Rand Paul Votes in Favor of Pointing Lasers at Airplanes and Keeping Secret Holds to Block Nominees and Bills

Monday, February 07, 2011
Rand Paul (photo: Gage Skidmore)
Freshman Senator Rand Paul (R-Kentucky) has demonstrated a willingness to go his own way, much like his maverick father, Representative Ron Paul (R-Texas).
 
For example, when the Senate took up an amendment to a Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill that would outlaw the pointing of lasers at aircraft, the younger Paul was the only recorded “no” vote. According to the senator, many states already have such a law on the books, so why have the federal government pass one as well?
 
The rest of the Senate didn’t see things that way, and approved the amendment 96-1.
 
Paul also rejected a bipartisan plan to abolish the Senate rule allowing members to place secret holds on legislation or nominations. Again, the plan passed easily, 92-4, with Paul joined by three other Republicans, Jim DeMint of South Carolina, Mike Lee of Utah and John Ensign of Nevada.
 
Now, senators will have their names published in the Congressional Record if they try delaying a bill or appointee from coming up for a vote.
-Noel Brinkerhoff
 
Rand Paul Follows Dad in Solo Dissent (by Danny Yadron, Wall Street Journal)

Comments

Kal Skirata 13 years ago
he still voted to keep it secret if you try to delay stuff...are you in favor of that...so much for transparency...or was that just a slogan to run on and then discard once elected...
aaron 13 years ago
This is a one sided biased article since you never explain why he voted no.
Stebro 13 years ago
It's easy to the the writer's bias in this report ... just read the headline. "Rand Paul votes in favor of pointing lasers at airplanes ..." as if Paul were encouraging citizens to do this. I fact, he voted against yet another federal government intrusion into law already covered by the states. So obvious
Eric 13 years ago
Kudos to Rand Paul. The U.S. Senate just went from having zero members with principles to having one.
John Zwengel 13 years ago
Rand was right on the laser pointer bill. Did the guy who wrote this hit piece even bother to think this through? How are they going to enforce this? Make an arrest? Who are they going to pres federal charges against? Kids with laser pointers? How much is it going to cost to implement? How much manpower spent at the DoJ implementing an investigation/patrol & prosecution policy? Rand Paul was the only senator with a shred of sense to vote no on a really stupid piece of legislation.
Darryl Schmitz 13 years ago
This is either a very obscenely careless, poorly-researched conclusion based on neglectful lack of attention to the statements Paul has made about the Constitutional underpinnings of his votes OR a purposefully malicious smear, grossly spinning the facts until they are deceitful misrepresentations. Either, this report is utterly garbage and representative of the propoganda we're force-fed by the self-serving far left and far right every day.
Rusty Buick 13 years ago
Actually he said that legislation on laser pointers should fall to the states.

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