History of Rand Paul in Timeline
Rand Paul is an American politician and the junior United States Senator from Kentucky, serving since 2011. As a Republican, he identifies as a constitutional conservative and a supporter of the Tea Party movement. He is known for his libertarian political views, often compared to those of his father, Ron Paul, a former U.S. Representative and presidential candidate. Paul's political positions often emphasize limited government, individual liberty, and a non-interventionist foreign policy. He has been involved in debates on issues ranging from government surveillance to healthcare and fiscal policy.
January 7, 1963: Rand Paul's Birth
On January 7, 1963, Randal Howard Paul was born. He later became a politician and U.S. Senator for Kentucky.
1964: Civil Rights Act Controversy
In 2010, Rand Paul's campaign faced controversy due to his comments on the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Despite favoring most of the act, he questioned the constitutionality of Title II.
1968: Family Move to Texas
In 1968, the Paul family moved to Lake Jackson, Texas, where Rand Paul was raised and his father began a medical practice.
1976: Attended Republican National Convention
In 1976, Rand Paul attended the Republican National Convention where his father headed Ronald Reagan's Texas delegation. That year his father Ron Paul was elected to the House of Representatives.
1981: Attended Baylor University
In the fall of 1981, Rand Paul began attending Baylor University, participating in the honors program, swim team, and Young Conservatives of Texas.
1984: Aided Father's Senate Campaign
In 1984, Rand Paul took a semester off to assist his father's campaign in the Republican primary for the U.S. Senate election in Texas.
1984: Left Baylor University
In the summer of 1984, Rand Paul left Baylor University without completing his degree after being accepted into Duke University School of Medicine.
1988: Earned Medical Degree
In 1988, Rand Paul earned a Doctor of Medicine degree from Duke University School of Medicine.
October 20, 1990: Marriage to Kelley Ashby
On October 20, 1990, Rand Paul married Kelley Ashby, who is a freelance writer.
1991: Founded North Carolina Taxpayers Union
In 1991, Rand Paul founded the North Carolina Taxpayers Union in response to President George H.W. Bush's tax policies.
1992: Birth of Son, William
In 1992, Rand Paul and his wife Kelley Paul welcomed their first son, William.
June 1993: Valid Medical License
Since June 1993, Rand Paul's medical license has been valid continuously, with no board actions.
1993: Began practicing medicine in Bowling Green
After completing his residency, Rand Paul began practicing medicine in Bowling Green, Kentucky in 1993, working at Downing McPeak Vision Centers for five years.
1993: Malpractice Lawsuits
From 1993 Rand Paul faced two malpractice lawsuits between 1993 and 2010, he was cleared in one case while the other was settled for $50,000.
1993: Practicing Ophthalmologist
In 1993, Rand Paul began his career as a practicing ophthalmologist in Bowling Green, Kentucky, a profession he continued until his election to the U.S. Senate.
1993: Completed Residency
In 1993, Rand Paul completed his residency, marking the end of his formal medical training.
1994: Founded Kentucky Taxpayers United
In 1994, Rand Paul founded the anti-tax organization Kentucky Taxpayers United (KTU).
1995: Maintained ABO certification
From 1995 Rand Paul maintained his own ABO certification from 1995 to 2005.
1995: Certified by American Board of Ophthalmology
In 1995, Rand Paul was certified to practice by the American Board of Ophthalmology (ABO).
1996: Managed Father's Congressional Campaign
In 1996, Rand Paul managed his father's successful congressional campaign, in which the elder Paul returned to the House.
1998: Joined Graves Gilbert Clinic
In 1998, Rand Paul joined the Graves Gilbert Clinic, a private medical group practice in Bowling Green, where he worked for 10 years.
1999: Incorporated National Board of Ophthalmology
In 1999, Rand Paul incorporated the National Board of Ophthalmology (NBO) as an alternative certification system.
