Posted on 03/24/2022 2:16:30 PM PDT by RandFan
Sen. Rand Paul on Thursday added complications to the Senate’s final passage of a measure to suspend normal trade relations with Moscow, handing a blow to Democrats who had hoped to give President Biden more tough-on-Russia ammunition during his visit to Brussels to meet with European allies.
The bill would revoke Russia’s permanent normal trade relations (PNTR) status, and is part of a broad trade action in coordination with the European Union and Group of Seven (G7) countries.
The measure gives President Biden broader leeway to enact tariffs on products from the country and further weaken Russia’s economy in response to the invasion of Ukraine.
Mr. Paul’s objections focus on language in the bill which he said gives the president overly broad sanctions authority under the Global Magnitsky Act - a law passed in 2016 to crack down on human-rights abuses.
“What they’re trying to do is take the Magnitsky Act and drive an enormous hole in it that you can push anything through and do sanctions on anybody anywhere in the world based on a vague, ambiguous and vast definition that is not specific,” Mr. Paul said on the Senate floor.
“If this language goes through, it will remove any checks and balances and any definitions as to what human rights abuses are,” he said. “It’s a terrible mistake. It’s rash. And we shouldn’t do it.”
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
Take on a rider to make him fire Fauci while you’re at it, Rand!
Yet a bill related to China’s MFN status has been sitting around for a while.
https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/senate-bill/785
As much as sanctions is at least one tool being applied to Putin, against his war. I cannot fault Senator Paul for looking at the legal language of the bill and the longer term implications of it. Congressional history is replete with bills giving the executive branch the upper hand with broad authority and weak on the specific and limited application of that authority.
I hope Rand can hold out and hold up passage until amendments can modify the language and limit the authority being given.
Pay no attention to Rand Paul! He was peddling the same scare tactics about FISA! Everything Paul says might happen, I have no doubt, WILL happen. I certainly hope Rand Paul runs in ‘24. Paul is the only guy in DC who has at least consistently identified the enemy.
Good for Rand.
Sounds like Sen. Paul has a good point.
Amend it to be Russian specific and Ukrainian Human Rights specific.
He’s doing oversight . Exactly what the Senate is for
“He’s doing oversight . Exactly what the Senate is for”
Yes, he is more “the Senator” than many other Senators, in either party.
The Freeper chickenhawk brigade is deeply saddened.
I often think he's the only guy in DC who has ever bothered to read the Constitution.
From the article:
“The measure targeting Russia’s trade relations status would slap increased tariffs on additional Russian goods ranging from enriched uranium to crabs.”
So, raising prices to American consumers is going to somehow punish Russia?
Sen. Paul should know better than to pull this crap.
This bill and proposed use seems reminiscent of the vaunted Patriot Act, and we know that emotion-laden bill never got applied beyond its intended original target, right?
Russia had the great prize that the US awards countries, that China used so effectively to continue its rapid development in the 2000’s. Russia on the other hand did nothing with it.
Market availability is an effective sanction, or a significant privilege. Especially the US market, which is the worlds greatest prize, for any products other than commodities.
Good for Rand
hope he can sink this crappola
Lets all remember how the democrats like to ram crap through under the guise of something completely different. This likely follows the democrat mantra — don’t ever let a crisis go to waste. Rand is right.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.