that families are right to be worried. At this critical stage of development, nicotine products can be the first step in a life maligned by serious health problems.\n\n\u201cSo while more work remains, I\u2019m proud that the Senate stepped up to address this public health crisis. And I\u2019m grateful to see this legislation actually making a difference.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:46:43Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=3BDA0821-E8C8-4735-93F7-62919A032C99", "McConnell On The Judicial Bureaucracy And The First Amendment", "2024-09-17", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding judicial ethics:\n\n\u201cFree speech has been an animating principle for my entire career in the Senate. I am second to no one in my defense of the First Amendment. So I\u2019ve found the recent habit of the federal judiciary\u2019s bureaucracy to try and abridge its protections alarming, to say the least.\n\n\u201cThe courts are where citizens go to have their free speech rights vindicated against censorious government officials. I know this from experience: I sued to stop the anti-speech campaign finance rules signed into law by President Bush, and I took it all the way to the Supreme Court.\n\n\u201cBut where do people go when the courts decide to behave like any other branch of government? When they put other interests over the First Amendment? Even having to ask the question is troubling.\n\n\u201cTwo of my colleagues and I recently wrote to the head of the Standing Committee on federal rules to express our opposition to a proposed amendment to the rules governing appellate courts.\n\n\u201cThe amendment is the result of persistent bullying of Senate Democrats, and it would force parties seeking to be heard as friends of the court to disclose their donors in certain instances.\n\n\u201cThe forced disclosure of donors is a longstanding offense against the First Amendment. This has been abundantly clear since Justice Harlan eloquently explained it in NAACP v. Alabama. The courts only tolerate forced disclosure in the case of actual candidate electioneering to ensure election integrity.\n\n\u201cBut court cases aren\u2019t elections, and friends of the court aren\u2019t candidates. And the fact that the Appellate Rules Committee doesn\u2019t understand this and wants to chill free speech by mandating donor disclosure is a shocking reversal of the NAACP v. Alabama.\n\n\u201cThat\u2019s why my colleagues and I encouraged the Standing Committee, the Judicial Conference, and the Supreme Court to scrap this unconstitutional amendment.\n\n\u201cUnfortunately, there\u2019s more. Another committee in the judicial bureaucracy, the Codes of Conduct Committee, recently amended one of its advisory opinions to prohibit law clerks from seeking political employment.\n\n\u201cThis is the same committee that tried to ban federal judges from joining the non-partisan Federalist Society while allowing them to join the highly partisan and left-wing American Bar Association.\n\n\u201cThe committee reversed itself on that boneheaded decision after an uproar from the judges of all political stripes.\n\n\u201cIn its new advisory opinion, the committee concluded that clerks could seek employment from law firms, impact litigators, elected officials, and the government, but that they cannot even talk to political parties or candidates for office about a job. Doing so, they conclude \u2018risks linking the judge\u2019s chambers to political activity, which could compromise the independence of the judiciary.\u2019\n\n\u201cMr. President, consider just how absurd this is:\n\n\u201cFirst, political activity is at the core of our Freedom of Speech. To single it out for a special disability among clerks seeking employment turns the First Amendment on its head. Prohibiting a clerk from discussing employment options with the Harris campaign because it might make \u2018the judiciary\u2019 look bad curbs the clerk\u2019s constitutional rights in order to preserve some theoretical, attenuated interest.\n\n\u201cSecond, it is indeed a special disability\u2026 and one that has no correspondence to the real world! Why is the \u2018link\u2019 any more problematic when a clerk wants to talk to a Republican campaign\u2014which is prohibited\u2014but not when she wants to talk to an elected Republican\u2014which is allowed?\n\n\u201cWhat about seeking employment as a political appointee in the highly partisan Garland Justice Department? Do the large law firms to which the Democratic Party outsources its campaign litigation not provide a \u2018link\u2019 to the judiciary?\n\n\u201cIndeed, one prominent law firm, the Elias Law Group, explicitly claims that its goal is to elect Democrats! And yet a clerk can presumably seek employment there but not over at the Democratic National Committee? These are distinctions without differences.\n\n\u201cBut wait, there\u2019s more.\n\n\u201cLast week, the Judicial Conference, in its zeal to take a hard line against misconduct in the workplace, referred a disgraced former judge to the House for impeachment.\n\n\u201cYes, that\u2019s right: they referred a private citizen for impeachment. Without getting into the merits of the allegations against the former judge\u2014other than to note that they caused him to resign in disgrace\u2014this was a remarkable action by the [judicial] bureaucracy.\n\n\u201cThey are surely aware that whether or not you can impeach a former official is hotly disputed. But they referred it anyway. In other words, while trying to make a point about one political issue\u2014workplace misconduct in the judiciary\u2014they ended up making a point about another one\u2014the impeachment of former officials. And for what? 40 sitting Senators have already said that you can\u2019t do this as a matter of constitutional law, thereby making his conviction all but impossible.\n\n\u201cThe judiciary itself is under increasing attack from Democrats who want to destroy it as an independent branch of government. And the judicial bureaucracy seems desperate to appear apolitical. It has been taking affirmative steps to virtue signal on issues that matter to Democrats, from Federalist Society membership to single-judge divisions to amicus disclosure.\n\n\u201cIt would be one thing if this were empty virtue signaling. But we\u2019re talking about behavior increasingly in tension with constitutional provisions, including First Amendment rights.\n\n\u201cMy advice to the Judicial Conference is this: the way to avoid getting involved in politics is to avoid getting involved in politics.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:46:43Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=CDAEB3A2-19D0-44C6-95E8-8EB6CA30B2CF", "McConnell on Sheriff\u2019s Deputy Phipps Killed in Line of Duty", "2024-09-17", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding Russell County Sheriff's Deputy Josh Phipps being killed in the line of duty last night:\n\n\u201cUnfortunately, I need to begin this morning with some tragic news from Kentucky. Late last night, Sheriff's Deputy Josh Phipps of Russell County was killed in the line of duty.\n\n\u201cHis sacrifice is a somber reminder of the debt we owe our courageous law enforcement officers. They are the first to run toward fire. And the first to put themselves in harm's way to keep us all safe.\n\n\u201cToday, I know the entire Commonwealth is holding Sheriff's Deputy Phipps in our thoughts and our prayers. So, I ask my colleagues to join me in sending our deepest sympathy to Russell County and the Phipps family as they mourn his loss.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:46:43Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/dr-paul-and-sen-booker-introduce-fda-modernization-act-3-0/", "Dr. Paul and Sen. Booker Introduce FDA Modernization Act 3.0", "2024-09-17", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nSeptember 17, 2024\n\nContact: Press_Paul@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343\n\nDr. Paul and Sen. Booker Introduce FDA Modernization Act 3.0\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Recently, U.S. Senators Rand Paul (R-KY) and Cory Booker (D-NJ), along with Eric Schmitt (R-MO), Angus King (I-ME), Mike Braun (R-IN), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), John Kennedy (R-LA), Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-NM), and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) introduced the FDA Modernization Act 3.0, a bipartisan bill to direct the FDA to finally implement the FDA Modernization Act 2.0 (FDAMA 2.0), legislation passed by Congress to modernize drug testing protocols and improve patient outcomes.\n\nIn 2022, FDAMA 2.0 was signed into law by President Biden. This law removed the longstanding requirement under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA) that investigational new drugs (INDs) undergo mandatory animal testing before human clinical trials. Instead, the law allowed drug developers to use advanced, non-animal methods such as cell-based assays, organ chips, computer modeling, and bioprinting.\n\nDespite the passage of nearly two years since FDAMA 2.0 was enacted into law, the FDA has yet to update its regulations to conform with the law, leaving numerous FDA regulations that continue to call for animal testing. The FDA Modernization Act 3.0 seeks to resolve this by mandating the FDA to update its regulations within six months of the bill\u2019s enactment. It also includes a technical correction to the statute by addressing a duplicated section heading.\n\n\u201cIn 2022 I was proud to lead the charge on the FDA Modernization Act 2.0, which was a critical step in reforming our drug approval process\u2014getting life-saving treatments to patients faster, cutting costs, and embracing non-animal testing methods. Now, with FDA Modernization Act 3.0, it\u2019s time to build on that success and ensure reforms can proceed expeditiously. Swift passage of this legislation will continue breaking down unnecessary barriers, so Americans can access safe, effective drugs without delays and at reduced costs,\u201d said Dr. Rand Paul.\n\n\u201cThe FDA Modernization Act 2.0 was a landmark achievement for both animals and public health, paving the way for 21st century human-relevant science,\u201d said Sen. Booker. \u201cIt\u2019s time our country takes full advantage of technologies that can more accurately predict human responses and accelerate our nation\u2019s drug development. This bipartisan legislation will ensure the FDA finally aligns its regulations with the law.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe FDA has been delinquent in not implementing the law that Senator Paul shepherded to passage two years ago to eliminate an archaic animal-testing mandate for screening of new drugs,\u201d said Wayne Pacelle, president of Animal Wellness Action and the Center for a Humane Economy. \u201cThe use of human-relevant models must be put to use in our drug development programs to benefit patients and drug sponsors and to spare beagles, primates, and other animals needless torment.\u201d\n\nThe FDA Modernization Act 3.0 is a bipartisan effort to reduce unnecessary animal testing while advancing scientific innovation. By fully implementing FDAMA 2.0, drug development can be both more humane and more efficient, ultimately leading to faster and more reliable treatments for patients. An astonishing 90-95% of drugs that pass animal tests go on to fail in human clinical trials, wasting precious time for patients.\n\nYou can read the FDA Modernization Act HERE.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:46:43Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/dr-rand-paul-celebrates-constitution-day/", "Dr. Rand Paul Celebrates Constitution Day with the No Taxation Without Representation Act", "2024-09-17", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nSeptember 17, 2024\n\nContact: Press_Paul@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343\n\nDr. Rand Paul Celebrates Constitution Day with the No Taxation Without Representation Act\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2013 On this Constitution Day, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) introduced the No Taxation Without Representation Act, reaffirming the fundamental principles enshrined in the U.S. Constitution. Constitution Day marks the anniversary of the signing of this foundational document on September 17, 1787, when the Founding Fathers established a government rooted in individual liberty, limited power, and the protection of the people\u2019s rights.\n\n\u201cThe rallying cry of \u2018no taxation without representation\u2019 wasn\u2019t just a protest of the past\u2014it is a core principle of American governance,\u201d said Dr. Paul. \u201cOur Constitution was designed to prevent any branch from overstepping its bounds. Unchecked executive actions enacting tariffs tax our citizens, threaten our economy, raise prices for everyday goods, and erode the system of checks and balances that our founders so carefully crafted.\u201d\n\nAbout the No Taxation Without Representation Act\n\nThe No Taxation Without Representation Act seeks to curb the President\u2019s ability to tax Americans by implementing tariffs without Congressional approval. The bill strengthens our system of checks and balances by requiring Congressional consent for any tariffs that significantly impact American businesses and consumers. By restoring the role of Congress in the taxation process, the bill ensures greater accountability, transparency, and long-term economic stability.\n\nKey Provisions:\n\nCongress Must Approve:\n\nThe President can only add new taxes on imports if:\n\nThe President explains why the tax is necessary and sends a proposal to Congress\n\nCongress passes the new tax into law\n\nApplicable Laws:\n\nThis requirement applies to taxes imposed under several trade laws, such as:\n\nThe Tariff Act of 1930\n\nThe Trade Expansion Act of 1962\n\nThe Trading with the Enemy Act\n\nThe International Emergency Economic Powers\n\nLaws enacted to implement trade agreements involving the U.S.\n\nAny other U.S. customs and trade laws and trade agreements\n\nEmbargoes Exempt:\n\nThe No Taxation Without Representation Act doesn\u2019t affect situations where the U.S. embargoes all goods or certain types of goods from a specific country from entering the country.\n\nRead the bill HERE.\n\nA Message from Dr. Rand Paul on Constitution Day\n\nThis Constitution Day, Dr. Paul called for renewed dedication to the principles of limited government, free markets, and individual liberty\u2014values embodied in the Constitution and the Bill of Rights.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:46:43Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=C6F6E3E8-679F-4332-AD9A-4F3EADBBC1AD", "McConnell Recognizes Kentucky Family as \u201cAngels in Adoption\u201d", "2024-09-16", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) welcomed the Bilby family of Frankfort, Kentucky, to his office in the U.S. Capitol and congratulated them on being recognized as 2024 Angels in Adoption. Senator McConnell nominated the Bilby family for the honor.\n\nJoe and Lesley Bilby had long considered adoption, and for years, they felt called to help the thousands of children in Kentucky\u2019s foster care network in need of forever homes. After years of waiting and wondering if they could handle the challenges of the foster care system, they began the process to be approved as foster parents. In 2019, their lives changed forever when a curious two-year-old boy toddled up their driveway with a Happy Meal in one hand and social workers close behind.\n\nJoe, Lesley, and their daughter, Anne Frances, officially welcomed James into their family two years later. Today, James enjoys soccer, karate, and especially his Happy Meals. The Bilbys hope their adoption story and experience with foster care will encourage more families to open their hearts to the children in need of loving families.\n\n\u201cIt was a pleasure to welcome Joe, Lesley, and James Bilby to the Capitol to celebrate their incredible story. I always marvel at the strength of families like the Bilbys, who dedicate themselves to their children and the adoption community,\u201d said Senator McConnell. \u201cThe Bilbys gave James the greatest gift a child could ask for, and I am honored to have them represent Kentucky in this year\u2019s Angels in Adoption program. I wish the Bilby family all the best as they continue to grow together and make Kentucky proud.\u201d\n\n\u201cJames has been one of our greatest blessings in life, and we are very grateful for our experience with foster care and adoption. Through all the ups and downs, we would never trade this journey with our family for a minute. We are honored to receive this special recognition from Senator McConnell as this year\u2019s Angels in Adoption, and we thank him for his strong advocacy for adoption in Kentucky,\u201d said Joe and Lesley Bilby.\n\nAngels in Adoption is a public awareness campaign by the Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute. Each year, Members of Congress can nominate constituents who are helping to improve the lives of children in need of a loving family.\n\nFor Kentucky families who may also need assistance with adoption, please contact the Senator\u2019s office in Louisville at (502) 582-6304 or online: https://sen.gov/R4W4", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:46:43Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=CC5F2B9A-A0D8-4002-853A-3B2787A9F929", "McConnell Remarks On U.S. Interests And Repressive Regimes", "2024-09-16", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "\u2018I\u2019ve repeatedly warned colleagues on both sides against setting aside America\u2019s interests in pursuit of closer relations with foreign leaders who they think share their values\u2026 And I\u2019ve been clear-eyed about the regimes with which the United States shares neither interests nor values, and acted accordingly.\u2019\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding national security priorities:\n\n\u201cI\u2019ve repeatedly warned colleagues on both sides against setting aside America\u2019s interests in pursuit of closer relations with foreign leaders who they think share their values.\n\n\u201cI made it clear to Washington Democrats that whatever kudos the Paris climate deal earned them with European greens, punishing America for producing affordable, reliable, and abundant energy was welcome news to China, the world\u2019s leading emitter of carbon\u2026 and to Russia, which would weaponize Europe\u2019s own reliance in due course.