Sen. Rand Paul said he will oppose a measure the U.S. Senate will take up this week for payments to areas of the Northeast affected by Superstorm Sandy.The Northeast does need help after the storm, but he would like to offset the costs with spending cuts elsewhere in the federal government, he said.“I would have given them ($)9 billion and I would’ve taken the ($)9 billion from somewhere else," he said. "I would have taken it from foreign aid and said you know what, we don’t have money for Egypt or Pakistan this year because we have to help the Northeast."Paul said he doesn’t mind paying for disaster aid if spending is cut elsewhere.A measure authorizing $9 billion in relief already passed Congress, but the Republican-controlled House recently approved an additional $51 billion package, which Paul said is laden with "pork" spending.Kentucky Reps. Brett Guthrie, Andy Barr and Thomas Massie all opposed the legislation in the House.Paul said the larger package has too much wasteful spending.He said, "$700,000 is going to continue that performance art festival in New York and I think it’s inexcusable to throw that type of stuff into disaster relief."
