Rand Paul is actively holding up the Senate from voting on the budget deal until they agree to give him a vote for his amendment that will reinstate the budget caps:
Sen Cornyn confirms @RandPaul is holding up the Senate CR/budget deal vote. He wants a vote on his amendment, and leadership is recommending he do it as a budget point of order.
— Frank Thorp V (@frankthorp) February 8, 2018
Rand Paul holds up Senate budget vote with government shutdown only hours away https://t.co/EvEuNiuw6S
— CNBC (@CNBC) February 8, 2018
CNBC – Sen. Rand Paul was blocking the Senate’s move to quickly pass approve its massive budget deal Thursday with only hours until government funding lapses.
For the Senate to hold a vote on the spending package Thursday, all senators must agree. The Kentucky Republican held out as he sought a vote on an amendment to maintain budget caps.
“All Senator Rand Paul is asking for is a 15-minute vote on his amendment to restore the budget caps. He is ready to proceed at any time,” Paul spokesman Sergio Gor said in a statement.
As Paul railed against lifting spending caps, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated that the bill would cost about $320 billion. Most of that would come in the first year.
When the Senate gets to a vote, the measure appears to have enough support to pass.
“I think it will all work out. But it’s up in the air,” said Senate Majority Whip John Cornyn, R-Texas, according to Politico.
If the Senate approves the proposal, the House would then have to pass it before midnight Thursday and send it to President Donald Trump for his signature.
Kerry Picket was apparently told the same thing via Paul’s office:
Sen. Paul’s office on whether he’ll filibuster Sen budget deal: “Sen. Rand Paul is asking for a 15-minute vote on his amendment to restore the budget caps. He is ready to proceed at any time.”
— Kerry Picket (@KerryPicket) February 8, 2018
We’ll keep an eye on this as it unfold tonight. Rand Paul will appear on Neil Cavuto’s show in a few minutes while he’s holding up the Senate. I’m quite sure they’ll be discussing this.
GOP KY Sen Rand Paul to appear on "Your World with Neil Cavuto" on Fox at 4 pm et. Paul is holding up passage of the budget deal. Gov't funding expires at 11:59:59 pm et tonight
— Chad Pergram (@ChadPergram) February 8, 2018