Budapest Post

Cum Deo pro Patria et Libertate
Budapest, Europe and world news

Rand Paul says timing for $48B COVID business bailout is 'inappropriate' due to historic inflation

Rand Paul says timing for $48B COVID business bailout is 'inappropriate' due to historic inflation

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., is pushing back on a $48 billion business bailout bill, which he calls a "poorly-targeted spending spree," amid rising concerns about historic inflation.

On Tuesday evening, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., scheduled a procedural vote this week on a $48 billion bill that would aid businesses impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.

In a letter reviewed by FOX Business to one of President Biden's senior advisers, Gene Sperling, Paul explained his reasoning behind his opposition to the proposed bill, saying it is an "inappropriate moment to spend taxpayer dollars on restaurants and entertainment."

Paul takes issue with the proposal, which contains "taxpayer-funded grants to restaurants, minor league sports teams, gyms, yachts and limousines businesses and more," because it is being introduced when COVID-19 is "no longer straining our economy," he writes.

The senator argues that additional government spending will only help already-recovering industries at a severe expense to others. Inflation is continuing to hover near a 40-year high and Americans are feeling the pain at the gas pump and at the grocery store as consumer prices continue to rise.

"Congress cannot pass a $48 billion COVID poorly-targeted spending spree if we are truly concerned about inflation," the letter continues.

Sperling has a deadline of Thursday to get back to the senator from Kentucky addressing his concerns.

Paul told FOX Business in an exclusive statement: "COVID-19 is over, and yet Congress is ready to spend $48 billion of borrowed money to bail out yacht and limousines businesses, minor league sports, and luxury gyms under the guise of pandemic relief."

Sen. Rand Paul speaks with reporters after a vote at the Capitol on Dec. 13, 2021.


"Now is perhaps the most inappropriate time to spend more taxpayer dollars on a poorly targeted spending spree while Americans struggle with the effects of price increases and supply chain issues caused by Congress’ last $6 trillion COVID spending extravaganza," the senator continued.

The House of Representatives already passed a $55 billion aid package for businesses and restaurants last month, and the Senate is expected to vote on a procedural motion soon.

The legislation would require 60 votes to pass, which looks unlikely due to Republican opposition and skepticism from Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., who would need to get on board in order to pass the measure.

The Senate's bill comes the same week as it is set to pass a $40 billion Ukraine aid bill, despite opposition from Paul and a handful of Republican senators.

Sen. Josh Hawley speaks with reporters as he leaves the Senate floor in the Capitol on Dec. 7, 2021.


"The amounts we're talking about are astronomical. I think $40 billion would be about three times as much as Europe has contributed combined, all of the European states, for a war that's happening on their continent," Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., told Fox News Digital Tuesday, saying he's worried it will continue allowing Europe to "freeload."

Last week, Paul blocked a measure that would have fast-tracked the legislation to the Senate floor, saying the bill's direction is muddled and would require additional oversight.

