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Rand Paul: Here's my plan to hold Congress' big spenders accountable - and get transparency for American taxpayers
Fox News ^ | March 25 | Sen. Rand Paul

Posted on 03/27/2022 11:09:25 AM PDT by RandFan

Last week, the Senate voted on the 2,741-page omnibus spending package, clocking in at a whopping $1.5 trillion. It was released in the middle of the night, just hours before we were expected to vote on it.

Mind you, when we vote on things, we’re expected to know what we’re voting on. At least that’s the expectation of the folks we represent back home.

But do you really think there is a single person in the United States who actually believes that Congress is filled with speed readers capable of digesting thousands of pages in a matter of hours?

Probably not. But the big spenders of both parties in Washington love keeping that under wraps. In fact, they bank on it – literally and figuratively.

For what it’s worth, I have legislation in the Senate to fix the issue, a resolution to give members ample time to read the bills before they vote. It would also increase transparency and incentivize legislation to be shorter.

Just imagine! What if we had one day for every 20 pages to read the bills before they were brought up for a vote? We would have had 137 days to truly consider whether the American people’s hard-earned tax dollars were worthy of all the ridiculous spending items included in the recently passed omnibus.

We would have had 137 days for the general public to discover exactly what special favors, in the form of earmarks, were snuck in under the auspices of essential budgetary items.

(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...


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1 posted on 03/27/2022 11:09:25 AM PDT by RandFan
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To: RandFan

And a sworn pledge that they have read and understand the bill, with punishment of being removed from congress if they did not.


2 posted on 03/27/2022 11:15:30 AM PDT by stickandrudder (Another Bitter-Clinger! God-Family-Tribe - LGBFJB brotherhood)
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To: stickandrudder

Just like the SCOTUS, POTUS and others, their staff reads the stuff and tells them how the big money wants them to vote. Then they obey.


3 posted on 03/27/2022 11:23:06 AM PDT by Don Corleone (leave the gun, take the canolis)
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To: RandFan

Better yet, there should be no more omnibus spending bills. There should be one subject For each bill. Period.


4 posted on 03/27/2022 11:29:16 AM PDT by DennisR (Look around - God gives countless clues that He does, indeed, exist.)
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To: DennisR

Line item veto would be a good start


5 posted on 03/27/2022 11:38:49 AM PDT by dearolddad
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To: RandFan

That would be good, but that means it has a snowballs chance of passage.


6 posted on 03/27/2022 12:33:39 PM PDT by libertylover (Our BIGGEST problem, by far, is that most of the media is hate & agenda driven, not truth driven.)
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To: stickandrudder
And a sworn pledge that they have read and understand the bill, with punishment of being removed from congress if they did not.

How about a one month long public hearing where they sit for 8 hours a day and see if they can answer questions about it.

7 posted on 03/27/2022 12:36:43 PM PDT by 1Old Pro
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To: dearolddad

Better is a requirement that no bill be longer than 5 pages of standard siz type.


8 posted on 03/27/2022 2:42:26 PM PDT by arthurus (- covfefe g)
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To: RandFan

“It was released in the middle of the night, just hours before we were expected to vote on it.”

Typical Congre$$ional ploy. No time to read a bill just pass it. As Queen Nazi Pelosi said about the Obama care bill. You have to pass it to find out what is in it.


9 posted on 03/27/2022 2:47:39 PM PDT by antidemoncrat
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To: dearolddad

They tried to get that passed along with term limits a while ago but Congre$$ nixed it.


10 posted on 03/27/2022 2:53:02 PM PDT by antidemoncrat
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To: dearolddad

Yes.


11 posted on 03/27/2022 4:04:46 PM PDT by DennisR (Look around - God gives countless clues that He does, indeed, exist.)
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