On Thursday, Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) blocked a Ukraine financial-aid package totallying $40 billion from passing the Senate.
The package deal was being led by Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), and backed by Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY). Following Paul’s block, the financial package needs to go through several steps before being passed.
Rand Paul expressed his decision was based on his focus on doing what is best for American citizens, citing inflation and fiscal responsibility as primary factors.
Paul said, “Reserving the right to object, my oath of office is to the U.S. Constitution, not to any foreign nation. And no matter how sympathetic the cause, my oath of office is to the national security of the United States of America.”
Senator Paul also said, “We cannot save Ukraine by dooming the U.S. economy. Inflation doesn’t just come out of nowhere, it comes from deficit spending.”
He stated, “If this gift to Ukraine passes, our total aid to Ukraine will almost equal the entire military budget of Russia. And it’s not as if we have that money lying around, we will have to borrow that money from China to send it to Ukraine.”
