The Deal to Reopen the Government Stalls

Senate leaders from both parties said they cannot move forward with the government funding bill until they resolve an objection from Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, who is demanding the removal of a clause banning the unregulated sale of hemp-derived products with psychoactive effects.

Republican Majority Leader John Thune told reporters that Paul remains the only senator blocking a fast-track vote. Paul insists he is acting in the interests of his state’s hemp industry and merely exercising his procedural right to review the bill in detail. “Let me be clear: I’m not delaying the legislation. The timing is set by Senate procedure. But the package includes unrelated provisions that would harm Kentucky’s farmers and small businesses,” he wrote in a statement on X. “Protecting Kentucky jobs is part of my job,” the senator added.

Paul seeks to remove a clause in the Agriculture Department’s budget that would ban the sale of unlicensed hemp-based products, including substances like Delta-8, which are commonly sold online and at gas stations. The agreement approved by the Senate on Sunday includes annual budgets for military construction, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Agriculture, and the legislative branch.

A spokesperson for Paul emphasized that the senator “supports reopening the government immediately” but believes the bill “unfairly targets Kentucky’s hemp industry.” The spokesperson added that the disputed provision “has nothing to do with the budget or the goal of restarting government operations.”

On Sunday, November 9, the Senate voted to end debate on a motion to consider the resolution previously approved by the House of Representatives, marking the first step toward passing the funding package. Under Senate rules, 30 hours of post-cloture debate must now take place before lawmakers can proceed to the next voting stage.

Four additional votes are expected to follow: to end debate on the substitute amendment, to approve the amendment itself, to close debate on the main bill, and finally to pass it. Unanimous consent from all 100 senators would be required to speed up this process; otherwise, it could take several days.

Thune confirmed that Paul is the only senator refusing to waive the allotted debate time needed to fast-track the bill’s transmission to the House. “Dragging out the process benefits no one,” he said. According to a source in the Senate Republican leadership, the vote could take place immediately if Paul withdrew his objections. Paul, however, said he is seeking a separate vote on his amendment to remove the disputed clause, which he has already formally submitted.

Democratic Senator Tim Kaine, who took part in the negotiations, said there were no objections within his party to expediting the passage of the funding agreement. “I’m not aware of a single colleague on our side who intends to hold up the vote,” he said.