Sen. Paul blocks $40B Ukraine aid package

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Sen. Paul blocks $40B Ukraine aid package

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., speaks during a Senate Foreign Relations committee hearing on the Fiscal Year 2023 Budget in Washington, Tuesday, April 26, 2022. (Al Drago/Pool Photo via AP)

OAN NEWSROOM

UPDATED 1:27 PM PT – Friday, May 13, 2022

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) has pumped the breaks on congressional leaders $40 billion rush to Ukraine. The Republican single-handedly blocked the quick passage of President Joe Biden's Ukraine aid package.

While speaking the Senate floor Thursday, the Kentuckian explained that the financial gifts to Ukraine are causing inflation and increasing national debt. He warned, they cannot save Ukraine by dooming the US economy.

"My oath of office is to the US Constitution, not to any foreign nation and no matter how sympathetic the cause," said Paul. "My oath of office is to to the national security of the United States of America. "

The House passed the $40 billion bill just hours after its official text was released. Paul noted, this is the second spending bill for Ukraine in two months, however, this version is much larger than the first. If this bill is passed, a US-Ukraine aid would reach $60 billion borrowed money.

"America can't afford to be the worlds policeman," said Paul. "The US is trying to recover from $1.6 trillion we spent on wars in the Middle East. Not to mention the $5 trillion borrowed from COVID. We should not forget the Soviet Union collapsed in large part...because it ran out of money."

My oath of office is to the U.S. Constitution, not to any foreign nation. Congress is trying yet again to ram through a spending bill – one that I doubt anyone has actually read – and there's no oversight included into how the money is being spent.

— Rand Paul (@RandPaul) May 13, 2022

He then suggested lawmakers install a special inspector general to oversee how the Ukraine military aid is spent.

"Congress should evaluate the cost of continuing down this path," Paul concluded. "The biggest threat to the United States is debt and inflation."

Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) will now take procedural steps in an attempt to overcome Paul's objection, which could take several days.

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Source: Sen. Paul blocks $40B Ukraine aid package