"I will make them drag it out if we don't get some votes"

A bill extending provisions of the Patriot Act that expire this week easily cleared a major hurdle in the Senate on Monday, but it could face delays if Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) decides not to hold votes on proposed changes to the legislation. …

Freshman Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), a vocal critic of the counter-terrorism surveillance law, threatened Monday to “drag out” the process if Reid fails to hold votes on some of the nine amendments Paul introduced or co-sponsored on Monday. Paul, a libertarian-minded tea-party senator, noted that Reid had promised earlier this year to set aside a week’s worth of debate on the bill and allow votes on amendments.

When asked whether he would try to delay the bill if he’s denied votes on his amendments, Paul replied: “I will make them drag it out if we don’t get some votes, because I was promised votes on amendments and we’ll stand firm on that,” adding that he’ll do “whatever it takes.”

However, Paul doesn’t have the votes to block the bill. All he can really do is hold up final passage of the legislation until the end of the week.