Overview

• Senate votes continue to fall short of the 60 needed to advance a funding bill as Democrats refuse to back a 'clean' stopgap without an immediate, legislative extension of enhanced Affordable Care Act premium tax credits set to lapse on December 31.
• Speaker Mike Johnson and Republican leaders insist the House-passed continuing resolution be approved first and reject negotiating the subsidies as part of reopening the government.
• Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene publicly urges Republicans to prevent a subsidy lapse, citing unaffordable premiums for constituents, drawing rare praise from Democrats including Sens. Ruben Gallego and Raphael Warnock.
• Pressure intensified as OMB Director Russell Vought moved forward with layoffs during the shutdown, with open enrollment on November 1 approaching and Democrats warning of sharp premium increases if Congress does not act.
• Some Republicans say they are open to discussing health care once the government reopens or to scheduling a later vote, a step Democratic leaders dismiss as insufficient without binding legislation now.