WASHINGTON (AP) — The government shutdown entered its 40th day Sunday, even as senators remained in Washington for a grueling weekend session hoping to end the fight over funding that has disrupted flights across the country, threatened food aid for millions of Americans and left federal workers without pay.
The Senate has so far shown little sign of progress over a weekend that could be crucial to the shutdown fight. Republican leaders hope to vote on a up-to-date legislative package that would reopen the government by January while authorizing year-round funding for several parts of the government. But the necessary Democratic support for these efforts was far from guaranteed.
“We are just a handful of votes away” from passing a bill to reopen the government, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said Saturday.
Still, Democratic leaders are pushing difficult to expand subsidies for health plans offered under the Affordable Care Act. Republicans rejected that offer but signaled openness to an emerging proposal from a tiny group of moderate Democrats to end the shutdown in exchange for a later vote on “Obamacare” subsidies that make health insurance more affordable.
For those participating in the Affordable Care Act exchanges, premiums are expected to more than double on average next year if Congress allows the increased subsidies to expire.
Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, a Democratic independent, said the promise to vote on extending health care subsidies was a “wasteful gesture” unless “you have a commitment from the Speaker of the House that he will support it and that the President of the United States will sign it.”
President Donald Trump has made it clear that he is unlikely to compromise any time soon. He again urged Republicans over the weekend to eliminate the Senate’s filibuster rules, which prevent the chamber from moving forward on most legislation unless there is support from 60 senators.
The moderates continue to negotiate
Senator Jeanne Shaheen, DN.H. and others have been negotiating among themselves and with some rank-and-file Republicans over bills that would fund parts of the government — including food aid, veterans programs and the Legislature — and extend funding for everything else until December or January. The deal would only come with the promise of a future health vote, not a guarantee of expanded subsidies.
It was unclear whether enough Democrats would support such a plan. Even if an agreement is reached, Trump is unlikely to support expanding health care benefits. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., also said last week that he would not commit to a health care vote.
Republican leaders need just five additional votes to fund the government, and the group involved in the talks included between 10 and 12 Democratic senators.
Some Republicans have said they are open to extending COVID-19-era tax credits because premiums could skyrocket for millions of people, but they want up-to-date limits on who can receive the subsidies. They gathered Saturday to argue before the Senate that subsidies for the plans should go through private individuals.
“We are going to replace this broken system with something that is actually better for the consumer,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C.
Republicans are eyeing a up-to-date legislative package
Trump wants Republicans to end the shutdown quickly and eliminate the filibuster, which requires 60 votes in the Senate for most legislation, so they can completely bypass Democrats. Vice President JD Vance, a former Ohio senator, endorsed the idea in an online post Saturday, saying Republicans who want to keep the filibuster are “wrong.”
Republicans have rejected Trump’s call and Thune is seeking a bipartisan package that mirrors the proposal drawn up by moderate Democrats. What Thune, who has refused to negotiate, might promise regarding health care is unknown.
The package would replace House-passed legislation that Democrats have rejected 14 times since the shutdown began Oct. 1. The current bill would only extend state funding through Nov. 21.
An election for Democrats
If Thune decides to move forward, there could be a test vote on up-to-date laws in the next few days.
Then the Democrats would have a crucial decision: Continue to fight for a meaningful agreement on extending the subsidies that expire in January and at the same time prolong the pain of the shutdown? Or vote to reopen the government and hope for the best, while Republicans promise an eventual health care vote but no guaranteed outcome.
Schumer insisted Saturday that Republicans should accept a one-year extension of the subsidies before negotiating the future of the tax credits.
“Doing nothing is neglecting because people are going to go bankrupt, people are going to lose their insurance, people are going to get sicker,” Schumer said in a speech. “This is what will happen if this Congress doesn’t act.”
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Associated Press writers Seung Min Kim, Joey Cappelletti, Mary Clare Jalonick and Lisa Mascaro contributed to this report.
