WASHINGTON (AP) — government shutdown Congress extended into its 40th day on Sunday, even as senators were in Washington for a grueling weekend session seeking to end a funding battle that has disrupted flights across the country, threatened food assistance to millions of Americans and left federal workers without pay.
The Senate has so far shown little sign of progress in a weekend that could be crucial for the shutdown fight. Republican leaders want to vote on a new bill that would reopen the government through January while authorizing year-round funding for multiple government departments. But the Democratic support needed for the effort was not guaranteed.
‘Just a few votes left’ to pass government reopening bill Senate Majority Leader John ThuneR.S.D. said on Saturday.
Still, Democratic leaders are pushing to extend subsidies for health insurance provided under the Affordable Care Act’s marketplace. Republicans rejected that proposal, but were open to a new proposal from a handful of moderate Democrats to end the shutdown in exchange for a later vote on Obamacare subsidies that would make insurance more affordable.
If Congress allows the enhanced subsidies to expire, average premiums for people enrolled in the Affordable Care Act are expected to more than double next year.
Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent and co-sponsoring the Democratic Party, said a pledge to hold a vote on extending health care benefits would be a “futile exercise” without “a commitment that the Speaker of the House will support it and the President of the United States will sign it.”
President Donald Trump has made clear that a compromise is unlikely anytime soon. He again pressed Republicans over the weekend to remove Republican lawmakers. Senate filibuster rules This prevents Congress from moving forward with most bills without support from 60 senators.
Moderates continue negotiations
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D.H.) and others are negotiating with themselves and some rank-and-file Republicans on a bill that would cover some parts of the government, such as food assistance, veterans programs, the Legislature, and extend funding for everything else until December or January. The deal does not guarantee an extension of subsidies, only the promise of future health care votes.
It’s unclear whether enough Democrats would support such a plan. Even if an agreement were reached, it seems unlikely that President Trump would support extending health benefits. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) also said last week that he would not be involved in the health vote.
Republican leaders need just five more votes to fund the government, with a group of 10 to 12 Democratic senators participating in the talks.
Some Republican lawmakers say they’re open to extending COVID-19-era tax credits because it could lead to higher premiums for millions of people, but they want to put new limits on who can receive the subsidies. They lined up to take to the Senate floor on Saturday, arguing that funding for the plan should be provided through individuals.
“We’re going to replace this broken system with something that’s actually better for consumers,” said Sen. Lindsey Graham, R.S.C.
Republicans focus on new bill package
President Trump wants Republicans to quickly end the government shutdown, eliminate the filibuster, which requires 60 Senate votes for most bills, and bypass Democrats altogether. Vice President J.D. Vance, a former Ohio senator, supported the idea in an online post Saturday, saying Republicans who want to keep the filibuster in place are “wrong.”
The Republican Party is rejected Following Trump’s call, Thune is eyeing a bipartisan package that reflects proposals that have been envisioned by moderate Democrats. It is unclear what promises Thun, who has refused to negotiate, will make regarding health care.
The bill would replace a House-passed bill that Democrats have rejected 14 times since the government shutdown began on October 1. The current bill would only extend government funding until November 21st.
Democratic Party’s Choice
If Thune decides to move forward, a test vote on the new bill could be held within days.
If that happens, Democrats will have to make an important choice: keep fighting for a meaningful agreement on an extension. subsidy Will it expire in January, prolonging the pain of closure? Or they could vote to reopen the government and hope for the best, since Republicans have promised an eventual vote on health care, but that outcome is not guaranteed.
Schumer continued Saturday to argue that Republicans should accept a one-year extension of the subsidies before negotiating the future of the tax credits.
“Doing nothing would be remiss, because people are going bankrupt, people are losing insurance, and people are getting sicker,” Schumer said in a speech on the floor. “If Congress doesn’t act, this is what will happen.”
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Associated Press writers Seung-Min Kim, Joey Cappelletti, Mary Claire Jalonick and Lisa Mascaro contributed to this report.
