Sen. Rand Paul, who said he wants to read the 2,232-page spending bill before voting on it, is on page 600, he told Fox News Thursday, suggesting it could be a while before he agrees to a speedy vote on the measure.
But the Kentucky Republican did not say whether he plans to prevent a vote on the bill before Saturday, which is the earliest time a vote on the measure can happen unless all 100 senators agree to action sooner.
“I’ve been working diligently all day on the bill and I’m up to page 600,” Paul said on “Tucker Carlson Tonight.” “I’ve still got quite a ways to go to read the bill.”
Congress faces a Friday midnight deadline to pass the spending bill. That’s when a temporary funding measure expires.
Many senators said they had hoped to pass the bill on Thursday, which would have allowed them to depart for a two-week recess.
Paul is upset about the size of the bill and the cost and that it was only released late Wednesday. The legislation increases federal spending by $300 billion above mandatory caps.
Paul said the spending increases will push the deficit to $1 trillion this year.
Democrats and Republicans collaborate on spending bills because Republicans want more military funding and Democrats seek domestic spending increases.
“It’s an unholy alliance,” Paul said. “Republicans are not fiscally conservative on the military. They want unlimited spending. Democrats say we’ll give you military spending and Republicans say we’ll give you domestic spending.”
Paul wouldn’t say when he would agree to a vote on the bill.
“It’s never my goal to shut down government,” Paul said, acknowledging he can’t stop the bill from eventually passing.
“They can roll over me,” Paul said. “I’m in the minority. They will win. The majority will win.”