\n\n\u201cLikewise, I\u2019ve urged fellow Republicans to recognize that, despite whatever affinity we might be expected to hold for a Hungarian ruling party that professes traditional values, legitimizing Victor Orban\u2019s reckless obeisance to China, Russia, and Iran is not in America\u2019s interests.\n\n\u201cAnd I\u2019ve been clear-eyed about the regimes with which the United States shares neither interests nor values, and acted accordingly.\n\n\u201cFor example, the strategic case for maximum pressure and credible deterrence against Iran, the world\u2019s most active state sponsor of terror, is compelling enough on its own. Weakening sanctions in exchange for empty promises on nuclear proliferation is not in America\u2019s strategic interests. Neither is responding to proxy violence with half-measures.\n\n\u201cThe only way to achieve measurable improvements to the security of America\u2019s interests in Iran\u2019s backyard is to change Iran\u2019s calculus. This is, of course, an opportunity for the United States and allies with common interests in the region to work more closely together in applying meaningful pressure on Tehran \u2013 an opportunity as-yet unseized.\n\n\u201cBut lest anyone forget, just as Tehran\u2019s export of terror threatens America\u2019s interests, its repression at home is an affront to American values.\n\n\u201cToday is the second anniversary of the beating, detention, and murder of Mahsa Amini at the hands of Iran\u2019s morality police. Tehran\u2019s thugs killed another 500 people and detained thousands more who took to the streets in protest.\n\n\u201cToday, Iranian women are continuing their protest against the regime\u2019s repressive morality laws. Many are walking the streets without head coverings, and 34 political prisoners have gone on a hunger strike. Tehran is marking the anniversary in its own way, placing Ms. Amini\u2019s surviving family under unofficial house arrest.\n\n\u201cFurther east, in Kabul, another group of medieval theocrats is dragging Afghan women and girls even further backward into the familiar repression of Taliban rule. A new \u2018vice and virtue law\u2019 amounts to an even more severe crackdown on education for Afghan girls, with even tighter restrictions on women\u2019s behavior in public.\n\n\u201cLike in Iran, Taliban repression is not difficult to recognize as abhorrent. And the latest developments are an outcome many of us saw coming years ago. Unfortunately, they\u2019re also a shameful reminder of a decision that damaged American interests\u2026 and a sales campaign that denied observable reality.\n\n\u201cRecall that, as the Taliban surged back into power in Kabul, President Biden insisted that, quote, \u2018human rights will be the center of our foreign policy\u2019. Remember how the President\u2019s national security advisor declared that the Administration was \u2018absolutely resolutely committed\u2019 to \u2018alleviate the burden that [Afghan] women and girls will face in the days ahead.\u2019\n\n\u201cI\u2019m curious how the Administration would rate the effectiveness of that commitment. I wonder whether it thinks its confidence in so-called \u2018over-the-horizon\u2019 counterterrorism has paid off.\n\n\u201cAnd when the Administration\u2019s special envoy warns that its \u2018patience with the Taliban is running out,\u2019 I can\u2019t help but ask why on earth any such patience would align with America\u2019s interests in the first place, let alone our values.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:46:43Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=D38E4213-5EC9-4FE0-932B-797ADE1BAF3C", "McConnell On Second Assassination Attempt Against President Trump", "2024-09-16", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding the assassination attempt against President Trump:\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s dismaying to begin another week with news of an assassination attempt against a former President.\n\n\u201cWe certainly are all grateful once again that the worst outcome was avoided.\n\n\u201cThis ought to be a moment of soul-searching for all Americans. It\u2019s a time to reflect on the ways that our political process has been infected by reprehensible violence.\n\n\u201cIn America, our democracy flows from the ballot box. Not from the barrel of a gun. Period.\n\n\u201cIn the meantime, for the second time in as many months, law enforcement faces an even more urgent task: completing a thorough, swift, and transparent investigation into the circumstances of yesterday\u2019s close call.\n\n\u201cThe American people deserve answers. They deserve assurance that a former President who tens of millions of Americans have nominated once again will receive every appropriate measure of security. And they ought to receive them without delay.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:46:43Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=C613E9F8-F301-4140-AA49-2962FF067953", "McConnell Highlights National Defense Strategy  Commission Report, Congressional Inaction On Urgent Defense Priorities", "2024-09-12", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "\u2018Congress has a constitutional duty to provide for the common defense. We have a responsibility to align resources with our requirements and strategy\u2026 To provide funding adequate to ensure American military superiority. Unfortunately, this is work Congress must do without help from this Administration.\u2019\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding national security priorities:\n\n\u201cI\u2019d like to begin by reminding our colleagues of a report released before the August state work period. It\u2019s a report Congress commissioned in the FY 2022 NDAA, produced by a panel of experts that Congress appointed \u2013 the bipartisan Commission on the National Defense Strategy (NDS).\n\n\u201cThe Commission was tasked with reviewing the Biden Administration\u2019s National Defense Strategy and conducting an independent assessment of the threats and requirements of our common defense.\n\n\u201cAny of our colleagues who haven\u2019t yet taken a close look at this report should. But I\u2019d like to reiterate a few of its conclusions that I discussed last month as the Appropriations Committee finalized defense spending legislation for the coming year.\n\n\u201cThis ought to grab our attention:\n\n\u201cFrom the report, quote, \u2018the U.S. military lacks both the capabilities and the capacity required to be confident it can deter and prevail in combat.\u2019\n\n\u201cA further quote, \u2018the U.S. defense industrial base (DIB) is unable to meet the equipment, technology, and munitions needs of the United States and its allies and partners.\u2019\n\n\u201cAnd, quote, \u2018the U.S. public are largely unaware of the dangers the United States faces or the costs (financial and otherwise) required to adequately prepare.\u2019\n\n\u201cThe report doesn\u2019t flinch in assessing the full scale of the threats posed by major adversaries:\n\n\u201cRussian victory in Ukraine would make Moscow, quote, \u2018an emboldened and likely stronger power, requiring NATO to build and deploy additional forces, potentially at the expense of other locations where those resources could be applied.\u2019\n\n\u201cAnother quote, \u2018China is outpacing the United States and has largely negated the U.S. military advantage in the Western Pacific through two decades of focused military investment.\u2019\n\n\u201cAnd, perhaps most alarmingly, the growing partnership and collaboration between our adversaries, quote, \u2018increases the likelihood that a conflict with one would expand to multiple fronts, causing simultaneous demands on U.S. and allied resources.\u2019\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s a sobering assessment with some urgent recommendations to go along with it. The question now is what we\u2019re willing to do about it.\n\n\u201cCongress has a constitutional duty to provide for the common defense. We have a responsibility to align resources with our requirements and strategy\u2026 To provide funding adequate to ensure American military superiority.\n\n\u201cUnfortunately, this is work Congress must do without help from this Administration. As one commissioner, Roger Zakheim, has observed, President Biden\u2019s 2022 NDS mentioned neither \u2018budget\u2019, nor \u2018dollar\u2019.\n\n\u201cBut after a week back in Washington, Congress is no closer to delivering full-year topline defense funding than we were on August 1st. The critical increases Vice Chair Collins secured over the President\u2019s anemic budget request are no closer to becoming law.\n\n\u201cNeither is the National Defense Authorization Act, which the Democratic Leader has yet to schedule for floor time.\n\n\u201cSo it\u2019s one thing to request expert analysis. It\u2019ll be quite another to do the urgent work that analysis rightly prescribes.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:46:43Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=FFAE5011-0B02-427F-9CCC-DABF36AC18A2", "McConnell: Prescription Drug Socialism Leaves Patients With Higher Costs, Fewer Cures", "2024-09-12", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "\u2018The Biden-Harris Administration itself has used similar language to describe another socialist-inspired price control scheme: this one to combat supposed price gouging in the market for life-saving pharmaceutical treatments. And so far, prescription drug socialism is not working out well. According to a recent study, nearly 3.5 million beneficiaries are expected to pay higher out-of-pocket costs as a result of the Administration\u2019s proposed scheme.\u2019\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding prescription drug socialism:\n\n\u201cOne of the few details Vice President Harris has shared about her governing agenda is a pledge to implement price controls at the grocery store to end so-called \u2018price gouging.\u2019\n\n\u201cThe eerie echoes of Marxist propaganda in that talking point have already attracted attention. But we don\u2019t have to dig too far back into the history books to find an example that she may be drawing from.\n\n\u201cThe Biden-Harris Administration itself has used similar language to describe another socialist-inspired price control scheme: this one to combat supposed price gouging in the market for life-saving pharmaceutical treatments.\n\n\u201cAnd so far, prescription drug socialism is not working out well. According to a recent study, nearly 3.5 million beneficiaries are expected to pay higher out-of-pocket costs as a result of the Administration\u2019s proposed scheme.\n\n\u201cBut that hasn\u2019t stopped them. Last month, the Administration released the Maximum Fair Price for the first 10 medicines selected for its coercive negotiation program.\n\n\u201cOf course, when you dig into the details, the scheme sounds less like a negotiation than a shakedown.\n\n\u201cIf the dictated Maximum Fair Price is not feasible, drug makers have two choices: they can pay an exorbitant excise fee, or they can withdraw entirely from participating in Medicaid and Medicare.\n\n\u201cRemember, the real losers from this misguided policy are the vulnerable patients who are left with fewer lifesaving cures.\n\n\u201cRoche and AstraZeneca have indicated that they will be discontinuing certain drug trials or considering delaying launching cancer medications due to financial penalties from the Inflation Reduction Act.\n\n\u201cAnd yet, Biden and Harris seem largely unbothered.\n\n\u201cLast month, President Biden went on the road to celebrate the results of the Cancer Moonshot Initiative, an accomplishment I was very proud to partner with him on.\n\n\u201cBut he hasn\u2019t reckoned with estimates that the Inflation Reduction Act could eliminate nine times the amount of funding for cancer research that the Cancer Moonshot created.\n\n\u201cVice President Harris, similarly blinded to the consequences of her work, has recently bragged about her role in passing the Inflation Reduction Act!\n\n\u201cI can\u2019t imagine that Americans facing rare disease diagnoses are as proud of that record as she is.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:46:43Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=C8A1C9FE-24D1-4E25-BCC2-7E97BACC6106", "McConnell On Anniversary Of September 11th Attacks: Cannot Wait For Adversaries To Come To Us", "2024-09-11", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding the September 11 attacks:\n\n\u201cTwenty-three years ago today, forces of evil brought their war on the United States to American soil.\n\n\u201cThey filled a clear blue sky with smoke, fire, and the shattered lives of 2,977 innocent people.\n\n\u201cBefore the dust had settled, the world witnessed the extraordinary heroism of first responders, the compassion of neighbors and volunteers, and the will of a proud nation not to let this savagery go unanswered.\n\n\u201cThe terrorists had started this war, but America resolved then to finish it.\n\n\u201cAt times, that resolve has wavered. Over the years since September 11th, 2001, I\u2019ve counseled administrations of both parties not to short-change, hamstring, or abandon our fight against the terrorists or let up on the adversaries who support them.\n\n\u201cI\u2019ve urged colleagues in Congress not to make the job of the warfighter harder by taking essential counterterrorism authorities off the table.\n\n\u201cAnd I\u2019ll continue to do so, as our colleagues consider our recent vote on section 702 and the one we\u2019ll take in less than two years to further extend this vital intelligence collection authority.\n\n\u201cThe Biden-Harris Administration pretends the war on terrorism is over. The Vice President, herself, claimed last night that \u2018there is not one member of the United States military who is in active duty in a combat zone\u2026 [for] the first time this century.\u2019\n\n\u201cThis, of course, would be news to the U.S. servicemembers who conducted operations against ISIS in Iraq last week\u2026 And to the sailors intercepting Houthi rockets in the Red Sea\u2026 And to the families of servicemembers killed and injured in the attack on Tower 22 near Jordan\u2019s border with Syria earlier this year.\n\n\u201cOur current Commander-in-Chief, and the Biden-Harris Administration, are not the first to chase the tail of shutting down terrorist detention at Guantanamo Bay. They\u2019re not the first to indulge the idea of a pivot away from a region full of important U.S. interests. And they\u2019re not the first to suggest that America gets to decide unilaterally when threats from Afghanistan end.\n\n\u201cBut they were the ones who followed through with a disastrous retreat that torched American credibility and left thirteen servicemembers dead.\n\n\u201cThe Administration pinned its hopes on the mistaken idea that because the U.S.-led coalition had made tremendous progress in keeping terrorist threats under control, we could continue to do so from \u2018over the horizon\u2019\u2026\n\n\u201cSo how\u2019s that going?\n\n\u201cDespite assurances from the Secretary of Defense that over-the-horizon operations would not suffer from a lack of human intelligence after the U.S. withdrawal, the Administration hasn\u2019t conducted a single strike against ISIS-K \u2013 the terrorists responsible for the Abbey Gate bombing, among other atrocities \u2013 since 2021.\n\n\u201cOf course, that\u2019s not because the terrorists have been quiet.\n\n\u201cIn fact, by one analysis earlier this year, ISIS-K \u2018planned twenty-one external plots or attacks in nine countries\u2019 in the previous twelve months, compared to just three between 2018 and the spring of 2022.\n\n\u201cThe ODNI annual threat assessment was forced to acknowledge that \u2018Terrorists will maintain an interest in conducting attacks\u2026 against U.S. persons, allies, and interests worldwide.\u2019\n\n\u201cAnd indeed, America\u2019s retreat from Afghanistan has invited violence elsewhere. From the resurgence of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria\u2026 To the AQAP in Yemen\u2026 To al Qaeda affiliates across the Sahel.\n\n\u201cAnd then there is Hamas. And Palestinian Islamic Jihad. And Hizballah. And the Houthis. And Iraqi terrorist groups. All of whom have been trained and equipped, aided and abetted, by the world\u2019s most active state sponsor of terror: Iran.\n\n\u201cHamas\u2019 attack on October 7 is described as Israel\u2019s September 11. Relative to population, it was actually September 11th fifteen times over.\n\n\u201cIt was the deadliest day for the Jewish people since the Holocaust. And it wouldn\u2019t have been possible without the involvement of Tehran.\n\n\u201cThe chaos stemming from this genocidal assault \u2013 and the violent choreography by the IRGC of attacks on Israel and U.S. interests across the region \u2013 is evidence of the failure of this Administration\u2019s passive, accommodating approach to Iran and its terrorist proxies.\n\n\u201cAmerica\u2019s weakness and hesitation will not deter our adversaries. Withholding critical assistance from partners on the front lines will not defeat them.\n\n\u201cThis is true in Israel just as it is true in Ukraine. And there is no doubt that allies, partners, and adversaries in Asia and elsewhere are watching a tentative America pull its punches. They are questioning our resolve and our commitment to our friends.\n\n\u201cIf we are unwilling to change Iran\u2019s calculus and compel an end to attacks on American forces in Iraq and Syria, or international vessels on the high seas\u2026\n\n\u201cAnd if we\u2019re unwilling to stand with partners like Israel or Ukraine\u2026\n\n\u201cCan we be trusted to stand up to the PRC?\n\n\u201cTwenty-three years ago, a dangerous world struck America here at home. We must not wait for today\u2019s threats to do the same.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:46:43Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=EA9ED14F-022F-4DFB-B7F3-6D6B6E9DE895", "The Biden-Harris Economy Is Working Against Working Americans", "2024-09-11", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding the Biden-Harris economy:\n\n\u201cSince President Biden took office, consumer prices have increased more than 20 percent. That\u2019s the hard truth of the monthly inflation report. And it\u2019s worth remembering where it came from.