Senators are working through Super Bowl weekend after Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., threatened to slow-roll voting on a $95.3 billion funding bill for Ukraine, Israel, and other national security priorities.
Paul called the bill "rotten" and told reporters he wouldn't agree to speed up the voting timeline until "hell freezes over," The Hill reported Friday.
As a result, senators are allegedly dragging their feet to finish work on the emergency defense spending package that faces an uncertain future in the GOP-controlled House, the outlet reported.
"I'll object to anything speeding up this rotten foreign spending bill's passage," Paul wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.
"It's a terrible idea to put forward and pass a bill that tries to secure other countries' borders before we secure our own. We need to address our problems here at home in a REAL way."
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., told Senate colleagues they'll vote on a procedural motion to begin debate on the bill Friday night at 7 p.m., according to The Hill.
And he added that senators will stay in session until the bill passes, even though the Senate was previously scheduled to take a two-week recess starting Monday, the outlet noted.
Some Republicans demanded the legislation include border security provisions, while others, like Paul, objected to it outright.
The procedural vote, which requires a simple majority, is expected to pass and would set up several days of debate and additional votes that would bleed into the start of the Senate's two-week recess, CBS News noted.
"I hope our Republican colleagues can work with us to reach an agreement on amendments, so we can move this process along," Schumer said, The Hill reported. "Nevertheless, the Senate will keep working on this bill until the job is done."
If Paul drags out the floor debate as long as possible, a vote on final passage could stretch into Tuesday, The Hill reported.
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