Overview
- Senate leaders prepared possible test votes as negotiators worked on a Thune-led package that pairs a short-term continuing resolution with select annual spending bills to reopen parts of the government.
- The emerging proposal would restore funding for programs such as food assistance, veterans services and the legislative branch while temporarily extending other federal funding.
- Democrats, who have blocked reopening 14 times without protections for Affordable Care Act subsidies, are now pressing for a one-year extension in exchange for their votes.
- House Speaker Mike Johnson said he will not promise a separate vote on the subsidy extension, a position negotiators describe as a key obstacle to any deal.
- With travel disruptions mounting from airport staffing shortages and other effects of the record-long shutdown, Senate leaders kept the chamber in session for potential weekend action as Republicans sought a handful of Democratic defections.