\n\n\u201cVice President Harris has said, quote: \u2018We are very proud of Bidenomics.\u2019 Wells she should be!\n\n\u201cAfter all, it was the Vice President herself whose votes here in the Senate helped send our economy into an historic inflationary spiral.\n\n\u201cBack in March 2021, she cast the tie-breaking vote on the motion to proceed to the so-called American Rescue Plan Act. And in August 2022, she did the same for passage of the so-called Inflation Reduction Act.\n\n\u201cSure enough, the Vice President is rather proud of this record. The way she tells it, quote: \u2018through all our work, President Biden and I are building an economy that works for working people.\u2019\n\n\u201cBut does it really? If you ask some of the folks I talked to last month, you\u2019d likely hear a different story.\n\n\u201cTwo years on, high prices in the wake of the Inflation Reduction Act are still forcing working Americans to make tough choices. A mother in North Carolina told a reporter recently \u2018Sometimes I have to choose whether I'm going to pay the light bill\u2026or do I pay all the rent or buy food or not let my son do a sport?\u2019\n\n\u201cSurging prices are especially challenging for seniors on a fixed income.\n\n\u201cOne Pennsylvania retiree observed recently that she was \u2019down to eating ramen for lunch, which I never ate in my life until recently\u2026If it\u2019s not marked down, I just don\u2019t eat it. I haven\u2019t eaten beef since I don\u2019t know when. I can\u2019t afford it.\u2019\n\n\u201cThis is the economy that Vice President Harris has said is \u2018working for working people\u2019.\n\n\u201cThis is Bidenomics in action. Or perhaps it\u2019s time to give the economy the Vice President is so proud of a new name.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:46:43Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=7638D71A-BA2A-45E1-A0CA-DD2B39657127", "Senate Democrats Ready To Rubber Stamp  Biden-Harris Admin\u2019s Radical And Unqualified Nominees", "2024-09-10", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding judicial nominations:\n\n\u201cAs we reconvened this week, the Democratic Leader announced that the Senate would, in his words, \u2018continue confirming the Biden-Harris administration\u2019s well-qualified judges and nominees\u2019. Nearly all the way through the Administration\u2019s term, our colleagues would be right to wonder just what he means by \u2018well-qualified\u2019.\n\n\u201cThe Biden-Harris Administration described Julie Su as well-qualified to serve as Secretary of Labor after presiding over $30 billion in unemployment fraud in her home state of California.\n\n\u201cUndoubtedly, the White House also sold Rachael Rollins as well-qualified to serve as U.S. Attorney in her home state of Massachusetts, a position from which she resigned last year after she was caught attempting to influence an election and lying about it to investigators.\n\n\u201cSo it may be worth taking the term \u2018well-qualified\u2019 with a grain of salt. Even more so when you consider who\u2019s in the Administration\u2019s pipeline of upcoming nominees.\n\n\u201cThere are, of course, the ones about which the Senate has learned alarming and disqualifying details since we began our consideration, like:\n\n\u201cAdeel Mangi, whose associations with terrorist apologists and advocates for cop-killers seem only to have grown after the Judiciary Committee questioned him under oath\u2026\n\n\u201cOr Sparkle Sooknanan, who couldn\u2019t seem to give our colleagues on the Committee a straight answer about the nature of her involvement in advocacy for hedge funds\u2019 right to collect on Puerto Rican debts\u2026\n\n\u201cOr Embry Kidd, who misled the Committee about his record of letting sex offenders off easy.\n\n\u201cThere\u2019s the one so staggeringly unfit for life tenure on the federal bench that the Judiciary Committee rejected her nomination, itself: Sarah Netburn, whose political activism from the bench and failure to render timely decisions on the compensation claims of grieving 9/11 families cast doubt on both her ethics and professional competence.\n\n\u201cAnd there are the ones who, without a heavy dose of nepotism, wouldn\u2019t have seen the inside of a Senate hearing room, from Kevin Ritz to Carla Campbell to Julia Lipez.\n\n\u201cSo, Mr. President, the Democratic Leader will have to forgive some of us for not suspending our disbelief. I can assure our colleagues that Senate Republicans are no more inclined today than we were in July to rubber-stamp radicals for the federal bench.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:46:43Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=EE5DC28E-26CD-4023-96C0-8925E130DCD4", "Back to School For Campus Radicals, Student Loan Socialism", "2024-09-10", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding higher education:\n\n\u201cAs students head back to school, college campuses across the country are hoping this academic year begins more calmly than the last one ended.\n\n\u201cBack in May, the tantrums of campus radicals made some elite schools so inhospitable to learning \u2013 particularly for Jewish students \u2013 that administrators were driven to cancel commencement ceremonies.\n\n\u201cSince then, Columbia University\u2019s president has resigned, along with three deans who were put on notice for antisemitic comments made about a panel on Jewish life on campus back in May.\n\n\u201cThese are, of course, steps in the right direction for an Ivy League institution that professes a commitment to \u2018thoughtful, rigorous debate\u2019 and a campus culture \u2018free of bigotry, intimidation, and harassment\u2019. But Columbia and other universities have a great deal of work still to do to earn back the trust of students, parents, and alumni, alike.\n\n\u201cAnd other recent personnel decisions inspire less confidence. Remember, for example, the Columbia doctoral student who served as the unofficial spokesperson of the violent Hamasnik mob that forcefully occupied a campus building?\n\n\u201cIn between her studies of Marxist poetry, she demanded that campus officials provide the trespassers with food and water. Months later, she\u2019s now scheduled to teach a required course for undergraduates on nothing less than contemporary Western civilization!\n\n\u201cSo Mr. President, the decline in the Ivy League\u2019s academic rigor is well documented. But it would seem that at a bare minimum, its instructors ought to be able to distinguish between civilization and barbarism, and to act accordingly.\n\n\u201cA survey conducted over the summer by the Foundation for Individual Rights & Expression found that 72 percent of college students agreed that in at least rare circumstances, it could be acceptable for students to have an encampment as part of a campus protest. And more than one third agreed that it could be acceptable to deface school property.\n\n\u201cI have to wonder whether a survey of the parents of college students, or for that matter, the campus staff who clean up after their misbehavior, wouldn\u2019t paint a different picture.\n\n\u201cUnfortunately, what used to be a reliable path to the middle class appears to have turned into breeding ground for childish radicalism.\n\n\u201cFortunately, this radicalism may begin to face limits to its own upward mobility.\n\n\u201cEarlier this year, over a dozen federal judges described Columbia as \u2018an incubator of bigotry,\u2019 declared that they had \u2018lost confidence in Columbia as an institution of higher education,\u2019 and announced that they will not hire law clerks from Columbia Law School until it undertakes serious reforms.\n\n\u201cPredictably this news was met with howling from liberal busybodies. In fact\u2014get this\u2014a state prisoner even filed an ethics complaint against a number of the judges.\n\n\u201cApparently, the left would have the signs outside America\u2019s courthouses read, \u2018Hate must have a home here\u2019.\n\n\u201cFortunately, Chief Judge Richman of the Fifth Circuit wasn\u2019t having it. She observed in her opinion dismissing the complaint that \u2018judges \u2026 have discretion to refuse to hire law clerks who graduated from a university that does not foster what the judges believe to be important aspects of higher education, such as viewpoint diversity and tolerance of differing viewpoints.\u2019 Indeed.\n\n\u201cColumbia would do well to heed these judges\u2019 warning, and their colleagues on the bench would do well to heed their example.\n\n***\n\n\u201cMeanwhile, the Biden-Harris Administration hasn\u2019t skipped a beat in ensuring that taxpayer dollars go towards subsidizing the post-modern indoctrination on display in so many American college towns.\n\n\u201cOver the summer the Supreme Court upheld a stay on the Administration\u2019s SAVE plan.\n\n\u201cBut the Administration still won\u2019t take \u2018no\u2019 for an answer, pushing forward with yet another version of student loan socialism.\n\n\u201cLast week, the scheme hit another roadblock in federal court.\n\n\u201cRemember, the Penn-Wharton model has estimated that previous iterations of this scheme would have cost taxpayers tens of billions of dollars. Even left-leaning think tanks have criticized student loan socialism for the regressive nature of its beneficiaries.\n\n\u201cBut the Biden-Harris Administration, like the Marxists of Morningside Heights, keeps coming back for more.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:46:43Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=71648D9F-EF83-4687-9E6E-796C07C72A89", "McConnell: Kentucky State Work Period \u2018Particularly Valuable\u2019", "2024-09-09", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding the recent Kentucky state work period:\n\n\u201cI need to begin today by addressing the shooting that took place along I-75 in southeastern Kentucky this past weekend. My office is in close contact with local law enforcement as their search for the perpetrator continues.\n\n\u201cElaine and I are grateful for their swift efforts to protect the surrounding communities, and we\u2019re holding those who were injured in this senseless violence in our prayers.\n\n\u201cNow on an entirely different matter...\n\n***\n\n\u201cI\u2019d like to welcome everyone back from the August state work period. Hearing from the people we represent is what allows us to be effective here. So I know our colleagues will agree that the time we spent back home last month was particularly valuable.\n\n\u201cUnsurprisingly, the issues I heard about across Kentucky are familiar to millions of American families.\n\n\u201cIn Daviess County, I heard about how small family farms are struggling to stay afloat amid rising costs.\n\n\u201cOf course, historic inflation hasn\u2019t just hit our nation\u2019s growers and producers. From Pikeville to Hopkinsville, job creators and working families are bearing the brunt of the Biden-Harris Administration\u2019s reckless spending.\n\n\u201cI also heard from Kentucky farmers who are waiting for Congress to act on the Farm Bill \u2013 legislation for which the Democratic majority has yet to secure a single minute of floor time.\n\n\u201cIn my hometown of Louisville, I spoke with legislators about the regulatory costs that are crippling state leaders and Main Street alike. Today, navigating the maze of red tape from Washington nearly requires a black belt in bureaucratic politics.\n\n\u201cAnd finally, I heard from Kentucky\u2019s brave servicemembers as we celebrated the first newly renovated barracks facility to open at Fort Campbell.\n\n\u201cI was proud to work with Army leaders to modernize 11 barracks that have stood untouched for nearly half a century. In just one year, we accomplished what would have taken close to a decade to finish.\n\n\u201cAs I have said time and again, rebuilding American hard power starts here at home, in projects just like this, modernizing our capabilities, rebuilding the arsenal of democracy, and equipping America\u2019s servicemembers to keep us safe.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:46:43Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=BBB0DEB2-CF16-4A8A-9A2B-0A5110BEEF81", "Senate Returns To Glaring Unfinished Business On National Defense", "2024-09-09", "2024", "2024-09", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding national security priorities:\n\n\u201cThe challenges facing an American-led order and American interests around the world are no less serious, nor less connected, than they were the last time the Senate convened.\n\n\u201cLast week, Iran was expected to transfer ballistic missiles to Russia in a major expansion of its support for Putin\u2019s war in Ukraine. The PRC is ramping up its destabilizing provocations in the South China Sea. And Russia, for its part, continues to court the fealty of senior officials from a NATO ally, Hungary.\n\n\u201cAnd our adversaries\u2019 advances have been compounded by the West\u2019s own inaction, distraction, and astonishing lapses in moral clarity.\n\n\u201cIn recent days, the head of UNRWA, whose employees participated in the slaughter of Jews on October 7th, insisted that deserved criticism of his organization\u2019s complicity in terrorism was, itself, tantamount to \u2018a weapon\u2019 in the war.\n\n\u201cThe Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom\u2019s new government announced a suspension of some 30 licenses of military aid to Israel, just as the world\u2019s only Jewish state buried hostages \u2013 including a young American citizen \u2013 who were murdered in cold blood by Hamas.\n\n\u201cThis step \u2013 and calls for similar restrictions on our own assistance \u2013 validate the terrorists\u2019 strategy and broadcast the weakness of our resolve.\n\n\u201cAnd in a bizarre public message, even by its own standards, the Biden-Harris Administration urged the Houthi terrorists holding international commerce hostage in the Red Sea to think about the consequences of their blockade for the environment.\n\n\u201cNeedless to say, with August behind us, Congress\u2019 own unfinished business has become even more glaring.\n\n\u201cThe President\u2019s meager defense budget request was already an insufficient starting point for topline funding discussions when they began months ago.\n\n\u201cToday, constraints on Congress\u2019 ability to provide for the common defense are even more dangerous, and demands for parity with non-defense discretionary spending even more reckless.\n\n\u201cMeanwhile, continued failure to process the must-pass National Defense Authorization Act puts the lie to any suggestion that the Senate Democratic majority is focused on urgent business.\n\n\u201cThe authoritarians conspiring to supplant American-led peace and prosperity did not ease up while the Senate was in recess. Our adversaries are resolved to exploit American weakness and hesitation. And we\u2019ve given them quite enough.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:46:43Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=E3642224-8D89-44CA-9761-322497C2EAD9", "McConnell Celebrates Renovated Barracks at Fort Campbell", "2024-08-27", "2024", "2024-08", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "FORT CAMPBELL \u2014 U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered remarks today during the barracks ribbon-cutting ceremony at Fort Campbell. As a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, Senator McConnell advocated on behalf of Fort Campbell to secure federal resources in the Fiscal Year 2023 government funding bill. The Senator secured $135 million in federal funding to renovate near 50-year-old barracks.\n\n\u201cAs our nation\u2019s premier fighting force, the 101st deserves the best and finest facilities we can provide. I am proud to say that these new and improved barracks meet that mark. As a senior member on the Senate Appropriations Committee, I was proud to secure $135 million in funding for this project, helping accomplish in one year what was scheduled to take almost a decade to finish,\u201d said Senator McConnell. \u201cInvestments like these increase the lethality of our force and help make progress in reversing decades of decline in our defense. There\u2019s certainly more work to do to rebuild the arsenal of democracy, and I\u2019ll keep making the case for American strength every time I get the chance.\u201d\n\nL to R: Major General Brett G. Sylvia and Senator McConnell. US Army photo by SSG Kaden Pitt.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:41:32Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=37A9AB4F-197F-4E60-A2D6-93464832D26B", "Leader McConnell Statement On Iran-Backed Terrorism", "2024-08-25", "2024", "2024-08", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "LOUISVILLE, KY \u2013 U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) released the following statement today regarding Iran-backed terrorism:\n\n\u201cIran\u2019s violent influence is a cancer on the Middle East, from Yemen to Iraq to Syria to Gaza to Israel to Lebanon. Hizballah is the most malignant form of this cancer, and its leaders bear responsibility for perpetuating suffering in Lebanon, Syria, and Israel, alike.\n\n\u201cIran-backed terror yet again underscores America\u2019s urgent responsibility to expedite assistance to Israel, without caveat or micromanagement.\n\n\u201cIt is also time for all nations concerned about violence and instability in the Middle East to hold Iran to account. Until Tehran faces meaningful consequences, it is foolish to expect its deadly and destabilizing influence to subside.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:41:32Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/icymi-dr-rand-paul-sends-letter-to-tsa-requesting-information-related-to-allegations-of-improper-surveillance-of-americans/", "ICYMI: Dr. Rand Paul Sends Letter to TSA Requesting Information Related to Allegations of Improper Surveillance of Americans", "2024-08-22", "2024", "2024-08", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nAugust 22, 2024\n\nContact: Press_Paul@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4344\n\nICYMI: Dr. Rand Paul Sends Letter to TSA Requesting Information Related to Allegations of Improper Surveillance of Americans\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Yesterday, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY), Ranking Member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, sent a letter to Transportation Security Administration (TSA) Administrator David P. Pekoske requesting information related to the management of watchlists and screening procedures by TSA. This information is being requested in light of recent disclosures from whistleblowers, which raise serious concerns that mechanisms in the TSA Quiet Skies program may have been improperly employed to target individuals based on their political views and participation in constitutionally protected activities, rather than for legitimate security threats.