{"id":2344679,"date":"2024-09-23T07:55:10","date_gmt":"2024-09-23T11:55:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/rand-paul-proposes-innovative-amendment-to-fund-benefits-of-veterans-washington-examiner\/"},"modified":"2024-09-23T08:00:00","modified_gmt":"2024-09-23T12:00:00","slug":"rand-paul-proposes-innovative-amendment-to-fund-benefits-of-veterans-washington-examiner","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/rand-paul-proposes-innovative-amendment-to-fund-benefits-of-veterans-washington-examiner\/","title":{"rendered":"Rand Paul proposes innovative amendment to fund benefits of veterans &#8211; Washington Examiner"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"float:left\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">26<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Frand-paul-proposes-innovative-amendment-to-fund-benefits-of-veterans-washington-examiner%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2344679&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) \u2063has introduced a\u2062 proposal \u200daimed\u200b at \u200bfunding\u2063 benefits for military veterans by addressing government waste. His amendment seeks to redirect $2.9 billion in \u2063loan guarantees\u200d intended for ineffective green energy programs within the Department of Energy\u2062 to support \u200bveteran services. Paul criticized\u2063 Washington&#8217;s fiscal irresponsibility, linking it to rising\u200c inflation that negatively impacts American families. He highlighted\u2062 a pressing $2.9 billion shortfall at\u200d the Veterans Affairs (VA) department, \u200bblaming congressional spending mismanagement for harming veterans. His \u2062amendment aims to\u2064 ensure veterans receive their \u200cbenefits without \u2062increasing \u200cthe national debt by capitalizing on past failures of the Energy Department&#8217;s loan programs,\u200b which have cost taxpayers\u2062 billions. \u2063Paul also referred to specific ongoing fiscal mismanagement\u200d at the VA,\u200c citing improper payments and excessive executive bonuses. his initiative emphasizes\u2064 a \u2063need for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/gov-desantis-press-secretary-christina-pushaw-to-work-on-his-reelection-campaign\/\" title=\"Gov. DeSantis Press Secretary Christina Pushaw to Work on His Reelection Campaign\">responsible fiscal management<\/a> while prioritizing \u2064the support owed \u200bto veterans.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Rand Paul proposes innovative amendment to fund benefits of veterans<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_1767112\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>Sen. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/rand-paul\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>Rand Paul<\/a> (R-KY) proposed an innovative way to ensure that <a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/tag\/military\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\" title>military<\/a> veterans receive their benefits.<\/p>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>Last week, Paul offered an amendment that would transfer government waste into a fiscal responsible way of funding the benefits of the country&rsquo;s veterans. According to a press release, this involved eliminating loan guarantees that were set aside for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-admin-gives-6-6-billion-to-project-run-by-ex-solyndra-ceo\/\" title=\"Biden Administration Allocates .6 Billion to Project Led by Former Solyndra CEO\">green energy loans<\/a> through the Department of Energy for $2.9 billion.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Washington&rsquo;s fiscal recklessness is putting the American dream out of reach for millions of Americans,&rdquo; <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/rumble.com\/v5fkbj9-dr.-rand-paul-offers-amendment-to-pay-for-va-benefits-without-adding-to-the.html\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Paul said on the Senate floor last week<\/a>. &ldquo;Historically high rates of inflation have made every American poorer. As families across this country struggle to put food on the table, Washington seems content to continue spending without regard to the consequences.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;But sometimes the consequences are too shameful to ignore,&rdquo; said Paul. &ldquo;Congressional spending and financial mismanagement at the Department of Veterans Affairs are the latest examples, with both resulting in a $2.9 billion shortfall threatening the benefits of millions of veterans.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Our veterans should not pay the cost for the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/texas-judge-grants-gop-lawmaker-standing-to-sue-biden-administration-over-unrwa-funding-washington-examiner\/\" title=\"Texas judge grants GOP lawmaker standing to sue Biden administration over UNRWA funding - Washington Examiner\">federal government&#038;rsquo<\/a>;s incompetence,&rdquo; the senator said.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;My amendment is simple. It pays for our veterans&rsquo; care by rescinding $2.9 billion in Department of Energy loan guarantees,&rdquo; Paul declared.<\/p>\n<p>The senator also explained that his amendment helps veterans while not adding to the national debt. He detailed the faults with the Department of Energy&rsquo;s programs and how much money these failures cost, explicitly highlighting the hundreds of billions of dollars in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/biden-wants-10b-to-protect-ukraines-border-after-spending-6m-every-day-to-not-build-u-s-mexico-border-wall\/\" title=\"Biden Wants B to Protect Ukraine&#039;s Border After Spending M Every Day to Not Build U.S.