Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY)
Rand Paul, 2013: Let's cut
the U.S. Department of Agriculture agency responsible for researching bird flu.
Rand Paul spokesman, 2015, after bird flu kills millions of birds in Iowa: Oh, he didn't mean that USDA.
Steve Grubbs, Paul's chief Iowa strategist, declined to address specific spending reductions at the USDA or whether the senator continues to support cutting those agencies as he has in past budget proposals.
But Grubbs said Paul favors the government playing an active role in working with farmers to combat bird flu because the virus has spread throughout several states. As a result, the outbreak triggers what's known as the commerce clause in the Constitution, effectively giving the government the power to get involved, he said.
"Sen. Paul recognizes that there are important programs in the USDA related to food safety and disease control that need to be protected and potentially enhanced," said Grubbs. Bird flu and other diseases are "a perfect place for the USDA and other federal agencies to play a role."
A perfect place for the USDA and other federal agencies to play a role, while Rand Paul is running for president and looking for votes in Iowa. When he was a senator from Kentucky trying to elevate his national profile by proposing big cuts to stuff that sounded confusing and possibly not that important, though, it was a different story.