Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) on Wednesday prevented the nomination of John Brennan, President Obama’s pick to lead the CIA, from coming to the Senate floor for a vote by staging a filibuster of nearly 13 hours. Paul said he was not against Brennan leading the CIA. Rather, prior to a vote, Paul said he wanted the White House to clarify whether the President believes he has the authority under the Constitution to employ lethal force, like a remotely piloted aircraft strike, against an American citizen on American soil who does not represent an imminent threat. Paul maintained that the Obama Administration has been purposely nebulous on this topic. During the filibuster, Paul introduced a sense of the Senate that use of RPAs in this manner violates the Constitutional due-process rights of citizens. However, Senate Democrats prevented a vote on this non-binding resolution. Paul ended his filibuster at around 12:38 a.m. on Thursday morning East Coast time, upon which Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) introduced a cloture motion to end debate and move to the nomination vote. The Senate is expected to take up the cloture motion on Thursday.
An Air Force C-17 transport jet recently tested a new technology that could help aviators stay on course even if the satellite-based Global Positioning System (GPS) that much of modern-day aviation relies on is compromised.