Rand Paul

Rand Paul

Role at the time: U.S. Senator, Kentucky

Statement summary

Rand Paul voted yea on H.Con.Res. 89, a vote to direct the removal of U.S. forces from unauthorized hostilities with Iran.

“On the Concurrent Resolution H.Con.Res. 89: A concurrent resolution directing the President, pursuant to section 5(c) of the War Powers Resolution, to remove United States Armed Forces from hostilities with Iran.”

Rand Paul

Role at the time: United States senator from Kentucky, as reported by ABC News

Statement summary

Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky blocked fellow Republican John Kennedy's attempt to fast-track a bill requiring AI companies to be able to deploy a kill switch, on the grounds that Congress does not understand the technology well enough to regulate it. The wording here is ABC News's report of his reasoning rather than a verbatim quotation from Paul, and is recorded on that basis.

“Congress doesn't understand the technology well enough to regulate it.”

Rand Paul

Role at the time: U.S. senator from Kentucky

Statement summary

Paul argued that warrants, rather than replacing Flock with another vendor, are needed to address networked plate-reader surveillance.

“We could cancel every Flock contract tomorrow, and the surveillance problem remains, because a competitor takes the contract the next day. The fix isn't a boycott of one vendor. It's a warrant requirement.”

Rand Paul

Role at the time: U.S. Senator for Kentucky at the statement date.

Statement summary

Paul opposes the war and calls it unsuccessful, citing militarization of Hormuz, household costs and deficits.

“I think the Iran war has not been a success. I’ve been opposed to the Iran war from the beginning.”

Rand Paul

Role at the time: U.S. Senator, Kentucky

Statement summary

Rand Paul voted Yea on H.Con.Res. 86, the Senate resolution directing the President to remove U.S. Armed Forces from hostilities with Iran.

“On the Concurrent Resolution H.Con.Res. 86: Directing the President, pursuant to section 5(c) of the War Powers Resolution, to remove United States Armed Forces from hostilities with Iran.”

Rand Paul

Role at the time: U.S. senator from Kentucky, questioning Secretary of State Marco Rubio at a Senate hearing

Statement summary

At a June 2 Senate hearing where Secretary of State Marco Rubio testified, Paul said it was "interesting that the three secret criteria we're using to blow up the boats doesn't include whether they have drugs on board" and that "neither is arms", adding that "a lot of people would have questions, which I still do". He also said Coast Guard statistics show that about one in four alleged drug boats stopped through interdiction have no drugs aboard.

“I think it's interesting that the three secret criteria we're using to blow up the boats doesn't include whether they have drugs on board. I would like to add that the statistics from the Coast Guard also say that when we interdict alleged drug boats in the historic way, the way we've always done it, about one in four don't have drugs. We make mistakes. We see something suspicious about the boat, we stop them, and they don't have drugs on board. I would also like to add that drugs is not a criteria for blowing up the boats, the boats that are called drug boats, but neither is arms. So in order to blow them up, we don't have to say that they're armed or have drugs. I think a lot of people would have questions, which I still do.”