\n\nAs Ranking Member Paul notes in the letter,\n\n\u201cAmong the troubling allegations is the claim that former U.S. Representative Tulsi Gabbard was subjected to heightened surveillance after she was added to the Quiet Skies list following her public criticism of the current administration. In an equally concerning case, a Federal Air Marshal disclosed that his wife was labeled a \u201cdomestic terrorist\u201d and subjected to Special Mission Coverage (SMC) after attending a political rally in Washington, D.C. The whistleblower disclosed that TSA inaccurately recorded his wife\u2014who has a documented mobility disability\u2014as having unlawfully entered the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. Despite her physical limitations making it impossible for her to engage in the alleged activities, and with no criminal charges against her, TSA has kept her on a watchlist for more than three years. To compound matters, TSA later assigned a Federal Air Marshal, who was diverted from a high-risk international mission, to monitor her on a flight, even though she was traveling with her husband, who is also a Federal Air Marshal.\u201d\n\n\u201cThese allegations echo concerns highlighted in a previous report by the Department of Homeland Security\u2019s Office of Inspector General (OIG), which identified critical deficiencies in TSA\u2019s management of the Quiet Skies program, including insufficient oversight and inadequate safeguards to protect against the misuse of passenger data. Taken together, these incidents seem to be part of a broader pattern in which TSA has repurposed Quiet Skies to surveil individuals based on their political activities, even when there is no evidence of wrongdoing.\u201d\n\nAs a result of these concerning allegations, Dr. Paul has requested TSA provide unredacted copies of all documents, guidelines, data, and internal communications related to the management of watchlists and screening procedures in the Quiet Skies program.\n\nDr. Paul\u2019s letter is supported by The Air Marshal National Council (AMNC) and Empower Oversight.\n\n\u201cThe Air Marshal National Council (AMNC) strongly supports Ranking Member Rand Paul\u2019s aggressive oversight and letter demanding answers from TSA Administrator Pekoske,\u201d said Sonya LaBosco, Executive Director of the AMNC. \u201cThe Quiet Skies surveillance program must end. Quiet Skies is ineffective, wasteful and does nothing to make us safer. We sincerely appreciate Senator Paul\u2019s tireless efforts and firmly believe that TSA must be held accountable for creating one of the largest domestic surveillance programs in American history.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe are grateful to Dr. Paul for taking seriously the protected disclosures from the Air Marshal whistleblowers we represent. Whistleblowers are key to spotting and reporting abuses in government, and the Quiet Skies surveillance of Tulsi Gabbard and others appear to be a gross waste of funds and abuse of authority. It\u2019s time for Congress and the Inspector General to get to the bottom of whether political retaliation played any role in adding Gabbard to the Quiet Skies list and ensure these abuses don\u2019t happen again.\u201d Said Tristan Leavitt, President, Empower Oversight\n\nYou can read the full letter HERE or below:\n\nDear Administrator Pekoske:\n\nAs the Ranking Member of the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, I write to request detailed information related to the management of watchlists and screening procedures by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). Recent disclosures from whistleblowers raise serious concerns that these mechanisms may have been improperly employed to target individuals based on their political views and participation in constitutionally protected activities, rather than legitimate security threats.\n\nAmong the troubling allegations is the claim that former U.S. Representative Tulsi Gabbard was subjected to heightened surveillance after she was added to the Quiet Skies list following her public criticism of the current administration. In an equally concerning case, a Federal Air Marshal disclosed that his wife was labeled a \u201cdomestic terrorist\u201d and subjected to Special Mission Coverage (SMC) after attending a political rally in Washington, D.C. The whistleblower disclosed that TSA inaccurately recorded his wife\u2014who has a documented mobility disability\u2014as having unlawfully entered the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. Despite her physical limitations making it impossible for her to engage in the alleged activities, and with no criminal charges against her, TSA has kept her on a watchlist for more than three years. To compound matters, TSA later assigned a Federal Air Marshal, who was diverted from a high-risk international mission, to monitor her on a flight, even though she was traveling with her husband, who is also a Federal Air Marshal.\n\nThese allegations echo concerns highlighted in a previous report by the Department of Homeland Security\u2019s Office of Inspector General (OIG), which identified critical deficiencies in TSA\u2019s management of the Quiet Skies program, including insufficient oversight and inadequate safeguards to protect against the misuse of passenger data. Taken together, these incidents seem to be part of a broader pattern in which TSA has repurposed Quiet Skies to surveil individuals based on their political activities, even when there is no evidence of wrongdoing.\n\nIn light of these serious concerns, I request the following information no later than 5:00 p.m. ET on September 4, 2024:\n\nUnredacted copies of all current guidelines, criteria, standard operating procedures (SOPs), and related documents governing the selection of individuals for TSA-managed lists and programs, including the Quiet Skies program, Silent Partner List, TSA Enhanced Screening List, and TSA Deny Boarding List, as well as any revisions or updates made since January 2021.\n\nUnredacted copies of all documentation and internal communications related to the process for determining whether an individual is designated as a \u201cdomestic terrorist\u201d or subjected to SMC under the Quiet Skies program or any other TSA-managed list, including those linked to individuals who were present in Washington, D.C., on or around January 6, 2021.\n\nUnredacted copies of records concerning criteria used to determine \u201chigh-risk indicators\u201d and \u201ctravel patterns\u201d that trigger inclusion on TSA-managed lists, including the Quiet Skies program, and related TSA tools such as \u201cthreat-based intelligence scenarios\u201d and \u201cuser-defined rules\u201d within the Automated Targeting System (ATS).\n\nUnredacted copies of all documentation, internal communications, and records related to the inclusion of former U.S. Representative Tulsi Gabbard in the Quiet Skies program, including the criteria used to justify her surveillance, the duration and scope of the surveillance, and any related approvals, reviews, or oversight activities.\n\nUnredacted copies of all documentation and communications concerning the wife of a Federal Air Marshal, who was designated as a \u201cdomestic terrorist\u201d and placed under SMC after attending a political rally on January 6, 2021, including records of any decisions to surveil her during subsequent air travel, particularly when she was accompanied by her husband, as well as any reviews, objections, investigations, or corrective actions related to her continued surveillance status.\n\nUnredacted copies of all documentation and internal communications related to the handling, distribution, and decision-making process for the list provided by TSA\u2019s Office of Intelligence and Analysis (OIA) to the Federal Air Marshal Service (FAMS) Incident Coordination Section (ICS), which covered individuals who flew into the Washington, D.C., area around January 6, 2021, including records related to decisions regarding the \u2014particularly those identified as potential protestors\u2014before the list was shared with FBI units, and the intended purpose of their screening, surveillance, or possible arrest and prosecution.\n\nComprehensive data related to the list provided by TSA\u2019s Office of Intelligence and Analysis (OIA) to the Federal Air Marshal Service (FAMS) Incident Coordination Section (ICS), which included individuals who flew into the Washington, D.C., area around January 6, 2021, including:\n\nthe total number of individuals included on this list;\n\nthe number of Federal Air Marshals included on this list;\n\nthe number of current or former members of Congress included on this list;\n\nthe number of individuals from the list who were subjected to SMC or other forms of surveillance;\n\nthe number of individuals from the list who were targeted for arrest or prosecution in connection with the January 6 events; and\n\nthe number of individuals from the list who are still under surveillance.\n\nUnredacted copies of all audits, evaluations, or reviews of the Quiet Skies program, Silent Partner List, TSA Enhanced Screening List, and other TSA-managed lists or programs conducted since January 2021, including documentation of findings, actions taken in response, and how these findings were addressed.\n\nUnredacted copies of any whistleblower complaints, associated investigations, and records of any disciplinary actions taken against TSA or FAMS personnel as a result of whistleblower disclosures.\n\nUnredacted copies of all records related to TSA\u2019s handling of whistleblower allegations concerning the misuse of aviation security programs or TSA-managed lists, including internal communications, investigations conducted, outcomes determined, and measures taken to protect whistleblowers from retaliation.\n\nUnredacted copies of detailed accounts of any incidents where TSA or FAMS resources were diverted from high-risk international missions or other critical tasks to conduct surveillance on individuals wrongfully classified as \u201cdomestic terrorists\u201d or subjected to Special Mission Coverage under TSA-managed lists.\n\nComprehensive data on the number of individuals placed on each TSA-managed list, including the Quiet Skies program, Silent Partner List, TSA Enhanced Screening List, and TSA Deny Boarding List, from January 2021 to the present, broken down by month and categorized by the reason for inclusion (e.g., high-risk indicator, travel pattern, etc.).\n\nComprehensive data on the number of individuals removed from each TSA-managed list, including the Quiet Skies program, Silent Partner List, TSA Enhanced Screening List, and TSA Deny Boarding List, from January 2021 to the present, broken down by month and categorized by the reason for removal (e.g., successful appeal, expiration of criteria, etc.).\n\nUnredacted copies of any documentation or communications discussing the potential or actual impact of TSA-managed lists on civil liberties, including any assessments or recommendations made by TSA, the DHS Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (CRCL), or external oversight bodies.\n\nThank you for your prompt attention to this matter.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:41:32Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=E0B053D3-F381-4ED8-A2E8-8CE56461587F", "McConnell Helps Secure More than $10 Million for Water Infrastructure Improvements in Hazard, Kentucky", "2024-08-21", "2024", "2024-08", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) announced today the City of Hazard will receive $10,675,000 for improvements to the Coal Fields Regional Industrial Park. This federal funding will help replace an existing water line from the Buckhorn water treatment plant, expanding water capacity for current occupants on site and for future development in the region.\n\nToday\u2019s federal grant is distributed through the U.S. Department of Commerce\u2019s Economic Development Administration (EDA) and funded by the Disaster Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2023. Senator McConnell, a senior member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, contacted the EDA in support of the City of Hazard\u2019s competitive federal grant application and advocated for EDA funding in the annual government funding bill.\n\n\u201cMany of my constituents in Hazard, Kentucky are still struggling to recover after the devastating floods that hit the region in 2022. I\u2019m grateful to see these federal funds help upgrade this essential service to the community and set the stage for future growth in the region. My top priority remains to help our state rebuild and ensure the people of Eastern Kentucky have what they need from the federal government,\u201d said Senator McConnell.\n\n\u201cToday stands as one of the most significant days in recent history for Perry County and Eastern Kentucky. The funding for the Buckhorn WTP Transmission Line represents not only a vital step toward resolving our ongoing water challenges but also a bold investment in the future of our region. This project is poised to drive economic growth and job creation, ensuring that our community thrives for generations to come,\u201d said Hazard Mayor Happy Mobelini. \u201cI want to express our deepest appreciation to Senator Mitch McConnell for his steadfast support and dedication to Hazard and Perry County. His efforts have been instrumental in bringing this project to fruition and in promoting the well-being of our citizens. This milestone is more than just an infrastructure achievement; it\u2019s a commitment to the long-term prosperity and sustainability of our community.\u201d\n\n\u201cToday marks a historic day for Perry County as we celebrate the EDA funding for the Buckhorn WTP Transmission Line. This is not just a step towards resolving our water challenges, but a leap forward in securing a brighter future for our community. This project will play a crucial role in ensuring reliable water access for our citizens while laying the groundwork for economic growth and job creation for the next century,\u201d said Perry County Judge Executive Scott Alexander. \u201cWe extend our deepest gratitude to Senator Mitch McConnell for his unwavering support in making this vision a reality. His commitment to Perry County is evident not only in this endeavor but in everything he does to champion our community. This is truly a transformative moment for Perry County and Eastern Kentucky, setting the stage for sustained prosperity and growth.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:41:32Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/dr-rand-paul-and-rep-andy-barr-urge-cms-to-reconsider-preliminary-noncompliance-finding-for-fleming-county-hospital/", "Dr. Rand Paul and Rep. Andy Barr Urge CMS to Reconsider Preliminary Noncompliance Finding for Fleming County Hospital", "2024-08-21", "2024", "2024-08", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nAugust 21, 2024\n\nContact: Press_Paul@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4344\n\nDr. Rand Paul and Rep. Andy Barr Urge CMS to Reconsider Preliminary Noncompliance Finding for Fleming County Hospital\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2014 Today, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) and Congressman Andy Barr (R-KY-06) announced that they jointly sent a letter to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), expressing strong concerns over a preliminary noncompliance finding issued to Fleming County Hospital during its recent re-certification as a critical access hospital (CAH).\n\nIn a letter dated June 24, 2024, CMS cited Fleming County Hospital for failing to meet distance requirements based on a Google Maps assessment of its proximity to Meadowview Regional Medical Center in Maysville, KY. According to CMS, the hospital is 17.8 miles from Meadowview Regional Medical Center, with 13.9 miles of the route on secondary roads and 3.9 miles on primary roads. However, this assessment does not fully account for critical local factors that influence the actual travel distance and the routes most expediently used by residents.\n\nDr. Paul and Rep. Barr voiced their concerns, stating, \u201cWe urge CMS to reconsider its preliminary finding, taking into account real-world conditions and the vital role Fleming County Hospital plays in delivering essential healthcare services to our rural communities. It is crucial that this decision reflects the actual needs of our constituents and does not jeopardize their access to care.\u201d\n\nFleming County Judge Executive John Sims underscored the importance of the hospital\u2019s designation, saying, \u201cThe critical access hospital (CAH) designation for Fleming County Hospital is essential for ensuring that our residents have access to quality healthcare in a convenient location. A failure to re-certify the hospital as a CAH would significantly increase financial uncertainty and hinder our community\u2019s ability to receive the local, quality care they deserve.\u201d\n\nJoe Koch, CEO and Market President of Fleming County Hospital, added, \u201cFleming County Hospital\u2019s critical access hospital (CAH) designation has enabled us to continue to provide and expand access to healthcare services for our rural, underserved communities. Based on the statutory and regulatory requirements and the fact that the law and circumstances have not changed since the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) approved Fleming County Hospital\u2019s application for CAH status in 2019, CMS should find that the hospital continues to meet the requirements for CAH designation during the recent re-certification process.\u201d\n\nThe lawmakers emphasized the necessity for CMS to thoroughly review all relevant information provided by Fleming County Hospital, including detailed local maps and data, before reaching a final decision. They urged CMS to fully consider the hospital\u2019s significant role in serving the healthcare needs of Fleming County and the surrounding areas.\n\nClick HERE to read the letter from the lawmakers.