Rand Paul

I think it is a good question because, ultimately, the question is, Who gets to decide? Does the President get to decide unilaterally that he is going to do this? And how would you challenge it? If you are dead, you have a tough time…

Here is the interesting thing about saying it is hypothetical and it wouldn't happen. I could buy that, except for the fact that our foreign drone strike program--a significant amount of the drone strikes--are on people not actively…

That is the only direct response I have gotten. I have also read the testimony from the Judiciary Committee where the Senator from Texas cross-examined the Attorney General, who responded indirectly to my question by saying: It was…

In late January we sent a letter to John Brennan, the nominee for the CIA, asking a bunch of questions. Included among those questions was, Can you kill an American in America with a drone strike? We got no response and no response and no…

At this time, without yielding the floor, I would like to entertain a question from the Senator from Pennsylvania.

Reserving the right to object, I would be happy with a vote now. I have talked a lot today. But the only thing I would like is a clarification. If the President or the Attorney General will clarify that they are not going to kill…

Without relinquishing the floor, I yield to the Senator from Texas for a question.

I am aware of no legal precedent for taking the life of an American without the fifth amendment or due process. What is troubling, though, is that Attorney General Eric Holder is on record as actually arguing that the fifth amendment right…

I am quite surprised, although I guess I shouldn't be, that we don't get direct responses. It is a pretty direct question. It is the question I have been asking all morning. It is the question I have been asking for a month and a half. I…

Absolutely. At this point, I will entertain comments from Senator Cruz and a question. The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr. Coons). The Senator from Texas.

Yes, I am aware of that. I think we have a transcript of some of the conversation from this morning.

Absolutely. I think that is where the crux comes down to this, talking about having an imminent standard. This is part of the problem in the sense he doesn't want to talk about it. If we are going to do something so dramatic as to no…

Yes. I think there is really no question about using lethal force against an imminent attack. I think that is why we need to make the question we are asking the President very clearly. The question is if planes are attacking the World…

Yes, we'll hold it as soon as people want to now.

I'm quite happy with the answer, and I'm disappointed it took a month and a half and a root canal to get it, but we did get the answer, and that's what I have been asking all along.

Yes. We will hold it as soon as people want to now.

I'm quite happy with the answer and I'm disappointed it took a month-and-a-half and a root canal to get it, but we did get the answer. And that’s what I have been asking all along.

I cannot sit at my desk quietly and let the president say that he will kill Americans on American soil who are not actively attacking a country.

Something is happening tonight straight out of 'Mr. Smith Goes to Washington.'

Senator Rand Paul trying to bring back the old-fashioned talking filibuster.

Senator Rand Paul trying to bring back the talking filibuster.

It's a pittance. I mean, it's a slowdown in the rate of growth. There are no real cuts happening over 10 years.

I would say to the president, stand up and do the right thing. And don't ask us to squeeze more money out of the private sector, which we think is bad for jobs, in order for you to do the right thing.

I think the sequester happens and it will be in some ways a yawn because the histrionics that are coming from the president... is anybody not going to stand up and call his bluff on that ridiculousness?

We spend 47 percent of the total world spending on military. We spend more than the next 14 countries combined.