2000: NBO renewal paperwork not filed
In 2000, Rand Paul did not file the required paperwork with the Kentucky Secretary of State's office for the NBO's renewal to operate.
2000: KTU legally dissolved
The Wall Street Journal reported in 2010 that, although Paul had told a Kentucky television audience as recently as September 2009 that KTU published ratings each year on state legislators' tax positions, the group had been legally dissolved by the state in 2000 after failing to file registration documents.
2002: KTU ratings stopped
The Wall Street Journal reported in 2010 that, although Paul had told a Kentucky television audience as recently as September 2009 that KTU published ratings each year on state legislators' tax positions, the group had stopped issuing its ratings and report cards after 2002.
2005: Recreated National Board of Ophthalmology
In 2005, Rand Paul recreated the National Board of Ophthalmology.
2005: Maintained ABO certification
Until 2005 Rand Paul maintained his own ABO certification from 1995 to 2005.
2008: Formed Private Practice
In 2008, Rand Paul established his own private medical practice in Bowling Green.
2008: Grayson voted for Bill Clinton
In February Rand Paul ran an ad in February that made an issue out of Grayson's 2008 admission that he voted for Bill Clinton when he was 20 years old.
2008: Campaigning for Father's Presidential Run
Throughout 2008, Rand Paul actively campaigned for his father's presidential election, speaking at rallies and campaigning door-to-door.
September 2009: KTU Ratings Statement
In September 2009, Rand Paul stated that KTU published ratings each year on state legislators' tax positions for about 15 years.
2009: Founded Southern Kentucky Lions Eye Clinic
In 2009, Rand Paul founded the Southern Kentucky Lions Eye Clinic to provide eye care for those who cannot afford it.
2009: Position on Abortion
In 2009, Rand Paul's position was to ban abortion under all circumstances.
2009: Potential Senate Candidacy Discussed
In early 2009, supporters considered drafting Rand Paul to replace Senator Jim Bunning. On April 15, he gave his first political speech as a potential candidate.
April 26, 2010: James Dobson initially endorsed Grayson
On April 26, 2010, James Dobson endorsed Grayson based on the advice of "senior members of the GOP", but later changed his endorsement to Paul.
2010: Malpractice Lawsuits
From 2010 Rand Paul faced two malpractice lawsuits between 1993 and 2010, he was cleared in one case while the other was settled for $50,000.
2010: General Election Contributions
In 2010, Paul's general election campaign attracted significant outside contributions, with $6 million spent to support him.
2010: Supported Constitutional Amendment to Ban Same-Sex Marriage
In 2010, Rand Paul supported a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage nationwide.
2010: Elected to U.S. Senate
In 2010, Rand Paul was elected to the U.S. Senate, marking a transition from his medical career to politics.
2010: Wall Street Journal Report
In 2010, The Wall Street Journal reported that KTU had stopped issuing ratings after 2002 and had been legally dissolved in 2000.
2010: Changed Position on Abortion
Since 2010, Rand Paul has said he would allow for a doctor's discretion in life-threatening cases such as ectopic pregnancies regarding abortion.
January 5, 2011: Sworn into Senate
On January 5, 2011, Rand Paul was sworn in as a U.S. Senator, alongside his father who was serving in the House of Representatives.
April 2011: Filed to Run for Senate Re-election
In April 2011, Rand Paul filed to run for re-election to his Senate seat in 2016.
2011: Became US Senator
In 2011, Rand Paul became the junior United States Senator from Kentucky, identifying as a constitutional conservative and Tea Party supporter.
2011: Co-authored "The Tea Party Goes to Washington"
In 2011, Rand Paul co-authored a book entitled "The Tea Party Goes to Washington".
2011: Signed onto the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act
In 2011, Rand Paul signed onto the No Taxpayer Funding for Abortion Act which was intended to prohibit federal funding for abortion, with exceptions.
2011: Dissolved National Board of Ophthalmology
In 2011, Rand Paul's recreated National Board of Ophthalmology was dissolved.
