Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) pledged to slow down the $95 billion foreign aid bill in the Senate, launching a talking filibuster in protest over the legislation on Monday.
The Kentucky senator’s efforts to slow down the bill, which includes funding for Ukraine, Israel, and the Indo-Pacific region, comes as the other Kentucky senator, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) , puts his full weight on the other side of the debate, pushing to give more aid to Ukraine for its war against Russia.
Paul openly admonished the Senate GOP leader for working with Democrats to provide more aid to Ukraine, arguing it is “ludicrous” to say U.S. security is affected by the situation in the country.
“Open the champagne, pop the cork. The Senate Democrat leader and the Republican leader are on their way to Kyiv. They’ve got $60 billion they’re bringing. I don’t know if it will be cash in pallets, but they’re taking your money to Kyiv,” Paul said on the floor Monday.
McConnell has been one of the most vocal Republican supporters of providing additional aid to Ukraine, putting him at the center of criticism from some GOP colleagues who have said he’s out of step with the GOP electorate.