Republican Sen. Rand Paul brought a stack of colorful posters as visual aids to the Senate floor Friday for a half-hour long speech lamenting “ridiculous” taxpayer-funded research at multiple federal agencies.

“I don’t think this bill makes us stronger. In fact, I think the Chinese sit back … and laugh at America thinking we’re going to be stronger by borrowing more money from China,” Paul said in opposition to the Endless Frontier Act, which would expand research at the National Science Foundation that proponents say would help the United States keep up with China.