2011: Proposed Budget with Specified Defense Spending
In 2011, shortly after being elected, Rand Paul proposed a budget which specified $542 billion in defense spending.
2011: Blocked refugee benefits bill
In October 2011, Rand Paul blocked a bill to provide $36 million in benefits for elderly and disabled refugees, expressing concern that it could aid domestic terrorists, particularly after two alleged terrorists in his hometown were found to be receiving welfare benefits. He lifted the hold after a promise of a congressional hearing and investigation into refugee selection processes.
June 2012: Endorsed Mitt Romney
In June 2012, Rand Paul endorsed Mitt Romney for the 2012 presidential election after Romney became the presumptive Republican nominee, though Paul later disagreed with Romney's policies.
2012: Received funding from oil, gas, and coal interests
According to The Guardian, Paul has received over $250,000 from oil, gas and coal interests since 2012.
2012: Authored "Government Bullies"
In 2012, Rand Paul authored the book "Government Bullies".
January 2013: Considered Potential Presidential Candidate
Since January 2013, Rand Paul was considered a potential candidate for the Republican nomination for the presidency of the United States.
February 13, 2013: Tea Party Response to State of the Union
On February 13, 2013, Rand Paul delivered the Tea Party response to President Barack Obama's State of the Union address.
March 2013: Endorsed Mitch McConnell's re-election campaign
In March 2013, Rand Paul endorsed fellow Kentucky Republican Senator Mitch McConnell's 2014 re-election campaign. This endorsement was considered a major win for McConnell.
April 11, 2013: Attempted filibuster on gun control
On April 11, 2013, Rand Paul, along with Senators Ted Cruz and Mike Lee, attempted a filibuster against legislative proposals to expand federal gun control measures, but the attempt was dismissed by cloture.
July 19, 2013: Opposed Detroit bailout
On July 19, 2013, Rand Paul opposed a federal bailout for Detroit after the city declared bankruptcy, stating that the government has no money and a bailout would set a bad precedent for other financially troubled cities.
October 2013: Plagiarism Controversy
In October 2013, Rand Paul faced controversy over alleged plagiarism in a speech supporting Ken Cuccinelli, quoting verbatim from a Wikipedia article about the movie "Gattaca" without citation. Further allegations surfaced regarding copied sentences in other speeches and passages in his book, leading The Washington Times to discontinue his column. Paul responded to the allegations by saying he was being held to an "unfair standard".
2013: Advising Medical Students on Misinformation
In 2013, Rand Paul advised medical students to "try to trick your opponents" using misinformation during a speech at the University of Louisville.
2013: Named one of Time's most influential
In 2013, Rand Paul was named one of the world's 100 most influential people by Time magazine.
2013: Filibuster on drone policy
In March 2013, Rand Paul filibustered for 12 hours and 52 minutes to delay the confirmation vote of John O. Brennan as Director of the CIA. Paul questioned the Obama administration's drone policy and its legal justification for potential domestic use, seeking assurance that non-combatants on U.S. soil would not be targeted.
February 2014: Filed Lawsuit Against Government Surveillance
In February 2014, Rand Paul joined FreedomWorks in filing a class action lawsuit against the federal government's bulk collection of phone records metadata, alleging it violated the Fourth Amendment.
March 2014: Kentucky Senate Passed Bill Allowing Dual Candidacy
In March 2014, the Republican-controlled Kentucky Senate passed a bill that would allow Paul to run for both Senate and President simultaneously.
April 2014: Call for GOP to Broaden Appeal
In April 2014, Rand Paul insisted that the GOP must broaden its appeal, moving beyond being the party of "fat cats, rich people and Wall Street".
December 2014: Called for Brennan's firing and supported Cuba policy change
In December 2014, Rand Paul called for the firing of CIA Director John O. Brennan in response to reports of the CIA infiltrating Senate Intelligence Committee computers. Paul also supported the Obama administration's policy change towards Cuba and the easing of trade restrictions.