AI Disclaimer: An advanced artificial intelligence (AI) system generated the content of this page on its own. This innovative technology conducts extensive research from a variety of reliable sources, performs rigorous fact-checking and verification, cleans up and balances biased or manipulated content, and presents a minimal factual summary that is just enough yet essential for you to function as an informed and educated citizen. Please keep in mind, however, that this system is an evolving technology, and as a result, the article may contain accidental inaccuracies or errors. We urge you to help us improve our site by reporting any inaccuracies you find using the "Contact Us" link at the bottom of this page. Your helpful feedback helps us improve our system and deliver more precise content. When you find an article of interest here, please look for the full and extensive coverage of this topic in traditional news sources, as they are written by professional journalists that we try to support, not replace. We appreciate your understanding and assistance.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Russia’s A7 Builds a State-Linked Payments Network Beyond Western Sanctions
AI’s Next Bottleneck Is Power, Not Just Nvidia Chips
Meta Raises AI Spending Target to as Much as $145bn Despite Pressure Over Returns
Danube Drought Exposes Nazi Wrecks and Pushes Central Europe’s Power System to the Brink
Joe Biden’s Cancer Has Spread Beyond His Bones, Hunter Biden Says
Why 2027 Could Be a Strong Year for Stocks—and Why the Forecast Is Fragile
Why Markets May Look Quiet in August After Big Tech Earnings
UK Drought Cuts Harvests and Raises Food-Security Fears
UFO: Pentagon Releases Video of Unidentified Object Tracked Over Middle East
Ukraine Tells Senate Republicans Its Drone War Offers a Blueprint for America
Weight-Loss Drug Boom Tests the Limits of Prescription Advertising Rules
Senate Scrutinises AI-Driven Personalised Pricing
Spain Seeks Mainland Transfers for 1,100 Children Stranded in Ceuta
Spain and Morocco Trade Blame After 72,000 Migrants Enter Ceuta
AI Is Remaking the US Economy, From GDP Growth to iPhone Prices
Europe’s Heat and Drought Are Now Disrupting Power, Shipping and Tourism
Europe’s Drying Rivers Trigger Power Cuts, Factory Shutdowns and Wildfire Emergencies
Record-Low Danube Forces Nuclear Cuts and Emergency Power Curbs
Danube Drought Forces Hungary’s Paks Nuclear Plant Into Full Shutdown
Ceuta Death Toll Rises as Spain and Europe Clash Over Border Response
Valued at $109 Million: F-35B Fighter Jet Crashes in Southern California
Record-Low Danube Exposes Probable Mammoth Remains in Bulgaria
US Says It Has Carried Out Heavy Strikes on Iran After Attempted Attacks on Its Forces
The AI User Nightmare: Private Claude Conversations Leaked to the Internet
Over 24 Hours in the Air: Qantas Airbus Completes Record-Breaking Test Flight
Massive Wildfires Ravage Southern Europe: Fatalities in Greece and Evacuations Across France, Spain, and Turkey
Nvidia Reportedly Takes Vast Texas Data-Centre Lease to Underwrite AI Expansion
FIFA’s Private-Investment Plan for World Cup Rights Draws European Revolt
Apple Briefly Crosses Five Trillion Dollar Valuation as Investors Retreat From AI Bets
Fresh Heatwave Threatens to Rekindle France’s Historic Wildfire Crisis
Following OpenAI's Cyberattack: 'Most Companies Still Do Not Understand What Is Coming'
OpenAI Sued After ChatGPT Allegedly Discouraged Emergency Care Before Near-Fatal Embolism
Miliband Sets Climate and International Law at Centre of UK Diplomacy
Czech Central Bank Governor Rejects Early Euro Entry and Rate-Cut Pressure
Trump Readies New Tariffs as Temporary Global Levy Nears Expiry
Vivienne Westwood Casts Cicciolina, 74, in Its New Autumn Campaign
Dejavu: Germany’s Military Expansion Reshapes Europe’s Strategic Balance With France
Morgan Stanley Builds a Wall Street Lead in AI Infrastructure Finance
High Prices Push Coffee Drinkers Toward Whole Beans and Home Brewing
Trump Draws Boos and Podium Scrutiny at Spain’s World Cup Triumph
Brilliant move: Péter Magyar Moves to Nominate Chess Grandmaster Judit Polgár as Hungary’s President
Spain Defeats Argentina in Extra Time to Win Second World Cup
Current AI Seeks to Build an Open Global AI Infrastructure Outside Big Tech Control
Germany’s Economic Malaise Reopens the Sunday Shopping Debate
Proposed U.S.-Saudi Nuclear Pact Could Permit Limited Uranium Enrichment Under International Safeguards
Netherlands Declares Water Shortage Emergency After Drought Pushes Rivers to Historic Lows
Why Kentucky Fried Chicken Became KFC—and Why the False Explanations Persist
Ukrainian Drones Strike Wildberries Warehouses Deep Inside Russia
Reported CIA Mission Helped Clear the UAE’s Path to Advanced US AI Chips
Artificial Intelligence Capital Fuels Markets While Governments and Regulators Face Mounting Strategic Tests
×