Dear Friend, You can find my latest update below! Dr. Rand Paul Takes Stand Against War and Humanitarian Crisis in Yemen As you know, I have fought hard against our government's support of the Saudi-led coalition that has waged a devastating war in Yemen, a conflict that has resulted in the deaths of thousands upon thousands of innocent civilians and left millions on the edge of famine. Over the past couple years, I have led multiple bipartisan efforts to block arms sales to Saudi Arabia, and on Wednesday, I continued my efforts to speak out against the growing humanitarian crisis in Yemen when I announced that I had secured a vote to block a weapons sale to Bahrain, a member of the Saudi-led coalition. Thanks to the Arms Export Control Act of 1976, a senator can force a vote on an arms sale, and my resolution of disapproval would have blocked an estimated $300 million in high-explosive rocket artillery and associated training and support to Bahrain. As I said when I made the announcement, "This vote is about more than yet another arms sale. The Senate has a chance to stand up for innocent life, speak out against a humanitarian tragedy that is getting worse by the day, and demonstrate it will not support further destruction in Yemen." Shortly before the vote on Thursday, I spoke on topics including the need to rethink our foreign policy and to stop arming the Saudi-led coalition when I delivered the keynote address to The American Conservative magazine's fifth annual foreign policy conference. (You can watch my speech HERE.)  | | (Dr. Paul Delivers Keynote Address to The American Conservative's Foreign Policy Conference - Nov. 15, 2018) | I reiterated these themes when I spoke on the U.S. Senate floor soon after and urged my fellow senators to support my resolution. "I'm only saying stop one sale of arms to send a message that we are done with the war in Yemen," I stated. "That we are no longer going to sell weapons to countries that are fighting this war in Yemen. That the war must come to a close."
"Someone must take a stand and say, 'Enough's enough. We are against the humanitarian disaster in Yemen,'" I emphasized later in my remarks. You can find my entire floor speech HERE and my response to my resolution's opponents HERE. Unfortunately, when the time came to vote, the Senate decided to once again oppose taking a stand to help stop the loss of innocent life in Yemen. Congress, which has not authorized our involvement in the war in Yemen, must assert its voice, and I will keep fighting to remind it of its constitutional responsibility and end U.S. support for the war.  | | (Dr. Paul Speaks Out Against the War in Yemen on the U.S. Senate Floor - Nov. 15, 2018) | Dr. Rand Paul Speaks to Sisters for Life Annual Celebration Though weather and the Senate schedule kept time a little tight, I was determined to make this year's Sisters for Life gala in Louisville on Thursday, and it was a great evening that featured wonderful music and testimonials in support of life. While I could have focused on important pro-life legislative agenda items during my speech, I took a more philosophical approach. In my opinion, we have a very winning argument in support of protecting life at its most innocent and vulnerable stage.
But we must also win the persuasion battle to convince hearts and minds, and I fully believe we can do so with a message that exudes the kind of joy that was on full display in Louisville on Thursday night!  | | (Dr. Paul Speaks to the Sisters for Life Celebration - Nov. 15, 2018) | Dr. Rand Paul, Senator Gillibrand Introduce Bill Protecting Pregnant Women in Federal Custody
While debates over the best ways to address problems in our criminal justice system have been occurring for years, there are some reforms that are just common sense, like protecting the health of pregnant incarcerated women and their unborn children. So on Wednesday, I joined with Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (New York) to introduce the Pregnant Women in Custody Act of 2018, which will help guarantee the health and safety of women who are pregnant and give birth while in federal custody, as well as encourage states to pursue reforms that would ensure adequate protections for pregnant inmates.
Our legislation serves as the Senate companion to the bipartisan H.R. 6805, which Representatives Karen Bass (California) and Mia Love (Utah) introduced in the U.S. House in September 2018.
