Senator Rand Paul voted "no" on the recent continuing resolution funding bill that failed to prevent a federal government shutdown in late September 2025. He was the only Republican opposing the measure. His opposition mainly stems from his stance against excessive federal spending and added national debt. Rand Paul has a long-standing position against spending bills that increase the nation's debt significantly. In this case, the bill did not include provisions to address his concerns, and he has generally supported a more fiscally conservative approach rather than the bipartisan or status quo funding measures that were proposed. This has consistently led him to vote against such measures, including efforts to stop funding Planned Parenthood and reject what he considers "business as usual" in Washington with too much spending and debt.
In the latest government shutdown vote, Reid Paul was alone among Republicans in voting against the temporary funding measure designed to keep the government open for several weeks. The shutdown occurred after Democrats and Republicans failed to reach a deal, with Democrats insisting on restoring health care subsidies and Medicaid funding, which Republicans opposed. Paul's vote aligns with his tradition of opposing funding bills without spending cuts or reforms.
