Paul thwarted in bid to boost defense spending

A bid from Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) to increase defense spending was turned aside in the Senate on Thursday.

Senators voted 4-96 on overriding a point of order Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) raised on Paul’s amendment. Sixty votes were needed to overcome the procedural hurdle. Republican Sens. Mitch McConnell (Ky.), Rand Paul (Ky.), Mike Enzi (Wyo.) and David Vitter (La.) voted to move forward with Paul’s amendment. 

{mosads}Paul, a likely presidential candidate in 2016, said ahead of the vote that he wanted to pay for the $190 billion increase in defense funds “with spending cuts.” 

“It is irresponsible and dangerous to continue to put America further into debt even for something we need. We need national defense, but we should pay for it,” he said ahead of the vote. “America does not project power from bankruptcy court.” 

Sanders slammed Paul’s amendment, saying the additional cuts would be “devastating to the working families in this country.” 

Paul’s amendment followed a vote on an amendment from Sens. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) and Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), another 2016 contender, that also would have increased defense spending. Paul voted against that amendment, and it failed.