2014: "Hillary's Losers" Social Media Campaign
During the 2014 election, Rand Paul launched a social media campaign titled "Hillary's Losers" targeting Democratic candidates endorsed by Hillary Clinton.
2014: Blocked Swiss treaty and received award
In 2014, Rand Paul blocked a treaty with Switzerland that would enable IRS tax evasion probes, citing privacy concerns. He also received the 2014 Distinguished Service Award from the Center for the National Interest for his public policy work.
2014: Speech at the University of California, Berkeley
In 2014, Rand Paul gave a speech at the University of California, Berkeley titled "The N.S.A. vs. Your Privacy."
2014: Efforts to Flip Kentucky State House
In 2014, Rand Paul spent campaign money to help Republican candidates in Kentucky, hoping to flip the State House and allow the legislature to pass a bill enabling him to run for both U.S. Senator and President.
2014: Named one of Time's most influential
In 2014, Rand Paul was named one of the world's 100 most influential people by Time magazine.
2014: Advocated for respectful relations with Russia
In early 2014, amidst political turmoil in Ukraine, Rand Paul stated that the United States should try to maintain a "respectful relationship with Russia" and avoid actions that could be viewed as provocative, such as pushing for Ukraine to join NATO.
2014: Mitch McConnell's re-election campaign
Mitch McConnell had previously hired Paul's 2010 campaign manager, Jesse Benton, as his own campaign manager in 2014.
February 2, 2015: Vaccination Remarks on Conservative Radio
On February 2, 2015, Rand Paul told conservative radio host Laura Ingraham that "most" vaccinations ought to be voluntary, sparking controversy regarding parental rights and state mandates.
April 7, 2015: Presidential Candidacy Announcement
On April 7, 2015, Rand Paul officially announced his presidential candidacy.
May 20, 2015: Spoke against Patriot Act reauthorization
On May 20, 2015, Rand Paul spoke for ten and a half hours in opposition to the reauthorization of Section 215 of the Patriot Act. Sections of the Patriot Act were prevented from being reauthorized on June 1.
2015: Called for a Specific Defense Budget
In 2015, Rand Paul called for a defense budget of $697 billion.
2015: Senate Floor Speech Against PATRIOT Act Provisions
In 2015, Rand Paul spoke for ten and a half hours on the Senate floor against renewing provisions of the PATRIOT Act, citing constitutional concerns.
2015: View on Same-Sex Marriage
In 2015, following the Supreme Court's decision legalizing same-sex marriage, Rand Paul said he disagreed but believed all Americans have the right to contract.
February 3, 2016: Suspension of Presidential Campaign
On February 3, 2016, Rand Paul announced the suspension of his presidential campaign after finishing fifth in the Iowa caucus.
February 2016: Opposed Obama's Supreme Court nominee
After Antonin Scalia's death in February 2016, Rand Paul indicated on February 15 that he would oppose any nomination by President Obama to replace the late Supreme Court Justice.
May 6, 2016: Obama called on Paul to stop blocking tax treaties
During a press briefing on May 6, 2016, President Obama called on Rand Paul to stop "blocking the implementation of tax treaties that have been pending for years", arguing that they assisted law enforcement in off shore investigations into tax evasion.
2016: Presidential Candidacy
In 2016, Rand Paul was a candidate for the Republican nomination in the U.S. presidential election. He initially opposed Donald Trump but later supported him.
2016: Re-elected to Senate
In 2016, Rand Paul was re-elected for a second term in the U.S. Senate.
2016: Won CPAC Straw Poll
In 2016, Rand Paul won the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) presidential straw poll.
2016: Critical of Trump During Republican Primary
In 2016, during the Republican primary, Rand Paul was highly critical of Donald Trump.
