Paul Derides Democrats Over FEMA Funding

With apartisan fight over a short-term federal spending bill escalating, U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., is criticizing Senate Democrats over federal disaster funding and blaming them for another potential government shutdown.Democrats and Republicans disagree over how to fund the Federal Emergency Management Agency and whether it should include cuts to other programs.Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nv., will hold a vote Monday night on legislation that mirrors an identical bill passed by the Republican-control House expect without the spending cuts.But Paul says the only way to handle the increased expenses and deal with the deficit is to make offsets in other areas to avoid greater debt."Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and the Democrats are threatening to shut down government because they insist that disaster funds be borrowed, not offset," Paul said in a statement. "In other words, the Democrats are insisting we must increase our national debt by borrowing new funds or they will shut down the government ... Only in the bizarre world that is Washington, could anyone insist that we borrow more money rather than do the responsible thing and find budgetary offsets for new spending."UPDATE: According to Politico, Senate leaders have come to an agreement and will vote to keep the government running through November 18.