Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said Friday that he is urging Democrats to “re-engage in bipartisan conversations” to end the shutdown after the “wheels fell off” when Democrats agreed on a plan to push for more concessions.
The two sides were make a deal The focus was on a short-term spending measure with a “minibus” of three attached full-year spending bills and a future vote on a health care subsidy package of some form.
However, these conversations are made a U-turn on Thursday around noon, when Democratic negotiators voiced annoyance, followed by a show of unity across the conference to pursue further victories in a potential deal.
“All I know is that the pep rally they had at lunch yesterday obviously changed some minds. I thought we were on the right track. We had given them everything they wanted – or asked for – and at some point … they have to take yes for an answer,” Thune said Friday.
“They were trending in that direction and then yesterday the wheels fell off, so to speak,” he continued. “We are ready to engage when they are.”
The upper house is expected to vote sometime on Friday, but it is not clear on what.
Thune advised Senate Republicans on Thursday that they plan to vote on the spending bill passed by the House with the intention of amending it if given the green delicate.
The changes included changing the date from Nov. 21 to sometime in January and three full-year funding bills — known as “minibuses” — committing to the appropriations process.
But without the ability to move, this vote could fail by the weekend.
Thune also flagged the possibility of voting on a proposal from Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) that would pay waivers for federal workers and military members during the duration of the shutdown.
Asked whether this would be a plenary vote or an attempt at unanimous approval, he said it would depend on “what the traffic can handle.”
Anyway, the Chamber is expected to be here all weekend.
