Key points
- Moderates propose shutdown end with future vote
- Republicans need five more votes to fund government
WASHINGTON: Senators are working through the weekend for the first time since the government shutdown began more than a month ago, hoping to reach a bipartisan resolution. Federal workers remain unpaid, airlines have had to cancel flights, and millions of Americans have seen delays in SNAP benefits.
As Saturday’s session began, it was uncertain whether Republicans and Democrats could make progress in reopening the government, which has now been in a deadlock for 39 days.
President Donald Trump made it clear he is unlikely to compromise soon with Democrats, who are pushing for an extension of Affordable Care Act tax credits. He criticised the healthcare system on social media, calling it “the worst Healthcare anywhere in the world,” and suggested Congress send money directly to people for insurance, reports AP News.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said Trump’s proposal would not form part of a shutdown resolution but added, “it is a discussion that the president and all of us want to have.” Thune confirmed plans to keep the Senate in session until the shutdown ends, with hopes of voting soon.
Willingness
Republican leaders have shown willingness to consider a proposal from a group of moderate Democrats to end the shutdown in exchange for a future vote on “Obamacare” subsidies. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., leading the talks, said Democrats are seeking “another path forward” after Republicans rejected a previous offer to reopen the government and extend subsidies.
Moderates have been discussing bills to fund parts of the government, including food aid and veterans’ programmes, and extend funding until December or January, with a future health care vote, not a guarantee of extended subsidies. It remains unclear if enough Democrats will support this plan.
Five additional votes
Republican leaders need only five additional votes to fund the government, and the group involved in talks ranges from 10 to 12 Democratic senators. Some Republicans have expressed openness to extending the COVID-era tax credits, but with new eligibility limits.
Trump has urged Republicans to end the shutdown quickly and eliminate the filibuster, which requires 60 Senate votes for most legislation. Vice President JD Vance backed this idea, arguing that Republicans wanting to keep the filibuster are “wrong.”
A test vote on new legislation could occur soon, leaving Democrats with a crucial choice: continue pushing for an extension of the subsidies or reopen the government with the hope of a future vote.