2016: Potential Conflicts with Running for Senate and President
In 2016, state law could have prohibited Rand Paul from running for re-election had he become the Republican presidential nominee.
January 25, 2017: Introduced bill to replace the Affordable Care Act
On January 25, 2017, Paul introduced a bill that sought to replace the Affordable Care Act which included each person's having a tax credit of $5,000 and not requiring everyone to have coverage, unlike Obamacare.
March 2017: Introduced Stop Arming Terrorists Act and clashed with McCain
In March 2017, Rand Paul introduced the Stop Arming Terrorists Act, aiming to prevent U.S. funds from assisting groups like Al Qaeda and ISIL. Senator John McCain accused Paul of being a Putin agent after Paul objected to adding Montenegro to NATO, leading to a heated exchange between the two senators.
April 2017: Questioned Trump's missile strike in Syria
In April 2017, Rand Paul questioned President Trump's missile strike in Syria, stating that the United States was not attacked and further action required congressional authorization.
May 2017: Urged Trump to withdraw from Paris Agreement
In May 2017, Rand Paul was one of 22 senators who signed a letter to President Donald Trump urging him to withdraw the United States from the Paris Agreement.
September 5, 2017: Response to DACA Rescission
On September 5, 2017, Rand Paul stated that the executive order that created DACA was illegal and called for congressional bipartisanship to fix the program.
October 2017: Threatened to vote against Republican budget
In October 2017, Rand Paul stated he would not vote for the Republican budget in the Senate unless billions in spending were removed from the plan.
November 3, 2017: Assault by Neighbor
On November 3, 2017, Rand Paul was assaulted by his neighbor, Rene Boucher, while mowing his lawn. Paul sustained multiple broken ribs in the attack.
2017: Affordable Care Act stance
In March 2017, Paul's efforts in influencing the replacement of the Affordable Care Act. His actions included demanding to see the House's bill, suggesting separate repeal and replacement bills to President Trump, and accusing Speaker Paul Ryan of misrepresenting the negotiability of the American Health Care Act.
2017: Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017
In a segment on Fox News, which went viral, comedian Jon Stewart and 9/11 first responder John Feal rebuked Paul, accusing him of hypocritical "fiscal responsibility virtue signalling", for delaying passage of the bill, while at the same time he voted in favor of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, which increased the deficit.
February 2018: Voted against immigration framework
In February 2018, Rand Paul was one of fourteen Republican senators to vote against the immigration framework introduced by Republican senators and supported by President Trump.
April 2018: Criticism of U.S.-Saudi Arabia alliance
In April 2018, Rand Paul criticized the U.S.-Saudi Arabia alliance, highlighting Saudi Arabia's funding of radical madrassas and its alleged supply of arms to ISIS in the Syrian civil war. He also stated that the U.S.-backed Saudi blockade of Yemen aggravated the humanitarian crisis.
April 2018: Vote for Mike Pompeo's Confirmation
In April 2018, Rand Paul voted for the confirmation of Mike Pompeo as Secretary of State, reversing his earlier stance due to Pompeo's hawkish foreign policy beliefs.
July 2018: Criticism of Special Counsel Investigation and Vote Against NATO Support
In July 2018, Rand Paul described the Special Counsel investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election as a "witch hunt on the president". Also in July 2018, Paul was among only two senators to vote against a Senate motion supporting NATO.
August 2018: Voted with Trump positions the least out of all Republicans
FiveThirtyEight found that by August 2018, Rand Paul had voted with Donald Trump's positions the least out of all Republicans, only voting with him 74% of the time.
August 2018: Meeting with Russian Senators in Moscow
In August 2018, Rand Paul traveled to Moscow and met with several Russian senators, including Sergey Kislyak.
December 2018: Played down Trump's campaign finance violations
In December 2018, Rand Paul played down alleged campaign finance violations involving President Trump, suggesting they were paperwork errors and not something that should be "over-criminalized."
