Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky said on Tuesday that he will vote in favor of a motion to proceed with the Senate GOP’s budget, which will allow the upper chamber to move ahead with debate.
Passing a new budget is an important step in Republican plans to overhaul the tax code, as it will shield the bill from a Democratic filibuster and create room for $1.5 trillion in tax cuts before 2021.
Paul, a fiscal libertarian, is opposed to the positions of GOP Senators Lindsey Graham of South Carolina and John McCain of Arizona over military defense spending.
The Kentucky senator has repeatedly blasted the bill for busting previously-set budget caps.
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Paul said he’ll vote for the procedural measure “largely out of respect for the president,” but does not support legislation that exceeds the 2011 federal budget caps.
“Currently the budget that is being produced exceeds the spending caps by $43 billion,” he told reporters Tuesday. “So I’ve told my leadership I’ve told the president, I spoke with the president this afternoon, and he and I discussed this and I said, ‘Look I’m all in — I want to be supportive — I’m a yes vote, but we have to obey our own rules.”
Paul alleged McCain and Graham aren’t fiscally conservative, telling reporters they are failing to make good on their campaign promises.
“They want unlimited spending and they want to do anything they can to exceed the budget caps,” Paul continued. “And this is a real problem and it needs to be discussed in the open because the problem with Republicans is they’re going home and promising one thing and they’re coming to Washington and doing another.”
McCain wants to to further examine the budget, but feels military spending is necessary to keep the troops safe.
“My criteria is that we have to have enough spending to stop the needless death and wounding of American servicemen and women who are in danger, some of whom have been killed because of lack of readiness and funding for the armed services,” McCain told The Daily Caller News Foundation.
Graham dismissed Paul’s criticisms, telling reporters he’s concerned Paul will derail tax reform.
McCain’s position is literally insane. If we spend more money on military occupations and policing the world overseas, less money can go in the pockets of Americans.
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