Sen. Paul votes NO on 9/11 victims fund; offers amendment

WASHINGTON, D.C.- Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul was one of two NO votes Tuesday to fund the 9/11 victims’ compensation legislation.

The bill passed the Senate by a vote of 97-2.

After the vote, Paul issued the following statement: “While I support our heroic first responders, I can’t in good conscience vote for legislation which to my dismay remains unfunded. We have a nearly trillion-dollar deficit and $22 trillion in debt. Spending is out of control. As I have done on countless issues, including disaster relief and wall funding, I will always take a stand against borrowing more money to pay for programs rather than setting priorities and cutting waste.”

Paul did offer an amendment to fund the legislation.

The fund was scheduled to expire at the end of 2020 and helps cover medical treatment for rescue workers and first responders who were exposed to toxic debris at the World Trade Center attack site.