Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) wheeled in the massive omnibus bill to mock the 4,155 page legislation that was made public this week.
QUICK FACTS:
- Senator Rand Paul wheeled in the 4,155 omnibus spending bill on a trolley during a press briefing Tuesday after the $1.7 trillion dollar legislation advanced in the Senate this week.
- Senator Paul, along with Senate Republicans Mike Braun (IN), Ron Johnson (WI), Mike Lee (UT), and Rick Scott (FL) highlighted the massive debt the bill would add and the speed in which it was produced.
- Posters on the trolley holding the bill read “1.7 Trillion of Hazardous Debt,” and “Beware debt hazard of 1.7 trillion added to the national debt.”
- “I brought with me the omni, 4,155 pages. When was it produced? In the dead of night. 1:30 in the morning it was released,” Sen. Paul said. “What is more dangerous to the country? $1.1 Trillion in new debt or as Republican leadership likes to say, “Oh, it is a win! It is a big win. We’re getting $45 billion for the military.”
- “So which is more important? Which threatens the country more? Are we at risk of being invaded by a foreign power if we don’t put $45 billion into the military? Are we more at risk by adding to a $31 trillion debt?” the senator asked.
SENATOR RAND PAUL ON THE ‘OMNIBUS’ SPENDING BILL:
“The American people don’t want this, they’re sick and tired of it,” Rand said. “They’re paying for it through the nose with inflation.”
BACKGROUND:
- Negotiators in Congress unveiled the funding bill Monday with the goal of passing the measure before temporary funding runs out at the end of the week.
- The bill includes a record $858 billion in military spending for the year and also includes $44.9 billion in emergency assistance to Ukraine and NATO allies.
- If the bill is not passed, it could result in a partial government shutdown beginning on Saturday, and potentially lead to a months-long standoff after Republicans take control of the House on January 3.
- “@HouseGOP to @SenateGOP: “…we are obliged to inform you that if any omnibus passes in the remaining days of this Congress, we will oppose and whip opposition to any legislative priority of those senators who vote for this bill – including the… leader.”#StandUpForAmerica,” Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) tweeted, including screenshots of a letter he and other GOP House members sent to the Senate explaining they would “whip opposition” to Senators who vote for the bill.
- Leaders in both the Senate and House of Representatives are trying to pass the bill and send it to President Biden in order to avoid any interruptions in government activities.