2018: Call for Investigation of National Science Foundation Grant
In 2018, Rand Paul called for an investigation of a National Science Foundation grant related to climate change education for meteorologists, characterizing it as "propagandizing" rather than science.
January 2019: Condemned Mitt Romney's criticism of Trump
In January 2019, Rand Paul condemned Senator Mitt Romney for writing an editorial criticizing President Trump, stating that Romney's criticism was bad for the country and the Republican Party.
May 2019: Opposition to Subpoena of Donald Trump Jr.
In May 2019, Rand Paul opposed the decision of the Senate Intelligence committee to subpoena Donald Trump Jr. to testify about his involvement with Russians during the 2016 presidential campaign.
July 17, 2019: Blocked 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund renewal
On July 17, 2019, Rand Paul blocked Senator Kirsten Gillibrand's motion for unanimous consent on a bill renewing the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund. He sought a vote on an amendment to offset the spending with other cuts, leading to criticism from Jon Stewart and John Feal. Paul defended his position, citing his insistence on "pay-go provisions".
August 2019: Lung Surgery Following Assault
In August 2019, Rand Paul had a portion of his lung removed as a result of injuries sustained during an assault in 2017.
September 2019: Court of Appeals Vacates Boucher's Sentence
In September 2019, the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit vacated Rene Boucher's initial sentence of 30 days for assaulting Rand Paul, deeming it "unreasonably short."
November 4, 2019: Call to Reveal Whistleblower Identity
On November 4, 2019, Rand Paul urged the media to disclose the identity of the whistleblower who exposed Trump's Ukraine quid pro quo, even threatening to reveal the name himself.
2019: Vote Against Emergency Border Funding
In 2019, Rand Paul was one of 11 Republicans to vote against Trump's demand for "emergency border funding".
January 2020: Tweet on Climate Change
In a January 2020 tweet, Rand Paul stated that humans would likely survive for hundreds of millions of years despite climate predictions, suggesting the creation of atmospheres on suitable moons or planets.
February 2020: Criticism of YouTube for Removing Speech Video
In February 2020, Rand Paul criticized YouTube for taking down a video of his speech on the impeachment trial of Donald Trump. The speech included a controversial question about a House Intelligence Committee staffer's relationship.
February 26, 2020: Wife's Stock Purchase and Delayed Disclosure
On February 26, 2020, Rand Paul's wife purchased stock in Gilead Sciences, a company producing a COVID-19 treatment. The disclosure of this transaction was delayed by 16 months, raising concerns about insider trading.
March 22, 2020: Tests Positive for COVID-19
On March 22, 2020, Rand Paul announced that he had tested positive for COVID-19, becoming the first U.S. Senator to contract the virus.
April 7, 2020: Announces Recovery from COVID-19
On April 7, 2020, Rand Paul announced that he had recovered from COVID-19.
April 2020: Volunteered During COVID-19 Pandemic
In April 2020, after recovering from COVID-19, Rand Paul volunteered at a Bowling Green hospital to assist in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Kentucky.
May 2020: Criticism of Kentucky's Stay-at-Home Orders
In May 2020, Rand Paul criticized Kentucky's Democratic governor Andy Beshear and his stay-at-home orders during the COVID-19 pandemic, labeling them as "dictatorship."
June 2020: Voting Record with President Trump's Position
As of June 2020, Rand Paul voted with President Trump's position on congressional issues 70% of the time, which was the second lowest among all Republican senators.
July 1, 2020: Senate Rejection of Amendment on Afghanistan Withdrawal
On July 1, 2020, the Senate rejected Rand Paul's amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act, which would have required the withdrawal of all U.S. forces from Afghanistan within a year.
August 2020: Confrontation by Protestors
In August 2020, Rand Paul and his wife were confronted by protestors after attending the Republican National Convention. The protestors voiced concerns about the shooting of Breonna Taylor, despite Paul having previously authored a bill named after Taylor to ban no-knock warrants.
