Blogs Rand Paul | United States Senator

24Oct 11

Lexington Herald Leader Op-Ed:Delay offered chance to improve pipeline bill

The Herald-Leader editorial criticized me for delaying the passage of a pipeline regulatory bill in the U.S. Senate. If the editorial board had contacted my office, its members would have learned why I held the bill and about an important lesson this bill can teach us about why government hasn't been working.

4Oct 11

Louisville Courier-Journal Op-Ed: Emergency bridge funds

Our nation's bridges are aging, crumbling and even sometimes falling down. Once again, the problem isn't a lack of money; it's that too often government doesn't work.

21Sep 11

National Review Op-Ed: Poverty Is Not a ‘Death Sentence’

Sen. Bernie Sanders, a self-described socialist and chairman of a subcommittee on which I am the ranking minority member, called a hearing this week titled, "Is Poverty a Death Sentence." My answer was a resounding "No."

1Sep 11

Washington Times Op-Ed: EPA regulations violate constitutional rights

Since its creation in 1970, the Environmental Protection Agency has done more harm than good. EPA regulations cost more than 5 percent of our annual gross domestic product - the equivalent of the costs of defense and homeland security combined. Since EPA regulations have expanded, unemployment in America has increased by 33 percent. This abuse of power by the implementation of regulations infringes upon our basic constitutional rights.

7Jul 11

Roll Call Op-Ed: Senate Leadership Must Focus on Debt Ceiling

At the demand of Senate Republicans, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) canceled the scheduled Independence Day recess to address the impending debt crisis that is threatening the future of our economy.

5Jul 11

New York Times Op-Ed: Let’s Not Linger in Afghanistan

LAST month President Obama announced plans for withdrawing by next summer the approximately 30,000 American troops sent to Afghanistan as part of the 2009 surge.

22Jun 11

The American Spectator Op-Ed: What's Another $2.4 Trillion?

Our national debt currently hovers at $14,352,045,270,245.76. Yet instead of working to decrease this exorbitant sum, many of my congressional colleagues are suggesting we raise our debt limit, inevitably encouraging the accumulation of more debt and borrowing that money on the backs of our children and grandchildren. Clearly, our government's approach to spending is completely out of control, and as citizens it is our responsibility to hold it accountable. The government does not need more money -- in fact, we need to give it less, and ensure that the borrowing does not continue.

16Jun 11

Washington Times Op-Ed: Obama's Unconstitutional Libyan war

President Obama's decision to involve U.S. military forces in an unconstitutional, unexplained mission in Libya has left many Americans seeking answers and action from Congress. Why has Mr. Obama ignored the public and congressional questions regarding his actions? Why did he thrust our American soldiers into this battle without the consent of Congress? While Senate Democratic leadership has so far not acted, these are questions that the House of Representatives is attempting to have answered.

7Jun 11

Calls for Hearing on Suspected Terrorists

I held a press conference to congratulate the Federal Bureau of Investigation and Bowling Green law enforcement in their recent apprehension of potential terrorists in our own backyard.

1Jun 11

Louisville Courier-Journal OP-ED: Rand Paul explains his position on Patriot Act

In the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, Americans were justifiably angry, afraid and eager to catch and punish the terrorists who attacked us. I, like most Americans, demanded justice.

18May 11

Continued push for bold action on the budget

This week I continued to push for bold action that would rein in out-of-control federal spending like the five-year budget solution I introduced in March.

6May 11

Senate Republican Jobs Plan

The official Senate Republican Jobs Plan was introduced this week, a blueprint developed to create private-sector growth and strengthen the economy. One of the provisions in the plan calls for passage of the Regulations from the Executive in Need of Scrutiny Act, or REINS Act, which I originally introduced in the Senate and also introduced by fellow Kentuckian Congressman Geoff Davis in the House of Representatives earlier this year.

14Apr 11

Taking the Lead on Social Security Reform

This week, I along with Sens. Mike Lee (Utah), Lindsay Graham (SC), unveiled our plan to fully fix Social Security. Our plan, the Social Security Solvency and Sustainability Act, achieves sustainable solvency for the Social Security system without any tax increases.

12Apr 11

Last Week's Budget Showdown

The showdown that could have led to a shutdown gripped the Beltway's attention, and many everyday Americans became even more disenchanted with Congress as they feared what a shutdown would mean to them. In the midst of all the angst, I introduced the Government Shutdown Prevention Act of 2011 to address the issues that may occur during a federal government shutdown.

6Apr 11

Libya and Presidential War Powers

The Senate chose not to vote on the sense of the Senate resolution I introduced the previous week, that quotes then-Senator and presidential candidate Barack Obama's own words from 2007.

1Apr 11

The Situation in Libya

The other major issue right now is the situation in Libya. The President has committed the U.S. military to intervene in a foreign civil war without consulting Congress or obtaining Congressional authority as mandated by the U.S. Constitution. This prompted me to make this video in response to President Obama's speech giving his justification for using military action in Libya.

1Apr 11

The Continuing Budget Battle

Congress has yet to come up with a budget plan that truly addresses the serious fiscal crisis we are facing, so I will continue to push for decisive action to restrain federal spending like the budget solution I introduced last month along with Sens. Lee and DeMint.

28Mar 11

Paul: New Health Care Law Is Dangerous (Originaly appeared in Roll Call Newspaper March 25, 2011)

President Barack Obama's national health care scheme - Obamacare - became law one year ago last week, and if it is allowed to stand, it poses a danger to the health, freedom and economic well-being of all Americans.

8Feb 11

A Modest $500 Billion Proposal (Originally appeared in the Wall Street Journal February 7, 2011)

After Republicans swept into office in 1994, Bill Clinton famously said in his State of the Union address that the era of big government was over. Nearly $10 trillion of federal debt later, the era of big government is at its zenith.

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