-Mexico Border Wall\">taxpayer money wasted<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;A 2015 Government Accountability Office report reveals the extent of the Department of Energy&rsquo;s loan program failures,&rdquo; Paul said. &ldquo;That <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/report-coronavirus-rules-are-stifling-free-speech-on-campus\/\" title=\"Report: Coronavirus Rules Are Stifling Free Speech On Campus\">report lists<\/a> five companies that defaulted on similar Department of Energy loans, including Solyndra, Fisker, Abound Solar, Beacon Power, and Vehicle Production Group, costing taxpayers a total of $807 million.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Unfortunately, the VA&rsquo;s shortfall was just as foreseeable as the failures of Department of Energy loans,&rdquo; Paul said.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>Paul also highlighted financial problems plaguing the Department of Veterans Affairs, specifically describing years of improper payments delivered to the incorrect recipients. Furthermore, the VA awarded over $10 million in incentives to &ldquo;executives in the VA&rsquo;s central office.&rdquo; Paul brought awareness to the problematic recurring fiscal mismanagement within the VA, which, in turn, has ultimately hampered veterans.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;In fiscal year 2023, the VA issued $3 billion in improper payments&mdash;meaning the VA sent payments to the wrong people or in the wrong amount,&rdquo; Paul said. &ldquo;Over the past three years, it is estimated that such improper payments exceed $10 billion. In May 2024, the VA&rsquo;s inspector general reported the department improperly awarded over $10 million in incentives to senior executives in the VA&rsquo;s central office.&rdquo;&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;These are resources that could have been devoted to veterans&rsquo; benefits. Instead, the VA shamefully squandered them,&rdquo; Paul said.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Ultimately, Paul&rsquo;s <a target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.paul.senate.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/VAamendment.pdf\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">amendment<\/a> would provide a multitude of benefits, including helping veterans, not increasing the budget through government spending while funding benefits for veterans, and cleaning up some of the issues plaguing the VA.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;We must use these failures as a warning,&rdquo; the senator said. &ldquo;We must get serious about our spending and oversight responsibilities. I encourage my colleagues to vote for my amendment as a first step to ensure our veterans receive the care they deserve.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p> <script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script>!function(){var g=window;g.googletag=g.googletag||{},g.googletag.cmd=g.googletag.cmd||[],g.googletag.cmd.push(function(){g.googletag.pubads().setTargeting(\"has-featured-video\",\"true\")})}();<\/script><script>var _bp=_bp||[];_bp.push({\"div\":\"Brid_1767112\",\"obj\":{\"id\":\"27789\",\"width\":\"1280\",\"height\":\"720\",\"stickyDirection\":\"below\",\"video\":\"1767112\"}});<\/script><script defer src=\"https:\/\/services.brid.tv\/player\/build\/brid.min.js\"><\/script><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) has introduced a creative amendment aimed at securing benefits for military veterans. Recently, he proposed a measure that would redirect government waste to responsibly fund these benefits. This plan involves eliminating $2.9 billion in loan guarantees allocated for green energy projects through the Department of Energy. On the Senate floor, Paul criticized Washington&#8217;s financial irresponsibility, stating that it is making life harder for many Americans amid rising inflation and economic struggles. He emphasized that veterans should not suffer due to federal mismanagement, particularly highlighting a $2.9 billion shortfall affecting their benefits.<\/p>\n<p>Paul&#8217;s amendment seeks to cover veterans&#8217; care costs by rescinding the aforementioned loan guarantees without increasing national debt. He pointed out significant failures within the Department of Energy\u2019s programs, which have wasted hundreds of billions in taxpayer money, citing a 2015 Government Accountability Office report detailing defaults from companies like Solyndra and Fisker.<\/p>\n<p>Additionally, Paul addressed ongoing financial issues within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), including years of improper payments and excessive bonuses awarded to VA executives despite these problems. In fiscal year 2023 alone, he noted that the VA issued $3 billion in incorrect payments.<\/p>\n<p>Ultimately, Paul&#8217;s amendment aims to benefit veterans while addressing fiscal mismanagement within the VA and avoiding additional government spending. He urged his colleagues to support his proposal as an essential step toward ensuring veterans receive proper care they deserve<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2677,"featured_media":2344680,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/AP23304544821558-1-1024x683.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[41491,4762,38952,41490,32076],"class_list":["post-2344679","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-innovative-amendment","tag-legislation","tag-rand-paul","tag-veterans-benefits","tag-washington-examiner"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/AP23304544821558-1-1024x683.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2344679","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2677"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2344679"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2344679\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2344680"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2344679"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2344679"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2344679"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}