CUTTING IT CLOSE

Federal Government Poised for Shutdown as Rand Paul Blocks Funding Bill

A logjam in Congress could hold up a key vote to keep the government open past the midnight deadline.

The White House has told government agencies to prepare for another shutdown as Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) held up a vote on a bipartisan bill that would keep the government’s lights on past midnight Thursday. Paul is blocking the bill over GOP leaders’ refusal to allow him to submit an amendment to the legislation, which he opposes because of its impact on the national debt. If Paul continues to object, a vote is likely to occur in the early hours of Friday morning. “I can keep them here until 3 a.m. I will make them listen to me and they will have to have me to listen to me,” Paul told Fox News. “It is too important for the country not to have a debate.”