Paul blocks Senate vote on House-passed Syria resolution

By Jordain Carney - 10/17/19 01:47 PM EDT
 

Sen. Rand PaulRandal (Rand) Howard PaulCOVID-19, Bill Barr and the American authoritarian tradition Pressley experiencing flu-like symptoms, being tested for COVID-19 Hoyer says House expects to pass coronavirus bill on Friday MORE (R-Ky.) blocked an effort to bring a House-passed resolution formally breaking with President TrumpDonald John TrumpDefense industrial base workers belong at home during this public health crisis Maduro pushes back on DOJ charges, calls Trump 'racist cowboy' House leaders hope to vote Friday on coronavirus stimulus MORE’s Syria strategy up for a vote.

Senate Minority Leader Charles SchumerCharles (Chuck) Ellis SchumerCOVID-19, Bill Barr and the American authoritarian tradition Cuomo calls T stimulus 'reckless,' says it fails to meet New York's needs Government oil purchase in jeopardy without stimulus funding MORE (D-N.Y.) tried to get consent Thursday to bring up the resolution, arguing that “we’re in real trouble."

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“The most important thing we can do right now is send President Trump a message that Congress, the vast majority of Democrats and Republicans, demand he reverse course,” Schumer said. 

The resolution passed the House on Wednesday by a wide margin in 354-60 vote. All 60 votes against the resolution came from Republicans. 
 
Under Senate rules any one senator can try to set up a vote on a bill. But because that requires unanimous consent, any one senator can block it.
  
Paul, a libertarian-leaning GOP senator, objected to Schumer's request for a vote, arguing that he was trying to sidestep the Constitution. 
 
"He should come to the floor and say that we are ready to declare war. We are ready to authorize force, and we are going to stick our troops in the middle of this messy, messy, five-sided civil war where we would be ostensibly opposed to the Turkish government that has made an incursion," Paul argued. 
 
Paul argued that the House-passed resolution would also do "nothing to fix the problem" and said he was offering a countering proposal that would also stop arms sales to Turkey.
 
The resolution — sponsored by Reps. Eliot EngelEliot Lance EngelHillicon Valley: Facebook reports huge spike in usage during pandemic | Democrats push for mail-in voting funds in coronavirus stimulus | Trump delays deadline to acquire REAL ID Lawmakers urge EU to sanction Putin associate for election interference Democrats press Pompeo to help Americans stranded abroad amid coronavirus MORE (D-N.Y.) and Michael McCaulMichael Thomas McCaulHillicon Valley: Facebook reports huge spike in usage during pandemic | Democrats push for mail-in voting funds in coronavirus stimulus | Trump delays deadline to acquire REAL ID Overnight Energy: Iconic national parks close over coronavirus concerns | New EPA order limits telework post-pandemic | Lawmakers urge help for oil and gas workers Lawmakers urge EU to sanction Putin associate for election interference MORE (R-Texas) in the House and Sens. Bob MenendezRobert (Bob) MenendezHillicon Valley: Facebook launches portal for coronavirus information | EU sees spike in Russian misinformation on outbreak | Senate Dem bill would encourage mail-in voting | Lawmakers question safety of Google virus website Democratic senators press Google over privacy of coronavirus screening site Menendez calls for 'Marie Yovanovitch bill' to protect foreign service employees MORE (D-N.J.) and Todd YoungTodd Christopher YoungRand Paul's coronavirus diagnosis sends shockwaves through Senate GOP lukewarm on talk of airline bailout Trump, GOP scramble to keep economy from derailing MORE (R-Ind.) in the Senate — "opposes the decision to end certain United States efforts to prevent Turkish military operations against Syrian Kurdish forces in Northeast Syria."
 
It also calls on Turkey to end its military action, calls on the United States to protect the Kurds and calls on the White House "to present a clear and specific plan for the enduring defeat of ISIS."
 
Schumer added on Thursday that he will try again to pass the resolution and argued that Paul's decision could risk American lives. 
 
"I think that's a horrible decision. I think it could well risk the lives of Americans down the road," he said. "I think it will certainly risk the lives of many more Kurds who are our allies." 
Tags Charles Schumer Robert Menendez Michael McCaul Donald Trump Eliot Engel Todd Young Rand Paul Bob Menendez