Senate Majority Leader John Thune has issued a cautionary stance as bipartisan negotiations to conclude the government shutdown gain momentum, indicating that a deal to pass full-year spending bills will proceed only after Democrats consent to a stopgap measure to restore federal agency operations. Thune informed reporters that the Senate may take several days, or even weeks, to approve a comprehensive set of larger spending bills, suggesting that the process will not expedite unless a stopgap measure is accepted. As discussions intensify, Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins and Senator Katie Britt met with Thune regarding plans to advance a three-bill package with a new stopgap measure valid through mid-December, with one of the bills likely to address the expiring health insurance subsidies, a key Democratic demand. Despite these developments, GOP leaders, including Thune, advocate for a prolonged stopgap extension into early 2026, allowing time for lawmakers to draft and ratify new funding legislation. Speaker Mike Johnson also emphasized that the focus should remain on restoring government operations rather than rushing spending bills, cautioning against such measures as political distractions. As bipartisan talks proceed, the potential for an ACA working group remains in discussion, though Thune advocates for a more structured process led by specialized committees.