FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
January 24, 2018
Contact: Press@paul.senate.gov, 202-224-4343

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) introduced legislation to prohibit the Department of State and the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) from sending American taxpayer dollars to Pakistan. Instead, the bill would redirect those funds, amounting to $1.28 billion from the State Department and $852 million from USAID, to the Highway Trust Fund.

U.S. Representatives Mark Sanford (R-SC) and Tulsi Gabbard (D-HI) will be introducing companion legislation in the U.S. House.

“We fail our responsibilities to protect our country and properly steward taxpayers’ hard-earned money when we support countries that chant ‘Death to America’ and burn our flag. Let’s bring that money home and use it to help rebuild our infrastructure instead of giving it to a nation that persecutes Christians and imprisons people such as the doctor that helped us get Osama bin Laden,” said Dr. Paul.

Earlier this month, President Trump tweeted his support of Dr. Paul’s proposal.

Today’s introduction of legislation is only the latest effort by Dr. Paul to put Americans first by ending taxpayer support to Pakistan.

In July 2012, Dr. Paul introduced an amendment to limit foreign assistance to Pakistan unless it released Dr. Shakil Afridi, the Pakistani doctor who helped the U.S. track down and kill Osama bin Laden.

Dr. Paul introduced another amendment in September 2012 to strike the $4 billion-a-year foreign aid to Pakistan, Egypt, and Libya, which would have then provided an additional $2 billion to the $1 billion jobs bill for veterans and applied the remaining $2 billion to reducing the federal deficit.

Later that month, Dr. Paul secured a vote on standalone legislation cutting the aid contingent upon factors including the release to U.S. authorities of the aggressors who attacked our embassy and consulate in Egypt and Libya, respectively, and the release of Dr. Afridi, with nine other senators joining Dr. Paul.

In March 2016, Dr. Paul forced the Senate to vote on the sale of $700 million in F-16s to Pakistan, with 23 other senators joining Dr. Paul in opposition to the sale.

Additionally, Dr. Paul has repeatedly urged Pakistan to reform laws that have led to the targeting of religious minorities, including introducing S. Res. 109 last April to call on Pakistan to end the unjust imprisonment of Pakistani Christian Aasiya Noreen, commonly referred to as Asia Bibi.

You can read Dr. Paul’s bill below:

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