Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., set up a 1 a.m. Saturday vote on the $1.3 trillion fiscal 2018 spending bill, but passage of the legislation could come sooner if all senators agree to a quick consideration.
A temporary funding measure expires Friday at midnight.
McConnell set up the early Saturday vote to follow Senate procedure.
But the timing appears to hinge on Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., the Kentucky Republican who is opposed to the size and scope of the bill. Paul said he wants to read the 2,232-page document. It’s unclear if he will agree to a shortened time frame, however. He won’t yet reveal his plans.
A Paul spokesman said whether the senator will consent to consideration of the bill or not on Thursday is “to be determined.”
If Paul does not agree to speed up consideration, a final vote may have to wait until Sunday because an additional 30 hours will have to pass after the Saturday vote to begin debate.
Paul has publicly denounced the measure, which exceeds federal spending caps by $300 billion over two years, adding to the deficit, and is riddled with last-minute policy riders such as the CLOUD Act, which opponents say gives the executive branch too much power in deciding foreign government access to U.S. data.
“Shame, shame,” Paul tweeted Thursday. “A pox on both Houses – and parties. $1.3 trillion. Busts budget caps. 2200 pages, with just hours to try to read it.”
