Paul's remarks prompted by Snowden's statements on protections for government contractors

ORLANDO, Florida (CNN) -

Speaking to a libertarian-leaning audience Sunday about ex-contractor Edward Snowden, Sen. Rand Paul said he's thinking about ways to "expand the whistleblower statute to government contractors."

"We've got so many millions of government contractors that when they see something wrong, they should be able to report it without repercussions," he said in a live video appearance to a Florida conference hosted by the Campaign for Liberty.

The libertarian-leaning senator from Kentucky, who's repeatedly said he has "mixed emotions" on the issue, has taken some heat from some in the libertarian base. While he thinks Snowden's efforts did a service to the country by disclosing the depth of data collection programs by the National Security Agency, Paul still believes Snowden broke the law and has said he deserves "a few years in prison."

Many libertarians, however, consider Snowden a hero. In fact, his father, former Rep. Ron Paul, praised the ex-contractor Friday night in a speech at the same Florida conference.

"I think we should praise our whistleblowers," Ron Paul said to applause, adding "people like Edward Snowden" should be rewarded.

While it's not new that Ron Paul has been more supportive of Snowden than his son, Rand Paul's consideration of expanding protections for whistleblowers is an approach that would appeal to those in the libertarian base.

Paul, who's mulling a presidential bid, said he still believes there needs to be some state secrets, but there also "needs to be a whistleblower program for people to have a venue."

Snowden faces felony charges of espionage and theft of government property in the United States, and he has said he won't return until the U.S. changes its whistleblower protection laws.

Snowden said last month that he's not protected under the 2012 Whistleblower Protection Enhancement, nor by an executive directive made by President Barack Obama two years ago that reformed whistleblower legislation but exempted intelligence community contractors.

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Paul's remarks prompted by Snowden's statements on protections for government contractors