After 41 days of a grinding government shutdown, a glimmer of hope for reopening is being dimmed by one senator’s stand over a niche issue—intoxicating hemp products.
The Hill reported that the U.S. Senate is tangled in a procedural knot over a funding package to end the shutdown, with Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) holding firm against a provision targeting unregulated hemp-derived goods like Delta-8.
Let’s rewind to Sunday, when the Senate took a step forward by advancing a bipartisan deal that funds key areas like military construction, veterans’ affairs, agriculture, and the legislative branch.
That same night, senators voted to end debate on a motion to push forward a House-passed resolution for temporary government funding.
Yet, under Senate rules, a tedious 30-hour “post-cloture” waiting period looms before a vote to proceed can even happen, unless all 100 senators agree to speed things up.
Enter Sen. Rand Paul, the lone holdout refusing to yield time, as confirmed by Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) on Monday morning.
Paul’s objection isn’t about the shutdown itself but a specific clause in the agriculture funding bill that would crack down on unregulated sales of hemp-based intoxicants at gas stations and online.
He’s pushing to strip this language, arguing it unfairly targets Kentucky’s hemp farmers and small businesses, and has even filed an amendment to force a vote on the matter.
“Just to be clear: I am not delaying this bill,” Paul insisted. “The timing is already fixed under Senate procedure.” But let’s be real—his refusal to budge is keeping the Senate in slow motion while federal workers go unpaid.
A coalition of beer, wine, and spirits industry advocates, including heavyweights like the Distilled Spirits Council of the U.S., fired off a letter Monday urging senators to reject Paul’s amendment.
They argue, “Manufacturers of beverage alcohol, one of the most highly regulated consumer products, urge the Senate to reject Sen. Paul’s attempts to allow hemp-derived THC products to be sold devoid of federal regulation and oversight across the country.”
While their concern for regulation sounds noble, isn’t it convenient for Big Alcohol to squash a competing product under the guise of safety?
On the other side, Paul’s camp doubles down, with a spokesperson stating, “Dr. Rand Paul affirms his commitment to reopening the government without delay.” Yet, tying this hemp fight to a national crisis feels like a misstep when Americans are desperate for stability.
Under normal Senate procedure, four more votes are needed to pass this package, dragging out the process for days unless unanimous consent is reached.
While Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.), a key negotiator, noted Monday night that no Democrats are slowing things down, the GOP’s internal friction with Paul remains the sticking point.
Thune summed up the frustration, saying, “I don’t think it’s anyone’s best interest to drag this out.” He’s right—every hour of delay is another slap to federal employees and citizens relying on government services, though Paul’s principled stand for his state’s economy isn’t without merit in a world of overreaching federal rules.
