Title: Paul slams spending bill (STATUS QUO = FAILURE) Source:
The Hill URL Source:http://thehill.com/blogs/floor-acti ... 55268-paul-slams-spending-bill Published:Sep 29, 2015 Author:Jordain Carney Post Date:2015-09-29 19:27:52 by Hondo68 Keywords:Take a Stand, Waste Report, cocaine quail sex Views:980 Comments:8
Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) slammed his Republican colleagues over backing a short-term spending bill, calling Congress a "withering shadow" of what it once was.
"Congress is a withering shadow," the Kentucky Republican said. "It's a shadow of what it once was. Congress has no power, exerts no power, and we walk and we live in the shadow of a presidency that is growing larger and larger and larger."
Paul's remarks come as the Senate is expected to pass a short-term spending bill that includes money for Planned Parenthood ahead of an end-of-the-month deadline to fund the government and avoid a shutdown.
The Kentucky Republican, who is running for president, was one of 19 Republicans who voted against moving forward with the short-term continuing resolution (CR) during a procedural vote on Monday.
He added on Tuesday that the legislation is a "steaming pile of the same old same old. ... A warmed over version of yesterday's failures."
Paul isn't the only 2016 competitor unhappy with the Senate for taking up the short-term bill. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) railed against the spending bill on Monday evening, suggesting that if outgoing House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) had allowed it to move forward, he would have lost his job.
Boehner announced on Friday that he would step down at the end of October.
Paul added on Tuesday that the CR is an example of Congress's "failure to use our leverage, a failure to use the power of the purse. Conservatives across America are unhappy and rightly so."
Paul is a frequent critic of government spending, including releasing a "Waste Report" to highlight programs that he believes are a misuse of federal funds.
He suggested on Tuesday that instead of requiring 60 votes to "defund anything," lawmakers should instead set up a system where all spending automatically expires.
"This is the perfect time to turn the table," he said. "Now some will report on this speech and say, oh, he wants to shut down the government. No I don't. I just want to exert the power of the purse, and that means spending must expire. But I'm all for renewing the spending."
Cruz and Rubio were for increased spending and bigger government, before they were against it. After Rand Paul held their feet to the fire, Rafael Cruz changed his tune.