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:41:32Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=22B30F06-C292-4CBE-9399-40259D0B3A72", "ICYMI: McConnell Addresses U.S. Global Leadership Coalition", "2024-08-15", "2024", "2024-08", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "LOUISVILLE, KY \u2013 U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) addressed the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition (USGLC) today during USGLC\u2019s South Summit in Louisville, Kentucky. Audio download here and remarks follow as prepared for delivery:\n\n\u201cNext month will mark 85 years since Germany\u2019s invasion of Poland triggered the largest and bloodiest conflict in human history. But years before American G.I.s would set foot on European soil, we faced a moment of national reckoning here at home over America\u2019s role in that conflict \u2013 and, as it turns out, over our leadership in the world.\n\n\u201cLarge shares of the American people had bought into a narrow view of our interests beyond our shores. The dark days of the Depression and the First World War weighed heavy on them. They had elected representatives to Congress who voted consistently against investment in our own defense.\n\n\u201cThe isolationist fervor gripping the nation was so strong, in fact, that President Roosevelt had been compelled to sign a series of \u2018Neutrality Acts\u2019 limiting our ability to come to the aid of friends and allies facing the specter of Nazi and Japanese aggression. But no ocean could isolate America from the winds of war. And with the benefit of hindsight, we all know how abruptly this holiday from history came to an end.\n\n\u201cBy the late spring of 1940, as the Nazis invaded France, polls reported that after years of hesitance and skepticism the vast majority of Americans were suddenly willing to spend whatever was necessary on the national defense!\n\n\u201cBy the time Japan attacked Pearl Harbor the following year, even one of the most prominent opponents of American engagement, Senator Arthur Vandenberg, declared, \u2018that day ended isolationism for any realist. But years of resistance to investments in our military had already taken their toll.\u2019\n\n\u201cEven as Congress raced to pass massive appropriations \u2013 above and beyond what FDR requested \u2013 America\u2019s industrial base couldn\u2019t keep up. Years of neglect had left us short of raw materials, machinery, and manpower. As the Navy\u2019s top Admiral at the time put it, \u2018Dollars cannot buy yesterday.\u2019\n\n\u201cAmerica faced a world on fire, but we were not yet prepared to put it out. War revealed the truly dire consequences of investing in defense too late. These consequences can be measured in dollars, such as the 37% of our gross domestic product we spent on the military during World War II. But we must not forget the costs are measured in lives as well.\n\n\u201cOver 400,000 servicemembers gave their lives to defend our country and way of life during that war, and countless civilians across Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. The American homeland was largely spared, but technology has shrunk the globe, and future conflict could very well bring such terrible costs to our own shores.\n\n\u201cWorld War II\u2019s end ushered in a new era for American foreign policy. Though great debates over America\u2019s role in the world would chug on, the century was marked for the most part by a strong, bipartisan commitment to global leadership \u2013 leadership that has ensured our peace, prosperity, and security ever since.\n\n\u201cAmerica became a guarantor of stability provided by an American-established international order. Our global role continues to preserve our peace and prosperity to this day, sometimes in ways not so obvious.\n\n\u201cHere in Kentucky, supply chains are living, breathing proof of American leadership in the world. Rural bourbon producers reach buyers from Madrid to Melbourne. Steel mills supply manufacturers of surgical tools, skyscrapers, and spacecrafts. And Ford and Toyota rely on imported parts at production plants in Louisville and Georgetown. We often forget that Toyota itself is a Japanese company that has invested billions of dollars into our economy, providing nearly 10,000 jobs in central Kentucky.\n\n\u201cAll of this runs on the premise of a set of rules \u2013 rules underpinned by American leadership that guarantee secure and sustained access to global markets and freedom of navigation of strategic sea lanes and trade routes.\n\n\u201cWe don\u2019t have to look back far to understand the importance of the free flow of goods and people. COVID-19 ground production to a halt all across the South. Among many things, it dislodged our supply chains, causing years-long backlogs for the parts, supplies, and raw materials that feed our economy and create jobs.\n\n\u201cAs costly and painful as the pandemic was, global war would strain our world, our economy, and the American household in much worse ways. But here\u2019s the big difference, these risks are within our means to control.\n\n\u201cThat\u2019s because when America upholds the rules, we set the table for our own prosperity. President Reagan saw this plainly. He understood what it took to defend our interests. What it took was \u2018peace through strength\u2019 \u2013 the idea that hard power is what actually preserves peace and prevents war. When Reagan sat down across from Gorbachev, American strength helped his hand diplomatically and strategically. Credible hard power gave soft power its weight.\n\n\u201cNow, for the first time since the fall of the Berlin Wall, we ourselves face an era of great power competition. A new axis of evil has formed. We\u2019re seeing Iran and North Korea arming Russia\u2019s war in Ukraine. China helping Iran skirt international sanctions to fund its assault on Israel. We\u2019re\n\nseeing a \u2018friendship without limits\u2019 between Moscow and Beijing. And China arming itself at an alarming rate.\n\n\u201cOur enemies are surely working to undercut our influence around the world, but here at home we\u2019re undercutting American strength just the same.\n\n\u201cFor four straight years, President Biden has put forward a budget that amounts to a net cut in defense after inflation. In the 1940s, the belated defense spending I discussed earlier spiked to 37% of GDP. During the Reagan buildup that helped end the Cold War it hit only 6% of GDP. Today, defense spending sits at 2.7% of GDP. And even maintaining this level is like pulling teeth with too many of my colleagues in Washington. But the bottom line is clear: we cannot expect China, Russia, and Iran to play by the rules if we\u2019re not willing to lead with strength.\n\n\u201cIn fact, our adversaries are determined to undermine American leadership, to re-write these rules. And there is no question that if they succeed it will be to America\u2019s disadvantage.\n\n\u201cSome in Congress are waking up to the importance of a strong defense. Earlier this year, a bipartisan majority passed supplemental funding to rebuild the arsenal of democracy and assist our friends on the frontlines in Ukraine, Israel, and the Indo-Pacific. But, as I have said before, strength is not a one-time injection. It\u2019s the product of sustained, serious investment. And this moment requires a renaissance of investment in American hard power.\n\n\u201cIf we would like for military force to remain an option of last resort, as I do, then we must invest seriously in our strength today. Now, I know it\u2019s a difficult time to ask for greater spending as Americans carry the burden of inflation. But putting off this investment any longer will expose Americans to an even greater burden, the burden of funding an unwelcome war.\n\n\u201cThe fact remains that it\u2019s a lot cheaper to prevent a war than to be in one. It can be easy to turn inwards, to ignore the responsibilities of leadership that have underpinned our peace, prosperity, and security.\n\n\u201cTo those who criticize greater investment in our defense, I would pose the following question: Which of these interests are you willing to abandon? We can\u2019t afford to wait for another attack before we get serious about defending our interests. We must do what we can today, to keep the peace tomorrow.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:41:32Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=21D7BCE4-BE17-48A1-A69E-B9628B6CCF5D", "McConnell Named 2024 \u201cHero of Main Street\u201d", "2024-08-12", "2024", "2024-08", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) was recognized as a 2024 \u201cHero of Main Street\u201d by the National Retail Federation (NRF) for his work to help advance public policy that encourages a vibrant and healthy retail sector. Senator McConnell was presented the award by Scott Vinson, VP of Government Affairs at NRF, and Dana Midkiff, Owner of Pink Door Wreaths in Shepherdsville, Kentucky.\n\nL to R: Scott Vinson, Senator McConnell, and Dana Midkiff.\n\n\u201cAs Senate Republican Leader, I\u2019ve been proud to champion Kentucky\u2019s small businesses in Washington, advancing legislation at the federal level that empowers Main Street and stimulates our economy,\u201d said Senator McConnell. \u201cIt was great to welcome Kentuckian Dana Midkiff to the U.S. Capitol and to thank her for her commitment to helping small businesses across the Commonwealth.\u201d\n\n\u201cAs a Kentucky small business owner, it was an honor to visit with Senator McConnell and present him with the \u2018Hero of Main Street\u2019 award,\u201d said Dana Midkiff, Owner of Pink Door Wreaths. \u201cI appreciate that Senator McConnell is focused on helping Kentucky\u2019s small businesses thrive, and we thank him for his continued support.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe retail industry directly impacts every congressional district in the United States, providing goods, services and American jobs,\u201d NRF Executive Vice President of Government Relations David French said. \u201cNRF is honored to recognize Senator McConnell as a \u2018Hero of Main Street\u2019 for his continued support of the retail industry through legislative action and leadership.\u201d\n\nThe \u201cHero of Main Street\u201d award was created by NRF in 2013 to recognize a bipartisan group of lawmakers for their support of the retail industry\u2019s public policy priorities. Award eligibility is based on key votes, bill sponsorship and advocacy to advance the industry\u2019s priorities.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:41:32Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/paul-bennet-tillis-sinema-and-15-senators-call-on-fda-to-rely-on-scientific-evidence-for-mdma-assisted-therapy-to-treat-post-traumatic-stress-disorder/", "Paul, Bennet, Tillis, Sinema, and 15 Senators Call on FDA to Rely on Scientific Evidence for MDMA-Assisted Therapy to Treat Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder", "2024-08-06", "2024", "2024-08", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nAugust 6, 2024\n\nContact: Press_Paul@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4344\n\nPaul, Bennet, Tillis, Sinema, and 15 Senators Call on FDA to Rely on Scientific Evidence for MDMA-Assisted Therapy to Treat Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senators Rand Paul (R-KY), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ), alongside 15 of their Senate colleagues, urged U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Commissioner Robert Califf to remain firmly anchored in scientific evidence and data as the FDA considers approval of MDMA-Assisted Therapy (MDMA-AT) to treat Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). MDMA-AT could help address the mental and behavioral crisis, especially among American veterans.\n\n\u201cExisting treatments and medicines for PTSD, the last of which FDA approved nearly 25 years ago, have not decreased the frequency of suicide within the veteran community. As a nation, we cannot allow our veterans to continue to suffer in silence and must identify treatments proven to drastically decrease the adverse effects of PTSD,\u201d wrote Paul, Bennet, Tillis, and Sinema.\n\nEvery year, 6,000 U.S. veterans die by suicide \u2013 and untreated mental health challenges, including PTSD, put veterans at heightened risk of homelessness, addiction, and depression. Breakthrough therapies and scientific advancements such as MDMA-AT offer new hope for those suffering from PTSD, but more research is needed to ensure these treatments are safe and effective.\n\n\u201cThe potential for groundbreaking advancements in PTSD treatment is within reach, and we owe it to our veterans and other affected populations to review these potentially transformative therapies based on robust clinical and scientific evidence,\u201d continue the senators. \u201cThe rigorous, evidence-based review process by the FDA will be critical in making informed decisions that could offer a new lease on life for many individuals, including veterans, affected by this condition.\u201d\n\nIn addition to Paul, Bennet, Tillis, and Sinema, U.S. Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), John Fetterman (D-PA), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), John Hickenlooper (D-CO), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Ben Ray Luj\u00e1n (D-NM), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeffrey Merkley (D-OR), Markwayne Mullin (R-OK), Gary Peters (D-MI), Peter Welch (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Ron Wyden (D-OR) also signed onto this letter.\n\nThe text of the letter is available HERE and below.\n\nDear Commissioner, Califf:\n\nWe write to you today regarding the U.S. Food and Drug Administration\u2019s (FDA) consideration of MDMA-Assisted Therapy (MDMA-AT) as a Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) treatment. Existing treatments and medicines for PTSD, the last of which FDA approved nearly 25 years ago, have not decreased the frequency of suicide within the veteran community. As a nation, we cannot allow our veterans to continue to suffer in silence and must identify treatments proven to drastically decrease the adverse effects of PTSD.\n\nUntreated PTSD can lead to negative consequences, such as homelessness, addiction, depression, and suicide. Our country has a severe veteran suicide and PTSD crisis where 6,000 veterans die by suicide each year, with over 150,000 suicides since 9/11. Advancements in scientific research offer new hope for those suffering from PTSD; MDMA-AT is one of the most promising and available options to provide reprieve for veterans\u2019 endless PTSD cycle, which the FDA recognized in 2017 when they designated MDMA-AT as a Breakthrough Therapy.\n\nSeven years have passed, and with several innovative therapies currently under review and more on the horizon, the FDA should remain firmly anchored in scientific evidence and data when evaluating new treatments. The potential for groundbreaking advancements in PTSD treatment is within reach, and we owe it to our veterans and other affected populations to review these potentially transformative therapies based on robust clinical and scientific evidence. The FDA is internationally recognized as the gold standard for drug safety and efficacy review, and we urge the Agency to continue upholding this rigorous standard of safety, quality, and effectiveness, especially for therapies targeting conditions like PTSD, which is alarmingly prevalent among our nation\u2019s veterans.\n\nGiven the substantial burden of PTSD and the current treatment limitations, the possibility of new, more effective therapies is particularly meaningful. One such promising therapy under consideration is MDMA-assisted therapy (MDMA-AT). If comprehensive evidence demonstrates that MDMA-AT is both effective and safe when administered in appropriate settings, it is our responsibility to ensure that this treatment option is made available to those who could benefit from it. The rigorous, evidence-based review process by the FDA will be critical in making informed decisions that could offer a new lease on life for many individuals, including veterans, affected by this condition.\n\nWe appreciate your consideration on this critical issue.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:41:32Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/dr-paul-sen-wyden-sen-lummis-introduce-bipartisan-bill-to-abolish-the-selective-service/", "Dr. Paul, Sen. Wyden, Sen. Lummis Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Abolish the Selective Service", "2024-08-05", "2024", "2024-08", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nAugust 2, 2024\n\nContact: Press_Paul@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4344\n\nDr. Paul, Sen. Wyden, Sen. Lummis Introduce Bipartisan Bill to Abolish the Selective Service\n\nWashington, D.C. \u2014 U.S. Senators Rand Paul (R-KY), Ron Wyden (D-OR), and Cynthia Lummis (R-WY), today introduced a bipartisan bill to end the Selective Service.\n\nThe Selective Service runs an annual budget of more than $31 million, preparing for a draft that has not occurred since 1973.\n\n\u201cIt has been over 50 years since the draft was last used,\u201d said Dr. Paul. \u201cI\u2019ve long stated that if a war is worth fighting, Congress will vote to declare it and people will volunteer. This outdated government program no longer serves a purpose and should be eliminated permanently.\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Selective Service is a long-outdated program that eats up millions of taxpayer dollars and gives us nothing in return,\u201d Wyden said. \u201cOur volunteer military forces are the strongest in the world, and there simply isn\u2019t a need to replicate the same draft that sent two million unwilling young men to war 50 years ago. This is a commonsense bill that brings our military into the twentieth century and keeps money in American wallets.\u201d\n\nThe bill is endorsed by the Center on Conscience and War, World Beyond War, RootsAction.org, Military Law Task Force of the National Lawyers Guild, Resisters.info, Friends Committee on National Legislation, Antiwar.com, International Peace Research Association, American Friends Service Committee, Mennonite Central Committee U.S., War Resisters League, Fellowship of Reconciliation, and Committee Opposed to Militarism and the Draft.\n\nThe text of the bill is here.