Rand Paul: “I rise in opposition to S. 419, yet another circumvention of the enumerated powers clause and tenth amendment by this…”

“I rise in opposition to S. 419, yet another circumvention of the enumerated powers clause and tenth amendment by this 105th Congress in its continued obliteration of what remains of our national government of limited powers. For most of the past thirty years, I have worked as physician specializing in obstetrics. In so doing, I delivered more than 4,000 infants. Despite what I believe to be a somewhat unique insight on the topic of birth defect prevention, today, I address the house as a Congressman rather than as a physician. As a Congressman, I have repeatedly come to the house floor to denounce the further expansion of the federal government into areas ranging from 'toilet-tank-size mandates' to 'public housing pet size;' areas, that is, where no enumerated power exists and the tenth amendment reserves to state governments and private citizens the exclusive jurisdiction over such matters. My visits to the floor have not gone uncontested--proponents of an enlarged federal government and more government spending have justified their pet spending and expansionist projects by distorting the meaning of the 'necessary and proper' and 'common defense and general welfare' clauses to encompass the constitutionally illegitimate activities they advocate.”