Senate Republicans had planned to bring the House-passed bill to reopen the government back to the floor Friday, but after Senate Democrats signaled they were willing to hold out longer, that plan appears to be shifting.
According to Fox News, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., had kept the chamber in session for a rare Friday vote with the goal of putting the continuing resolution (CR) on the floor for a 15th time.
But after Senate Democrats met behind closed doors Thursday and emerged with renewed unity, Thune acknowledged, “We’ve got to get the Democrats back and engaged.”
Bipartisan talks between several Republican and moderate Democratic senators had recently gained momentum, with optimism that a deal could be near. However, Tuesday’s election results and pressure from progressives may have disrupted those efforts.
“All I know is that the pep rally they had at lunch yesterday evidently changed some minds,” Thune said. “I thought we were on a track. We were giving them everything they wanted or had asked for… and then yesterday, everything kind of — the wheels came off, so to speak.”
Thune’s remarks came amid behind-the-scenes negotiations over pairing the CR with three spending bills in a package known as a minibus. But counteroffers and new demands from Democrats have stalled progress.
“There’s no reason to vote on the same stuff that we voted on in the past just to do it again,” said Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D.
With the Senate approaching its Veterans Day recess, questions remain about whether Thune will keep lawmakers in Washington over the weekend. “Our members are going to be advised to be available,” Thune said. “We will see what happens and whether or not over the course of the next couple of days, the Democrats can find a way to reengage.”
An alternative path could involve Sen. Ron Johnson’s, R-Wis., bill to ensure federal workers and the military are paid during the shutdown. The bill was previously blocked by Senate Democrats, but Johnson said he has added provisions for furloughed workers.
“No Republican senator objects to the bill, and we hope the same is true among the Democrat senators,” Johnson said. “If not, we will call for a roll call vote to reveal which senators are willing to use federal workers as political pawns.”
Democrats are demanding an extension of expiring Obamacare subsidies in exchange for reopening the government. Republicans have offered to vote on the measure only after the shutdown ends, a stance Democrats have rejected.
“It seems Republicans don’t know what they want to do,” said Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn. “This thing could be solved in an hour. What is their resistance to just stopping these premium increases from going into effect? I mean, this is so insane.”