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:41:32Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=EB986192-C733-4C89-AE23-53639B03F5A9", "McConnell, Cotton Statement on Revocation of Plea Deal for 9/11 Terrorists", "2024-08-03", "2024", "2024-08", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senate Republican Leader McConnell (R-KY) and U.S. Senator Tom Cotton (R-AR) released the following statement today regarding Secretary Austin\u2019s decision to revoke 9/11 terrorists\u2019 plea deal:\n\n\u201cWe are glad that Secretary Austin came to his senses, heeded our warning, and decided to take the concerns of 9/11 victims and families seriously.\n\n\u201cThe Biden-Harris Administration\u2019s consideration of a plea deal with terrorist mass murderers was disgraceful. America deserves a Commander-in-Chief committed to peace through strength, not chaos through weakness.\n\n\u201cThe President must know that we continue to watch this situation closely. The Justice for 9/11 Act is introduced, and if the Administration ever changes course, we stand ready to overturn any future cowardly plea deals with the murderous mastermind of that tragic day.\n\n\u201cThe United States of America must never flinch in holding terrorists accountable for their actions.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:41:32Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=0F369E6B-3E0C-42F6-9729-D60A9E7FD50D", "McConnell, Johnson Statement On Release Of Wrongfully Detained Americans", "2024-08-01", "2024", "2024-08", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. - Leader McConnell and Speaker Johnson released the following statement:\n\n\u201cThe release of innocent Americans and Russian political prisoners from wrongful detention is encouraging news. We eagerly await the return of Paul Whelan, Evan Gershkovich, Alsu Kurmasheva, and Vladimir Kara-Murza to their homes and loved ones and will continue pressing for all Americans to be released.\n\n\u201cTheir unjust captivity will be an enduring reminder of the Russian government\u2019s longstanding fear of free people and the free press. And the continued imprisonment of American citizens and innocent Russians is a damning indictment of Vladimir Putin\u2019s hostility to the United States and his disdain for the rule of law.\n\n\u201cWithout serious action to deter further hostage-taking by Russia, Iran, and other states hostile to the United States, the costs of hostage diplomacy will continue to rise. As we renew our call for the return of all persons wrongfully detained by the Kremlin, we recognize that trading hardened Russian criminals for innocent Americans does little to discourage Putin\u2019s reprehensible behavior.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:41:32Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=87E635F1-4BB0-4861-B604-C4D74534E24F", "Senate Democrats Choose Messaging Vote Over Regular Order", "2024-08-01", "2024", "2024-08", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding Senate Democrats\u2019 show vote summer:\n\n\u201cToday, as the Senate prepares to leave town for the August state work period, the Democratic Leader has decided to squeeze in one more vote that isn\u2019t ready for prime time.\n\n\u201cTo our colleagues on the Finance Committee \u2013 and to anyone paying attention in recent months \u2013 it\u2019s been clear that the \u2018Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act\u2019 that Chairman Wyden wrote with the House needed some serious revisions to earn 60 votes here in the Senate.\n\n\u201cWe don\u2019t need a vote today to tell us that\u2019s still the case.\n\n\u201cColleagues on this side of the aisle have serious unresolved concerns.\n\n\u201cThey don\u2019t like how more than ninety percent of the supposed benefits of the bill as written come as a $30-billion-dollar expansion of cash welfare instead of relief for working taxpayers.\n\n\u201cThey\u2019re concerned about how it would weaken the work requirements tied to those benefits under current law.\n\n\u201cFor a bill with the potential to so seriously impact working Americans, one might expect its proponents to engage seriously on resolving obstacles to bipartisan support. You might have expected the Chairman of the Finance Committee, or the Democratic Leader, to provide for regular order\u2026 To schedule a markup\u2026 To give this bill a shot of actually passing the Senate.\n\n\u201cBut, alas, you\u2019d be wrong.\n\n\u201cOf course, months without progress on this front aren\u2019t for lack of effort from Ranking Member Crapo, and I\u2019m grateful for his dedication to addressing Republican concerns.\n\n\u201cToday\u2019s vote doesn\u2019t seem to be intended to produce a legislative outcome. In fact, the Democratic Leader himself admitted this week that even losing the vote would still be a political benefit for vulnerable Senate Democrats running for re-election.\n\n\u201cWell, I\u2019m not so certain the American people are impressed by message votes. And I don\u2019t think they\u2019ll give out points for incomplete work.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:41:32Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=9310C311-5294-4B41-B690-0AC7AAFB1BB2", "McConnell: Senate Must Not Short-Change American Strength", "2024-08-01", "2024", "2024-08", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding defense appropriations:\n\n\u201cToday, the Appropriations Committee is considering defense funding for the coming year.\n\n\u201cFrom the outset, colleagues who take seriously our obligation to provide for the common defense knew that they had their work cut out for them.\n\n\u201cThis spring, the President sent them a fourth straight defense budget request that would cut funding for the national defense after inflation. That request was grossly insufficient when it went to print. And it\u2019s even more so today.\n\n\u201cThen, the summer brought our closest allies and partners here to Washington, underscoring the importance of American leadership by example.\n\n\u201cAnd just a few days ago, the final report of the Commission on the National Defense Strategy put an even finer point on the stakes of the growing and interconnected threats to our national security.\n\n\u201cAs I discussed earlier this week, the bipartisan expert panel behind the report delivered a grave warning. Here\u2019s more of what they said:\n\n\u201cThe U.S. military \u2018lacks both the capabilities and the capacity required to be confident it can deter and prevail in combat.\u2019\n\n\u201cThe American public have been \u2019inadequately informed by government leaders of the threats to U.S. interests\u2014including to people\u2019s everyday lives\u2014and what will be required to restore American global power and leadership.\u2019\n\n\u201cThey went on further. \u2018Very little progress will be possible without Congress, where a relatively small number of elected officials have imposed continual political gamesmanship over thoughtful and responsible legislating and oversight.\u2019\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s past time to prioritize our national security. This is totally obvious to all of us. This needs to begin.\n\n\u201cJust take the pacing threat from China, for example. Plenty of our colleagues on both sides of the aisle like to talk about outcompeting the PRC.\n\n\u201cBut not as many seem to recognize that winning this competition, preserving American primacy, and protecting America\u2019s interests are first and foremost about investing in hard power.\n\n\u201cAs the Commission put it, China has \u2018largely negated the U.S. military advantage in the Western Pacific through two decades of focused military investment. Without significant change by the United States, the balance of power will continue to shift in China\u2019s favor.\u2019\n\n\u201cBut the vast majority of supposed \u2018counter-China\u2019 policies that folks in Washington like to talk about won\u2019t do much to arrest this shift. And neither will pretending that the pacing threat is the only threat we face.\n\n\u201cIt is na\u00efve to believe we can ignore or assume away threats in other regions. Anyone who believes our security and prosperity don\u2019t require urgent investments in hard power, in alliances and partnerships, and in our defense industrial base\u2026 clearly doesn\u2019t know what time it is.\n\n\u201cI\u2019m grateful to my friend, Vice Chair Collins, and to colleagues on the committee who recognize the urgency of the task in front of us, for fighting hard to negate as much of the President\u2019s real-dollar cut to national defense as they could.\n\n\u201cThe bill in committee right now exceeds the President\u2019s request by nearly $19 billion dollars. This is less than the additional $25 billion authorized by the Armed Services Committee.\n\n\u201cSenate Democrats refused to spend more on defense without additional funding for non-defense discretionary programs.\n\n\u201cHowever, thanks to our colleagues\u2019 efforts, this bill secures crucial steps forward on a number of urgent priorities.\n\n\u201cThe bill includes the largest-ever appropriation for shipbuilding, with hundreds of millions in new resources for growing and retaining the critical shipbuilding industrial base.\n\n\u201cIt tackles maintenance backlogs head-on, and invests in enough spare components to bring 500 more aircraft to full readiness than the President\u2019s request accounts for.\n\n\u201cIt goes $3 billion dollars beyond his request for overdue investments in expanding the defense industrial base, and provides for modernizing ammunition and vehicle production facilities from Iowa and Missouri to Ohio and Tennessee.\n\n\u201cAnd it delivers important down payments on critical munitions \u2013 from the long-range and precision strike capabilities needed in the Indo-Pacific to the naval interceptors required to defend U.S. personnel and global commerce from terrorist attacks in the Red Sea.\n\n\u201cBut let\u2019s be absolutely clear: When it comes to rebuilding our stockpiles and preparing our armed forces to deter and defeat threats, there is much more work to be done.\n\n\u201cThere is no serious reading of post-World War II history that doesn\u2019t trace the preservation of Western peace or the growth of American prosperity to an order underpinned by American strength.\n\n\u201cThe U.S. military is the reason our neighbors back home sleep in peace. It\u2019s the reason our communities reap the benefits of global trade. It\u2019s the weight behind our leaders\u2019 words.\n\n\u201cWe cannot afford to short-change it. And I cannot make the stakes of the task before us any clearer.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:41:32Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=480079CC-8DC0-4045-B9E9-555050D3591D", "McConnell: After Catastrophic Failure At Border, VP Harris Wants A Promotion", "2024-07-31", "2024", "2024-07", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding the Biden-Harris border crisis:\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s been less than two weeks since President Biden\u2019s name was removed from the Democratic Party\u2019s ticket.\n\n\u201cI\u2019ve already spoken about how the effort to sideline Democrats\u2019 de-facto nominee robbed primary voters of their role in the electoral process. Now, as the dust settles, more and more Americans are realizing that this wasn\u2019t just a process foul \u2013 it was also a massive promotion for someone with a failing record in her current job.\n\n\u201cRemember, just two months into their term, the president tasked the vice president with getting to the bottom of the surging illegal immigration at the U.S.-Mexico border. He called her \u2018the most qualified person\u2019 to lead on this issue.\n\n\u201cSo, why don\u2019t we take a look at how she did? In the past three and a half years, the crisis at our southern border has made history.\n\n\u201cBorder Patrol agents have recorded over 9.9 million illegal encounters. We know that nearly 2 million more have gotten away. And the Administration\u2019s catch-and-release policies have let in over 3 million without any credible means of enforcing immigration law.\n\n\u201cWhat rapidly became a humanitarian crisis on Vice President Harris\u2019 watch is also a national security vulnerability of alarming proportions. Since October 2021, CBP have encountered 539 individuals on the terror watchlist along the southern border.\n\n\u201cThe failure is vast. The facts are shocking. The numbers are staggering.\n\n\u201cBut for too many American families, there\u2019s only one number that matters: the one empty chair at the dinner table. For some families, that chair is empty because an illegal immigrant killed their loved one. For many more, it\u2019s empty because Chinese manufacturers and Mexican cartels have exploited the chaos at the border and made fentanyl the leading cause of death for American adults.\n\n\u201cAnd yet, in the face of pain and suffering, the Administration\u2019s point person on the border has approached this crisis with profound unseriousness.\n\n\u201cIt took the Vice President months to get around to visiting the border. When asked why she hadn\u2019t made time to see the effects of the Administration\u2019s open-borders policies firsthand, she quipped that she hadn\u2019t been to Europe, either.\n\n\u201cSometimes, instead of deflection, she\u2019s employed outright denial.\n\n\u201cFor example, she said \u2018we have a secure border.\u2019\n\n\u201cAnother example, \u2018everything\u2026is going rather smoothly.\u2019\n\n\u201cOf course, years earlier, under an Administration that took border security seriously, then-Senator Harris found plenty of time to elaborate on her aversion to commonsense policy.\n\n\u201cIn 2017, when a federal judge blocked the previous administration\u2019s efforts to deny federal funding to sanctuary cities, she reacted with \u2018It\u2019s fantastic, I\u2019m jumping up and down. Put five exclamation points after what I said.\u2019\n\n\u201cDemocrats are poised to nominate someone with a long record of being dead-wrong on securing America\u2019s borders. So perhaps it\u2019s not surprising that their media allies are working overtime to absolve the Vice President of responsibility for the undeniable crisis that\u2019s unfolded on her watch.\n\n\u201cLast week, we read headlines like \u2018No, Kamala Harris is Not the \u2018Border Czar\u2019, and claims that \u2018the vice president\u2019s role was more limited.\u2019\n\n\u201cAfter the short hiatus of asking tough questions about President Biden\u2019s fitness for office, the legacy media are back in the business of papering over Democrats\u2019 vulnerabilities. Even if, in this case, it means blatantly gaslighting the public.\n\n\u201cBut at the end of the day, the American people know what neglect looks like. Families missing loved ones know what this sort of catastrophic failure feels like.\n\n\u201cAnd in November, I expect they\u2019ll have plenty to say about it.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:32:29Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=7A5AA8EA-4A14-4700-B682-BC95C589D04C", "Biden-Harris Admin. Judicial Wishlist: Marxism Apologists, Progressive Activists, And Nepotism Hires", "2024-07-31", "2024", "2024-07", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding judicial nominations:\n\n\u201cThe Senate is about to leave Washington for the August state work period. When we come back, Senate Democrats will face a daunting list of radical judges that the Biden-Harris Administration will want them to confirm.\n\n\u201cThere\u2019s Adeel Mangi and his record of bumping elbows with terrorist apologists and advocates for cop-killers.\n\n\u201cThere\u2019s Kevin Ritz and Karla Campbell, both the nepotistic beneficiaries of corrupt bargains between the Biden-Harris Administration and the judges they would replace.\n\n\u201cThere\u2019s Julia Lipez, another nepotism hire, who has distinguished herself in her leniency towards a parent who killed their baby with fentanyl.\n\n\u201cThere\u2019s Embry Kidd, who went soft on sex abusers and then misled the Judiciary Committee about it.\n\n\u201cThere\u2019s Ryan Park, the self-described \u2018tip of the spear\u2019 of progressive activism, who fought hard to let colleges discriminate illegally against Asian applicants.\n\n\u201cThere\u2019s Sparkle Sooknanan, whose nomination Congresswoman Velezquez called \u2018an insult to the people of Puerto Rico.\u2019\n\n\u201cAnd then there\u2019s Mustafa Kasubhai, who\u2019s advocated incorporating Marxist theory into property law.\n\n\u201cSo as our Democratic colleagues head out of town, I would suggest that they consider whether the radical goals of the Biden-Harris judicial project are worth it.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:32:29Z"], ["https://www.paul.senate.gov/dr-rand-paul-rep-hageman-and-rep-bishop-fight-to-protect-americans-first-amendment-rights-again/", "Dr. Rand Paul, Rep. Hageman and Rep. Bishop Fight to Protect Americans\u2019 First Amendment Rights Again", "2024-07-31", "2024", "2024-07", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Rand Paul", "P000603", "www.paul.senate.gov", "paul", "https://www.paul.senate.gov/news/", "scraper", "FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:\n\nJuly 31, 2024\n\nContact: Press_Paul@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343\n\nDr. Rand Paul, Rep. Hageman and Rep. Bishop Fight to Protect Americans\u2019 First Amendment Rights Again\n\nWASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 Yesterday, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY), Ranking Member of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, joined by Congresswoman Harriet Hageman (R-WY) and Congressman Dan Bishop (R-NC-08), introduced the Standing to Challenge Government Censorship Act. This bill will prohibit federal employees and contractors from using their positions to direct online platforms to censor First Amendment protected speech, reinforcing our collective commitment to safeguarding the constitutional rights of all American citizens. The Standing to Challenge Government Censorship Act is a streamlined iteration of the Free Speech Protection Act, tailored to address the standing issues highlighted in Murthy v. Missouri.