September 2020: Lone Republican Vote Against COVID-19 Aid Package
In September 2020, Rand Paul was the only Republican senator to vote against the COVID-19 aid package, expressing concerns about the debt accumulation it would cause.
September 23, 2020: Clash with Anthony Fauci at Senate Committee Hearing
At a Senate committee hearing on September 23, 2020, Rand Paul clashed with Anthony Fauci regarding the CDC's COVID-19 mitigation recommendations, including mask-wearing and social distancing. Fauci and Paul had disagreements on the effectiveness of the mitigation strategies.
December 2020: Claims of a Stolen Election
In December 2020, Rand Paul claimed the election "in many ways was stolen," but he later accepted the state-certified electors that named Biden.
2020: Arguments Regarding Electoral College
In 2020, after the January 6th Capitol attack, Rand Paul defended the Electoral College while condemning the violence, and continued to make false claims of election fraud.
2020: Refusal to Accept Biden's Victory
In 2020, following the presidential election, Rand Paul initially refused to accept Joe Biden's victory and falsely claimed that the election was "stolen."
January 2021: Questioning Trump's Second Impeachment
In January 2021, Rand Paul questioned the constitutionality of Trump's second impeachment trial and defended him against charges of inciting insurrection.
February 3, 2021: Named Ranking Member of Committee
On February 3, 2021, Rand Paul was named a ranking member of the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee.
February 13, 2021: Vote Against Impeachment Charges
On February 13, 2021, Rand Paul formally voted against the charges in Trump's second impeachment trial.
July 2021: Debate with Anthony Fauci on COVID-19 Origin
In July 2021, Rand Paul debated Anthony Fauci at Senate hearings on the origin of COVID-19, expressing concerns about lab work risks. Fauci responded to Paul's allegations and called him a liar.
August 11, 2021: Disclosure of Wife's Investment in Gilead Sciences
On August 11, 2021, Rand Paul disclosed that his wife, Kelley Paul, had purchased a stake in Gilead Sciences, a company that manufactures an antiviral drug used to treat COVID-19. The purchase occurred on February 26, 2020.
August 2021: Suspension from YouTube for COVID-19 Misinformation
In August 2021, Rand Paul was suspended from YouTube for a week after publishing a video with false claims about the effectiveness of masks against COVID-19.
January 2022: Video Resurfaces of Paul Advising on Misinformation
In January 2022, a video from 2013 resurfaced showing Rand Paul advising medical students to use misinformation to trick opponents.
May 2022: Blocking Aid Bill for Ukraine
In May 2022, Rand Paul blocked a bipartisan bill providing $40 billion in aid for Ukraine, demanding the creation of a special inspector general to oversee the spending.
December 2022: FDA Modernization Act 2.0 Signed Into Law
In December 2022, the FDA Modernization Act 2.0, co-sponsored by Rand Paul, which eliminates the requirement that drugs in development must use animal testing before commencing human trials, was signed into law.
2022: Won third term
In 2022, Rand Paul secured a third term as a U.S. Senator.
March 2023: Blocking TikTok Ban
In March 2023, Rand Paul blocked Republican Senator Josh Hawley's bill to ban TikTok in the United States, citing First Amendment concerns.
October 10, 2023: Publication of 'Deception: The Great Covid Cover-Up'
On October 10, 2023, Rand Paul released his book, "Deception: The Great Covid Cover-Up," which was published by Regnery Publishing.
January 11, 2024: Announcement of Anti-Endorsement Against Nikki Haley
On January 11, 2024, Rand Paul announced a major announcement about the 2024 Republican Party presidential primaries planned for the following morning.
2090: 9/11 Victim Compensation Fund renewal
On July 17, 2019, Rand Paul blocked Senator Kirsten Gillibrand's motion for unanimous consent on a bill renewing the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund along with Utah Senator Mike Lee. The bill would renew it until the year 2090.
