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Potential 2016 Candidates Paul, Rubio Push Senate Colleagues to Boost Defense Spending

Paul has made a name for himself by pressuring leaders to accept spending cuts.
U.S. Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) listens to a question after speaking at Beantowne Coffee House & Cafe March 21, 2015 in Hampstead, New Hampshire.

U.S. Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) listens to a question after speaking at Beantowne Coffee House & Cafe March 21, 2015 in Hampstead, New Hampshire.

Photo by Darren McCollester/Getty Images

Two senators who may vie for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination are pushing their colleagues to boost defense spending more than their party's budget seeks—even though one of them, Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, has made a name for himself by pressuring leaders to accept spending cuts.

Paul's proposed amendment to the budget would increase defense spending by almost $190 billion over the next two years. It does so through six pages of additions and subtractions to the figures included in the Senate Republican budget approved by committee, which is now being debated by lawmakers.