Among its provisions, the Pregnant Women in Custody Act prohibits the use of restraints and restrictive housing on pregnant federal inmates, which can lead to problems including muscle tears, bone separation, blocked blood circulation, and miscarriage. Restraints would be prohibited on pregnant and postpartum inmates (up to eight weeks postpartum) unless they pose an immediate risk of escape or physical harm to themselves or others. The bill ensures the Bureau of Prisons captures accurate data on the health care needs of pregnant inmates, while preventing the cataloging of personally identifiable information, and it would also provide for a preference in grant funding for states who have enacted or implemented services or pilot programs aimed at enhancing the safety and wellness of pregnant inmates. The awards would be prioritized from existing grant programs, as this bill does not call for new funding. Currently, 25 states and the District of Columbia have restricted the use of restraints on pregnant inmates, but no federal law exists prohibiting that practice.
An incarcerated individual is still a human being whose life deserves to be valued and protected, which is why our proposal prohibits the use of restraints on pregnant federal inmates, particularly when they are in labor, and ensures these women are treated with compassion and respect as they bring new life into the world. You can read the Pregnant Women in Custody Act of 2018 HERE. Dr. Rand Paul: "We Need a Bipartisan Issue to Unite Us. Saudi Arabia is that Issue." I also called for the U.S. to address our involvement in the war in Yemen in my latest op-ed for The Hill on Tuesday. "After a heated and divisive midterm campaign season, now is the perfect time to work together on an issue that has real bipartisan support: immediately stop future arms sales to Saudi Arabia," I said to start the piece, later noting that "the Saudi war effort would collapse on itself in short order" if it did not have "our weapons, logistical, and intelligence support. ..." I observed that "Saudi Arabia's track record goes well beyond destruction in Yemen and murdering journalists. It is no secret that Saudi Arabia has a troubling record on human rights, especially with women, minorities, and other religious believers." "This is America's rallying point - an issue every Republican, Democrat, and independent can stand behind," I stated. "It is time we stand up for our values and cut off assistance to this barbaric regime to help force a change in their practices." You can read my entire op-ed HERE. Dr. Rand Paul on the U.S. Government Spending Taxpayer Funds Teaching Rwandans to Lobby As part of my continuing efforts to identify areas where the federal government wastes the American people's money, I recently sat down with Sinclair Broadcast Group's Kristine Frazao to discuss the U.S. State Department spending up to $250,000 on teaching Rwandans to lobby their government on budget matters. With our own nation approaching a $22 trillion national debt and running massive deficits, I noted in my interview that I don't know that we have the high moral ground to tell the Rwandans how to budget, lobby, or run their government. You can watch Sinclair's segment on this grant HERE. Dr. Rand Paul Meets with Kentuckians On Wednesday, I enjoyed spending time with Kentucky Lieutenant Governor Jenean Hampton and having a chance to catch up during her visit to Washington.  | | (Dr. Paul with Kentucky Lt. Gov. Jenean Hampton - Nov. 14, 2018) | Media Wrap-Up This week, I spoke with Breitbart, The Wall Street Journal, and Bloomberg, and I talked with WVLK's Larry Glover. I also appeared on CNN's CNN Right Now on Thursday to discuss my support for granting asylum to Pakistani Christian Asia Bibi, who was charged with blasphemy after a disagreement with neighbors, ultimately resulting in her imprisonment, conviction, and subsequent sentencing to death row. While the Pakistani Supreme Court acquitted her last month, pushback has left Asia Bibi's fate uncertain, and she remains in Pakistan. As I mentioned in the interview, I recently spoke with President Trump about the importance of the U.S. granting her asylum. Have an Issue or Concern? If you are a Kentucky resident and need assistance with a federal agency, please feel free to contact my Bowling Green office at 270-782-8303. One of my staff members will be more than happy to assist you. Stay in Touch with Dr. Paul on Social Media You can stay up to date on my latest news and activities by visiting my Senate website, www.paul.senate.gov, or my official Facebook and Twitter pages. You can watch my Senate floor speeches and press interviews at my YouTube channel HERE. Warm Regards,  | .png)
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