On the recordMarch 5, 2020
later in the day, I will be making a motion to table the Paul amendment that would require offsetting the $7.76 billion for the coronavirus against the foreign operations account. Senator Paul is at it again. He is consistent. I respect his view; I just reject it. What he would be doing is basically upending the fiscal year 2020 agreement on foreign assistance spending passed by Congress and signed into law by President Trump. He would be putting our Nation at risk if this amendment actually passed. One percent of the Federal spending is foreign assistance in different fashions and ways, including our commitment to our friends in Israel and other programs we have that I think are national-defense oriented. The U.S. Global Leadership Coalition--consisting of 500 businesses, NGOs, military, and faith leaders--has warned that ``cuts of this magnitude would have devastating consequences on our ability to confront unprecedented global challenges--including countering China's growing influence around the world, supporting partners in the fight against extremism, and addressing the impacts of the Venezuelan refugee crisis on key allies like Colombia.'' I would even go further: This cut would devastate the foreign assistance account in terms of being able to deal effectively with the effects of the virus overseas.…
