Senator Rand Paul (R‑Ky.) is blocking progress on the latest government funding package, citing a disputed hemp‑product provision, potentially extending the shutdown deadline. The Senate agreed to break a filibuster on the original House‑passed measure, yet the procedural path to final passage cannot advance without resolving Paul’s concern.
Senator Paul voted no on a cloture test motion required to proceed to the funding bill because the package includes language he views as harmful to Kentucky hemp farmers and small businesses.
The provision in question restricts the sale of “intoxicating hemp‑based” products at convenience stores and small retailers; it preserves non‑intoxicating CBD products but would close a loophole Paul says is vital to Kentucky industry.
Because the Senate broke the filibuster on the initial text, the next step is a substitute amendment that replaces that text with the updated spending package. Senate rules require a waiting period before filing cloture on the substitute, delaying action until at least Thursday under current scheduling.
If Paul does not relent, the delay risks pushing final passage into next week. The House would then need to act before the funding deadline to avoid a deeper shutdown or partial government defunding.
From a policy perspective, this standoff reveals broader tensions: one, the question of procedural delays by a single senator in the context of a broad bipartisan funding deal; two, the balance between industry‑specific policy concerns (hemp regulation) and the broader imperative to keep government operational; and three, how procedural rules in the Senate can enable individual holds or objections to delay must‑pass legislation.
