Rand Paul bucks Harry Reid: “charade” and “farce”
The Heritage Foundation reports,
On Wednesday, Senator Rand Paul (R–KY) requested a vote on two amendments to S.3457, the Veterans Jobs Corps Act. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D–NV) blocked a vote on those amendments and has not allowed a free and fair debate on a very important issue to the American people.
The Paul Amendments would condition foreign aid for Libya, Egypt, and Pakistan on certain preconditions. Senator Paul is very concerned about Pakistan’s continued incarceration of Dr. Shakil Afridi, the Pakistani citizen who helped the United States capture and kill Osama bin Laden.
Senator Paul argued that Majority Leader Reid’s act in blocking a vote was a “charade” and a “farce:”
The Majority filibusters their own bills. They fill up the Amendment tree, they don’t even pretend like they are going to work with the other side. How do you expect to pass legislation if you won’t allow any input from the other party?
Paul requested a mere 15 minutes of debate. Reid did not seem willing to give even this much. Instead, he responded by mocking the Senator from Kentucky:
I respect the interest of the Senator from Kentucky in relation to Pakistan, Egypt, Libya, but every now and then the Senate should be able to focus on a small good thing. To veterans this is a big thing. I like helping them. So I understand my friend’s tenacity. But I also understand how the Senate operates.
I just think my friend from Kentucky maybe should have run for Secretary of State rather than the Senate.