\n\n\u201cAmericans are a free people, and we do not take infringements upon our liberties lightly. Our Founding Fathers enshrined the First Amendment to protect our God-given right to free expression, recognizing its fundamental importance to a free society,\u201d said Dr. Paul. \u201cWith the Standing to Challenge Government Censorship Act, we will strip away the barriers preventing judicial review of coercive government tactics that silence dissenting voices and ensure that no government official or contractor can undermine the First Amendment rights of Americans. We must confront and dismantle this censorship apparatus to protect our fundamental right to free speech.\u201d\n\n\u201cI have repeatedly said that the government cannot do by proxy what it is prohibited from doing directly. This is exactly what happened with the Biden Administration pressuring social media companies to suppress the free speech of American citizens. The Standing to Challenge Government Censorship Act will not only ensure future litigants would have standing, but also would also apply to the plaintiffs in Murthy,\u201dsaid Rep. Hageman.\u201cOur forefathers ratified the First Amendment recognizing that government actors would always seek to control public discourse in order to protect their own power structure. No one has a monopoly on truth, and the Biden administration and federal agencies are not entitled to declare that American\u2019s speech is \u2018mis-information,\u2019 \u2018dis-information,\u2019 or \u2018mal-information\u2019 and silence the message, especially when you consider how much accurate and truthful information was squelched during Covid-19 and the 2020 election. We will continue to fight to protect our First Amendment rights.\u201d\n\n\u201cAmericans have a God-given right to free expression, and the constant attacks on the First Amendment from government bureaucrats make safeguarding that right all the more important. Malicious actors within government should never be allowed to silence and censor Americans, and Americans targeted by the Censorship Industrial Complex deserve their day in court. This legislation will ensure just that by removing barriers for judicial review and cracking down on those who aim to trample on the First Amendment,\u201d said Rep. Bishop.\n\nThe bill would:\n\nEmpower individuals to sue government officials who coerce online platforms into censoring constitutionally protected speech.\n\nApply to past First Amendment violations and establish a presumption of liability for any government official attempting to pressure platforms into censorship, thereby overcoming the causality issue identified by the Supreme Court in Murthy.\n\nProvide a vital mechanism for all Americans to protect their constitutional rights and challenge government overreach. It ensures that government officials are held accountable for any attempts to infringe upon our fundamental right to free speech.\n\nAdditional support:\n\n\u201cIn the covid era, the federal government systematically suppressed legal online speech that contradicted its policy priorities, including criticism of covid misinformation spread by the government on topics like immunity, school closures, mask and covid vaccine effectiveness, vaccine injuries, and vaccine mandates. Given the recent failure of the Supreme Court to protect Americans against this threat to free speech rights, it is vital for Congress to act to secure the First Amendment. I am pleased that Sen. Paul has authored such a bill which will prohibit Federal employees and contractors from censoring legal speech. I encourage all law makers to support the bill,\u201d said Jay Bhatthacharya MD, PhD., Stanford University and plaintiff in Murthy v. Missouri.\n\n\u201cRights that cannot be vindicated in court are not rights at all. By closing the courthouse doors to Americans who are victimized by government censorship campaigns, Murthy invites the government to violate First Amendment rights at will\u2014so long as it does so indirectly, utilizing numerous government agencies, rather than directly or through a single agency. Murthy essentially gives the government a blueprint on how to censor American citizens. This legislation says, \u2018not so fast\u2019,\u201d said Bradley A. Smith, Chairman and Founder, Institute for Free Speech.\n\n\u201cAs we inch closer to a crucial election in November, Congress should act swiftly to stop government censorship by proxy and protect Americans\u2019 access to information. By restricting federal employees and contractors from encouraging platforms to suppress speech directly or indirectly, this bill is an important step in the right direction. Heritage Action applauds Sen. Paul for fighting government overreach and the weaponization of censorship on Big Tech platforms,\u201d said Ryan Walker, Executive Vice President, Heritage Action.\n\n\u201cLet the people sue government officials who are working on the taxpayer dime to censor everyday Americans. Senator Paul is valiantly defending our Constitutional free speech rights. This bill is a no-brainer,\u201d said L. Brent Bozell III, Founder and President, Media Research Center.\n\n\u201cSenator Rand Paul has introduced legislation allowing citizens to sue the federal government for censoring their speech, protecting First Amendment rights. For too long, federal entities have violated free speech using government power and funds. This bill ensures courts cannot dismiss these cases on standing grounds, preventing constitutional abuses. Senator Paul\u2019s initiative is a crucial step in safeguarding free speech, a cornerstone of our free society,\u201d said George Landrith, President, Frontiers of Freedom Institute.\n\n\u201cThe Supreme Court\u2019s failure to decide the Murthy v. Missouri case on the grounds that Missouri did not have standing in their attempt to protect their citizens against unconstitutional government censorship was a travesty. Senator Rand Paul\u2019s introduction of legislation to provide states standing to sue on censorship cases would provide perhaps the only vehicle for broadly protecting free speech rights from the federal government coercing and suggesting censorship via corporate social media proxies. Americans for Limited Government proudly supports the Rand Paul legislation,\u201d said Richard Manning, President, Americans for Limited Government.\n\n\u201cSenator Rand Paul has long been a champion of free speech and individual liberty, and this is on full display today with his legislation that will help preserve our freedoms that some in the federal government too often are trying to destroy,\u201d said Vance Ginn, President of Ginn Economic Consulting and Former Chief Economist of the White House\u2019s Office of Management and Budget.\n\n\u201cAs social media has grown to allow Americans more free and unfettered speech online, there have been highly motivated efforts by government officials to limit speech online using both direct and indirect forms of coercion. This is a direct challenge to the spirit and future strength of the First Amendment. The Consumer Choice Center strongly supports Sen. Paul\u2019s \u201cStanding to Challenge Government Censorship Act\u201d as a vehicle to end unconstitutional jawboning and hold public officials accountable when they aim to suppress public discourse and free expression online,\u201d said Yael Ossowski, Deputy Director, Consumer Choice Center.\n\n\u201cThe Standing to Challenge Government Censorship Act is a necessary corrective to the Supreme Court ruling that current law does not provide standing to victims of government-directed censorship to get their day in court. Congress should pass it quickly to allow citizens to appropriately defend their First Amendment rights,\u201d said Phil Kerpen, President, American Commitment.\n\n\u201cNo government should have the ability to control American free speech online or censor us from speaking. NetChoice applauds Sen. Paul for taking this important step to defend the First Amendment from government officials that abuse their power by trying to suppress open and free dialogue online. Sen. Paul\u2019s bill makes it clear that Americans have the right to challenge the government for jawboning in court. NetChoice looks forward to working with Sen. Paul and the U.S. Senate to get this issue right so that Americans and businesses are protected from government interference when exercising their constitutionally-protected speech,\u201d said Carl Szabo,Vice President & General Counsel, NetChoice.\n\n\u201cThe recent decision in Murthy v. Missouri seemed to give government officials free rein to push social media companies to censor speech they dislike. Sen. Paul is stepping up to fix this by ensuring citizens have standing to sue when they do this. Free speech makes a comeback,\u201d said Jim Hanson, Executive Director, America Matters.\n\nBackground:\n\nOn June 26, 2024, the Supreme Court ruled in Murthy v. Missouri, a landmark First Amendment case, that the plaintiffs did not have standing to seek an injunction against government officials who attempted to pressure platforms into censoring speech related to COVID-19. The court\u2019s decision hinged on the plaintiffs seeking an injunction against future censorship, rather than compensation for past violations of their First Amendment rights. However, the plaintiffs would not have been able to seek compensation, even if they wanted to, as the Supreme Court has consistently refused to acknowledge a cause of action allowing individuals to seek compensation from federal officials for past First Amendment violations.\n\nLike countless other Americans, Dr. Paul was also targeted by the pervasive censorship regime during the pandemic. In 2021, Dr. Paul posted a video on YouTube to educate the public about the potentially harmful consequences of relying on ineffective cloth masks to prevent the transmission of COVID-19. YouTube took down his video and suspended his account for a week. This blatant suppression of dissenting views led him to announce that he was quitting the platform and would henceforth post his content on Rumble.com.\n\nYou can read the bill HERE.\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:32:29Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=6161BFE3-5825-49CD-B6E7-313E3412F9E8", "McConnell, Cardin, Risch, Merkley, Young Call on State Department and USAID to Revitalize the U.S. Policy on Burma", "2024-07-30", "2024", "2024-07", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 This week, U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), along with Chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Ranking Member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Jim Risch (R-Idaho.), Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), and Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) sent a bipartisan letter to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Administrator Samantha Power urging them to develop a proactive policy on Burma given the rapidly evolving situation in the country\u2019s civil conflict, and to not cede U.S. leadership at this critical time.\n\n\u201cAs the risk rises of a prolonged stalemate in the conflict, resulting in a permanently fragmented state, it is imperative that the U.S. government has a comprehensive and forward leaning strategy on Burma. We urgently need a revitalized approach, which will better support resistance forces within the country who are courageously standing up to the brutality of the military junta,\u201d wrote the lawmakers.\n\n\u201cThe United States has stood with the Burmese people for decades against this oppressive military regime, and we must not cede U.S. leadership at this critical inflection point, but rather do everything in our power to support the hopes and aspirations of the people of Burma, from all of its diverse communities, for a democratic, peaceful, and prosperous future,\u201d continued the lawmakers.\n\nFull text of the letter is available here and below.\n\nDear Secretary Blinken and Administrator Power,\n\nWe are writing to express our concerns regarding what appears to be a failure to meet the moment regarding the evolving situation in Burma. As the risk rises of a prolonged stalemate in the conflict, resulting in a permanently fragmented state, it is imperative that the U.S. government has a comprehensive and forward leaning strategy on Burma. We urgently need a revitalized approach, which will better support resistance forces within the country who are courageously standing up to the brutality of the military junta.\n\nThe United States should reinvigorate its diplomacy to bring together and empower the pro-democracy groups and ethnic organizations who are crucial to forming a future democratic government with an inclusive, federalist framework in Burma. Our diplomatic efforts should involve close and continued engagement with traditional constituencies such as the National League for Democracy (NLD) and the National Unity Government (NUG), as well as ethnic organizations who have recently gained and are holding considerable swaths of territory across the country. While the People\u2019s Republic of China manipulates all sides of the conflict to advance its strategic interests and influence in the region, recent developments in Burma open up the possibility of creative multilateral diplomacy and coordination with ASEAN and key partners in the Indo-Pacific, including Thailand, Japan, and India. Multilateral support for the various resistance groups will be crucial in charting a course for a stable, democratic political future in Burma, and multilateral assistance with reconstruction and development efforts will be essential following the conflict. At the same time, the United States and international partners should continue to make clear to all armed actors that they must protect civilian populations and allow for unhindered humanitarian access, and that the United States will promote accountability for those who commit abuses.\n\nThe United States should also revisit the Burma sanctions regime and explore new accountability actions, including those that target the aviation fuel sector, to maintain pressure on the junta and deprive it of the financial, economic, and military resources it needs to continue its campaign of violence against the Burmese people. We applaud the success that has been achieved working with Singapore to constrain the flow of weapons to the regime and hope that a similar effort will be possible as financial flows move to other countries in the region, including Thailand and Vietnam.\n\nWe also have concerns over the State Department\u2019s and USAID\u2019s insufficient implementation, and unnecessarily narrow interpretation, of the non-lethal assistance provisions of the Burma Act. Resistance groups are facing relentless military attacks and indiscriminate bombings by junta forces. Providing these groups with non-lethal items such as medical equipment, body armor, early warning radar systems, drone jammers, and similar tools for use against the junta\u2019s ISR drones will give them additional protection from these regime attacks. The slow pace of implementation and unnecessarily narrow interpretation of the \u201cnon-lethal assistance\u201d authority provided by Congress have significantly hampered the U.S. government\u2019s efforts to provide timely and impactful support to resistance forces. It is our understanding that this stems from a policy decision not to provide these kinds of life-saving resources in spite of the authorities provided by Congress, and we urge you to reconsider this decision.\n\nWe reaffirm Congress\u2019 willingness to coordinate closely with you to find strategic and impactful ways to assist the Burmese people, avoid a protracted conflict that impacts the broader region, prevent entrenched PRC influence, and work in concert with partners and allies. The United States has stood with the Burmese people for decades against this oppressive military regime, and we must not cede U.S. leadership at this critical inflection point, but rather do everything in our power to support the hopes and aspirations of the people of Burma, from all of its diverse communities, for a democratic, peaceful, and prosperous future.\n\nThank you for your attention to this urgent matter.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:32:29Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=66F13789-E898-47AB-8F96-5C7684B20453", "McConnell: Democrats Choose Summer of Show Votes Over Urgent Business", "2024-07-30", "2024", "2024-07", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding Senate business:\n\n\u201cThe Senate is preparing to leave town for the August state work period. But there\u2019s no mistaking that our most important business here in Washington remains unfinished.\n\n\u201cLet\u2019s take a look at how the Senate has spent its summer so far.\n\n\u201cIn June, the Democratic Leader called up a series of show votes, spending precious floor time on what Senate Democrats seem to have thought would be political home-runs. Instead, they gave Republicans the opportunity to reiterate our support for Americans hoping to start families.\n\n\u201cIf June was the month of fear-mongering, July was the month of giving unqualified nominees lifetime promotions to the federal bench.\n\n\u201cTake Nancy Maldonado, unfortunately now a federal judge on the 7th Circuit. This is a judge infamous for letting her work pile up and blaming her clerks for her lack of time management. It\u2019s particularly ironic that Senate Democrats chose to procrastinate on their most urgent responsibilities by confirming a nominee with a nearly unparalleled record of judicial procrastination.\n\n\u201cCongress has real work in front of us. Some of which really should be behind us by now \u2013 from the National Defense Authorization Act to the Farm Bill to annual appropriations.\n\n\u201cOur colleagues on the Armed Services Committee reported the NDAA by an overwhelmingly bipartisan vote over a month ago. But so far, the Democratic Leader hasn\u2019t come close to putting this must-pass authorizing legislation right here on the floor.\n\n\u201cOf course, urgent national security priorities won\u2019t fund themselves, either. The Senate hasn\u2019t cleared a defense appropriations bill, or any other government funding, for that matter.\n\n\u201cWell, at least FY 25 appropriations have been written. The Farm Bill that\u2019s supposed to help America\u2019s growers and producers succeed doesn\u2019t even exist yet. Apparently, it\u2019s just a twinkle in Chair Stabenow\u2019s eye.\n\n\u201cMr. President, the American people sent us here to do a job. And a show-vote summer can\u2019t hide the fact that Senate Democrats\u2019 majority isn\u2019t earning its keep.