Reporter’s Notebook: Rand Paul Proving Hold Could Keep Government Shutdown Another Week

Sen. Rand Paul, R-KY.

Paul voted with him because he wanted a guarantee of change in the hemp bill.

The measure prohibits the “unregulated sale” of “hemp-based intoxicating” products at gas stations and small retailers. It prevents the sale of undiluted CBD in other hemp-related products.

So if the senate got 60 votes last night to break the filibuster and only needed 51 to pass this bill, why did the senate leave Paul?

The limap government is deep into the Shutdown Crisis without consensus

It’s about speed.

Tie this to the next part. It gets complicated.

Last night’s vote broke the filibuster to continue the first House spending measure from September. That required 60 yeas.

A Hitchhiker’s guide to what to expect tonight from the government shutdown

Weed Shop Shelf with THC gummies, brownies and other candies. (Stock)

Therefore, the senate simply breaks the filibuster to begin work on the Bill.

By law, the Senate can end 30 hours of debate after breaking the filibuster, unless Paul gives up. That would have allowed us to vote for a smaller process to actually get into Dawn on Tuesday.

That is, without this agreement with Paul – or for that matter another Democratic Sentetos to speed things up.

But wait. There are many.

The intention of the leader of the senate is the majority of John tune, Rs.d., – And this is done with a wink and a nod to protect the amendment agreement. Instead, simply write off the old mortgage and replace it with a new mortgage.

But because this is being amended instead, there should be a loophole to break the filibuster into that. By law, Tune couldn’t do that until Tuesday. Sparkling applications require an intervention date before maturity. So that means the Senate could not vote to break the filibuster in this area (ie a new bill) until Thursday. Again, that takes 60 years. And if there is no money, the Senate can do another clock before voting Yes or no in this area. Maybe that would be Friday.

The risk of a government shutdown increases after the dems’ expansion with trump

Senate Majority Leader John Tune speaks during a press conference with Senate Republican leadership following a luncheon on Capitol Hill in Washington, Oct. 28, 2025. (Nathan Poser / Anadolu via Getty Images)

But we were not done.

If the Senate accepts the new text on Friday, then Tune must resubmit the bill on Friday, wait a day (Saturday) and vote to end the vote on that (also requiring 60 votes) on Sunday.

The situation means that the Senate will finally pass the revised bill next Monday. And it can mean that the house does not care about the law until Tuesday or Wednesday next week.

So it really extends the government shutdown.

Click here to download the FOX News app

That said, this may not happen. That makes things in the book.

But also why is Tune’s desire to get a deal with Paul to speed things up. Otherwise, Paul or the Democrats who oppose the Bill could actually slow things down and extend the shutdown.