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:32:29Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=88045DE6-42C9-44D6-9C9F-44E4F7B5B4CA", "McConnell Remarks On Socialist Maduro Regime\u2019s Repression In Venezuela", "2024-07-30", "2024", "2024-07", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding Venezuela:\n\n\u201cAs the Maduro regime continues its attempt to steal an election, the people of Venezuela are standing up \u2013 forcefully \u2013 against the predations of a hellish, socialist dictatorship.\n\n\u201cAcross the country, working Venezuelans are protesting in the streets. They\u2019ve torn down a statue of Maduro\u2019s socialist predecessor, Hugo Chavez. And in at least one instance, security forces have removed their uniforms and refused to use force against the demonstrators.\n\n\u201cThe people of Venezuela are putting up an inspired resistance. Unfortunately, they\u2019re up against an authoritarian who will stop at nothing to retain his grip on power. After all, Maduro has learned from the worst\u2014Moscow, Beijing, Tehran, Damascus, and Havana.\n\n\u201cAnd he has no shortage of useful idiots and fifth columns at his disposal.\n\n\u201cSome of the same corners of social media that defended Bashar Assad, spun conspiracies about Ukraine, and demonized Israel are now laughably accusing the CIA of masterminding Venezuela\u2019s unrest.\n\n\u201cMeanwhile, supposedly mainstream media here in America are already hard at work white-washing history.\n\n\u201cAccording to the New York Times, Venezuela\u2019s problem isn\u2019t the abject failure of socialism, but the incursion of a supposed \u2018brutal capitalism\u2019.\n\n\u201cGeorge Orwell would like a word.\n\n\u201cMr. President, the free world ought to have the courage to look evil in the face and call it what it is.\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:32:29Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=EED54A4A-B38F-4DA7-A4C6-15CFE9A73BF8", "McConnell Remarks On U.S. National Security Interests In The Indo-Pacific", "2024-07-30", "2024", "2024-07", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding national security priorities:\n\n\u201cI\u2019ve said frequently that the single most important, immediate objective for the free world right now is a Russian defeat in Ukraine.\n\n\u201cI mean that. But not just for its implications on trans-Atlantic security or our own economy. Not just because helping degrade a major adversary\u2019s military strength is in America\u2019s interests.\n\n\u201cNot just because the defense of Ukraine has ignited significant new investments in hard power here at home and among our European allies.\n\n\u201cCertainly not just because of what the outcome will say about how the free world values sovereignty.\n\n\u201cNo, the world we live in doesn\u2019t reward thinking compartmentally. Security threats don\u2019t exist in vacuums. Our credibility is not divisible.\n\n\u201cOur adversaries are working more closely together to undermine the American-led order. And allowing one threat to fester makes every other one a taller order.\n\n\u201cThis week, the final report of the independent, bipartisan Commission on the National Defense Strategy underscored this reality.\n\n\u201cQuote, \u2018[The] new alignment of nations opposed to U.S. interests creates a real risk, if not likelihood, that conflict anywhere could become a multi-theater or global war.\u2019\n\n\u201cA multi-theater war \u2013 the sort of conflict America is simply not prepared to fight. Too many in Washington seem to think America can just opt out of facing such a challenge.\n\n\u201cBut our enemies get a vote, too. And we owe it to our servicemembers and the American people to plan accordingly.\n\n\u201cAs the NDS Commission report lays out, we have a lot of work to do. And not much time to do it.\n\n\u201cThe PRC\u2019s military is already leaving little room for doubt about Beijing\u2019s willingness to use hard power to coerce its neighbors, and to test American power and Western resolve.\n\n\u201cLast month, the PRC\u2019s naval forces launched a violent confrontation in disputed waters that Beijing clearly hopes to turn into a Chinese lake.\n\n\u201cThe Philippines, America\u2019s longtime treaty ally, has maintained a lawful presence in an area just 100 miles off their coast known as the Second Thomas Shoal for decades. Its sailors peacefully man a grounded ship on the shoal, and they count on regular shipments of supplies.\n\n\u201cBut in recent months, these shipments have come under brazen attack.\n\n\u201cChinese forces have rammed Philippine resupply vessels, harassed them with water cannons, injured Philippine sailors, destroyed their navigation equipment, towed them out to sea, and left them for dead.\n\n\u201cThankfully, the most acute aggression appears to have subsided for the moment. But a fundamental reality remains:\n\n\u201cJust as Russia is using force to redraw European borders and reassert imperial ambitions\u2026\n\n\u201cJust as Iran is using force to sow chaos and threaten international shipping\u2026\n\n\u201cThe People\u2019s Republic of China is engaged in a concerted effort to expand its control over maritime commerce well beyond its borders and to build a pretext for wider conflict.\n\n\u201cAnd the first target of that conflict may well be America\u2019s longest-standing treaty ally in the Indo-Pacific.\n\n\u201cOur adversaries have struck up a \u2018no-limits\u2019 partnership. And the challenges they present us are as complex as they are urgent. We don\u2019t get to make neat, tidy, either-or choices about which threats deserve our attention. Not anymore.\n\n\u201cThe Senate was right to pass a national security supplemental to equip vulnerable partners with American weapons and invest in expanding our defense production capacity earlier this year.\n\n\u201cAnd the Biden Administration was right to start directing more rhetorical attention to the challenge facing our Philippine ally.\n\n\u201cBut to the extent that the Administration is serious about backing up its frequent assurances to the Philippines with actual support, it\u2019s high time to do more to help our allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific to reconfigure and strengthen their defenses against the PRC\u2019s maritime threat\u2026 And to clear bureaucratic barriers so security assistance programs can move at the speed of relevance.\n\n\u201cMost importantly, it\u2019s time for Congress and the Administration to take our shared responsibility to provide for the common defense seriously.\n\n\u201cSo I\u2019ll close today with another quote from the co-chairs of the bipartisan National Defense Strategy Commission.\n\n\u201cQuote: \u2019The Commission finds that the United States faces the most significant national security threats since the height of the Cold War, if not World War II. We are not prepared to meet those threats. The United States confronts the prospect of war against peer and near-peer adversaries simultaneously across multiple theaters \u2013 a war we could quite possibly lose.\u2019\u201d\n\n###", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:32:29Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=6701DB95-523D-43AF-A8F8-501B2E5C9489", "McConnell: Biden-Harris Admin. Failing To Change Adversaries\u2019 Calculus", "2024-07-29", "2024", "2024-07", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding national security priorities:\n\n\u201cThe partners, puppets, and proxies of America\u2019s biggest adversaries spent a busy weekend repressing and killing innocent people.\n\n\u201cOn Saturday, in the Golan Heights, Israeli Druze children were playing soccer when Hizballah launched a rocket made in Iran and killed twelve of them.\n\n\u201cAnd on Sunday, Venezuela\u2019s communist dictator hijacked an election, promising the suffering people of his country even more brutal days to come.\n\n\u201cWe live in a world where thuggish repression and terrorist violence are increasingly common. Tragically, the slaughter of innocent children by terrorists is not surprising.\n\n\u201cNeither, unfortunately, is a stooge of the world\u2019s most powerful authoritarians tightening his own chokehold on power.\n\n\u201cBut one thing doesn\u2019t ever get less shocking or alarming: the continued naivete with which our leaders respond.\n\n\u201cThe Secretary of State says the Biden-Harris Administration has, \u2018serious concerns that the result announced does not reflect the will or the votes of the Venezuelan people.\u2019\n\n\u201cWell, many of us have serious and longstanding concerns that the Administration does not know how to credibly change the calculus of America\u2019s adversaries.\n\n\u201cAutocrats don\u2019t care about disapproving looks from Western diplomats.\n\n\u201cDon\u2019t believe me? Ask the mullahs in Tehran how worried they were about stern condemnations of their ongoing nuclear enrichment efforts.\n\n\u201cWe certainly don\u2019t have to wonder whether promises of sanctions relief from Washington succeeded in convincing Nicolas Maduro to permit a free and fair election.\n\n\u201c\u2018Concern\u2019 is not a strategy. And speeches, for that matter, are not policy. Especially when they\u2019re not backed by facts and by force.\n\n\u201cLast week, President Biden tooted the horn of his own foreign policy and declared proudly that, \u2018the United States is not at war anywhere in the world.\u2019\n\n\u201cThis was news to American servicemembers deployed in harm\u2019s way.\n\n\u201cThe very next day, Iran-backed terrorists attacked U.S. personnel in Iraq and Syria. Again. For months, at his orders, U.S. Navy destroyers have expended more than $1 billion dollars in high-tech munitions to intercept the Houthis\u2019 Iran-made arsenal of missiles and drones\u2026 in exchange for no measurable increase in deterrence.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s well and good to insist that America is not at war. But a growing list of authoritarians, rogues, and strongmen are at war with us.\n\n\u201cThe President\u2019s failure to respond decisively to threats may have let him believe we\u2019re not at war. But the same failure has emboldened our adversaries.\n\n\u201cTime and again, the Biden-Harris Administration has limited support, agonized over perceived risks of escalation, and tried to micromanage the way our friends in Ukraine and Israel actually defend themselves.\n\n\u201cIn Secretary Blinken\u2019s first public comment after Hizballah\u2019s most recent strike, he insisted \u2018we don\u2019t want to see it spread.\u2019\n\n\u201cWell, neither did Israel on October 6th, before Hamas spread murderous violence into peaceful kibbutzes, in violation of a ceasefire agreement.\n\n\u201cAnd neither does Israel now, as its military continues to focus on finishing the job against Hamas and building the pressure necessary to secure a more stable peace.\n\n\u201cThere is simply no question that Iran and its proxies are the instigators and aggressors of this conflict.\n\n\u201cThey have planned and prepared this violence for years. And they will escalate, spread, and perpetuate it until it is no longer in their interests to do so.\n\n\u201cIf the so-called international community wants an end to the war in Gaza and the chaos in the region, they could do more than issue statements expressing concern about escalation.\n\n\u201cIt is past time for civilized countries to present Tehran with cold consequences. With heavy pressure on the leaders responsible for the campaign of death and destruction across the Middle East.\n\n\u201cInstead, Western leaders have repeatedly blamed the victim.\n\n\u201cThis is the message sent by Democrats who boycotted the joint address to Congress by the democratically-elected prime minister of Israel.\n\n\u201cThis is the message sent by their presumptive Presidential nominee who, instead of extending a hand of solidarity, pressured a friend and ally to cease military operations to defend itself.\n\n\u201cThis sort of pressure will please the American left.\n\n\u201cBut restraining Israel also pleases the butchers in Tehran.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:32:29Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=75644351-01D9-4899-83E2-8076AF201033", "Biden-Harris Admin. to Supreme Court: Drop Dead!", "2024-07-29", "2024", "2024-07", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) delivered the following remarks today on the Senate floor regarding the Supreme Court:\n\n\u201cThe Supreme Court is under attack. Prominent Democrats say that it must do what they want and not what the laws and Constitution require.\n\n\u201cThey\u2019ve incited violence against the Court. We\u2019ve had to put Justices under 24/7 police protection.\n\n\u201cEven so, a deranged young man is about to go on trial for trying to kill a Justice and his family while they slept in order to change the outcome of a case.\n\n\u201cIn polling last year, the Court was the branch of government with the highest level of trust from the public.\n\n\u201cBut that hasn\u2019t stopped Democrats from devoting the last eight years to an all-out campaign against the Court\u2019s legitimacy \u2013 and ultimately against its very existence.\n\n\u201cRadical liberals have called for court packing.\n\n\u201cInfluential members of this body, including the Senior Senator from Rhode Island and the Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, have threatened ominously that \u2018perhaps the Court can heal itself before the public demands it be \u2018restructured\u2019.\n\n\u201cThe Left wages daily warfare against the Justices\u2014 illegally picketing their neighborhoods with impunity, trying to harm their spouses\u2019 careers, and even spying on what kinds of flags they fly in their yards.\n\n\u201cToday, the Biden-Harris Administration \u2013 which desperately wants these radical votes \u2013 is once again jumping into the fray.\n\n\u201cAfter talking to a Harvard Law extremist\u2014who had helped then-Senator Biden stage-manage the character assassination of Robert Bork almost 40 years ago\u2014they\u2019ve decided that the time has come to eliminate the Supreme Court as we know it.\n\n\u201cIn his op-ed, the President says he wants term limits on Justices. Never mind what the Constitution says. Never mind the advice-and-consent role of the Senate. President Biden and his leftist allies don\u2019t like the current composition of the Court so they want to shred the Constitution to change it.\n\n\u201cHe wants what he calls an \u2018ethics code\u2019 \u2013 but that already exists. What the President is actually proposing is a stealth process for people other than Justices to decide cases. Again, Constitution-be-damned.\n\n\u201cThe fact is that President Biden himself came to office and stood up a commission to investigate whether to change the Supreme Court.\n\n\u201cThis morning, the President thanked this commission for its \u2018insightful analysis\u2019 that supposedly informed his reform proposals.\n\n\u201cNever mind that this commission\u2014co-chaired by one of his closest political confidantes\u2014didn\u2019t actually recommend that he do anything!\n\n\u201cOn the contrary it explained, in detail, the challenges posed by hairbrained ideas like term limits. As one of its members noted, quote: \u2018We ought to be really careful about tinkering with [the Supreme Court] because you just don\u2019t know what the consequences could be.\u2019\n\n\u201cWhy is the Biden-Harris Administration so willing to put the crown jewel of our system of government\u2014the independent judiciary\u2014to the torch? Because it stands in their way.\n\n\u201cDon\u2019t take my word for it, they\u2019re running ads about it!\n\n\u201cWith pictures of the Justices on screen, one commercial intones that the Supreme Court has made the President \u2018above the law\u2019 because the former President \u2018asked them to.\u2019\n\n\u201cWhat happened to respecting court decisions?\n\n\u201cThe Biden-Harris Justice Department took an extreme position in the prosecution of their electoral opponent. And they lost.\n\n\u201cRather than accepting that they lost, the Biden-Harris Administration has responded with a full-scale attack on the Justices who ruled against them.\n\n\u201cThis from the folks who love to remind us that \u2018You can\u2019t only love your country when you win.\u2019\n\n\u201cPerhaps the President and Vice President should take a good look in the mirror.\u201d", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-06T18:32:29Z"], ["https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases?ID=5AA78FD1-93C8-46E4-BF0D-7E7D6EC5B265", "McConnell: We Will Not Fund UNRWA", "2024-07-25", "2024", "2024-07", "Republican", "Senate", "KY", "Mitch McConnell", "M000355", "www.mcconnell.senate.gov", "mcconnell", "https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/pressreleases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 U.S. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) released the following statement today regarding FY 2025 appropriations for State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs:\n\n\u201cThe legislation reported favorably by the Appropriations Committee today is the product of diligent efforts by Vice Chair Collins and Ranking Member Graham to meet an increasingly dangerous world with necessary investments in American leadership and support to critical partners.\n\n\u201cJust as important is our colleagues\u2019 focus on the places SFOPS appropriations must not go. In both the national security supplemental and FY 2024 appropriations, Senate Republicans ensured that no taxpayer dollars would go to a corrupted international agency \u2013 the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) \u2013 whose staff aid and abet Iran-backed terror. More than a dozen UNRWA staff participated in the horrific attacks of October 7th, and many more have been traced to Hamas affiliations.\n\n\u201cIn the absence of substantive reforms at UNRWA, it is clear that the prohibitions protecting American taxpayers from underwriting terrorist savagery must be extended. Unfortunately, as demonstrated by a partisan amendment today, it is also clear that a number of Senate Democrats would rather weaken what must remain a bold red line of U.S. policy.\n\n\u201cHere are the facts: An extension of the prohibition on UNRWA funding received bipartisan support. It comports with the House\u2019s clear position and companion bill, which cannot be said of other provisions adopted today by the Committee. 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