Senate Majority Leader John Thune has informed his fellow Republicans that a vote on a potential shutdown-ending deal will occur on Friday, aiming to advance a House-passed continuing resolution. The plan, as described by two individuals present at the private lunch, involves bringing up the House-passed resolution that has been repeatedly rejected by Democrats, followed by amending it with a new expiration date likely in January. Additionally, the proposal includes a negotiated package of three full-year spending bills.
While Thune believes this plan has the support of enough Democrats to pass, Democratic senators have emerged from their own private discussions determined to seek a better deal and are expected to block the House CR again without further advancements in negotiations. This underscores the ongoing difficulties in achieving a consensus to end the government shutdown, as both parties strive to reach a resolution amidst procedural challenges.
Senate GOP leaders are preparing to keep lawmakers in Washington to push for a resolution. Asked about the chamber remaining in session through the weekend, Majority Whip John Barrasso confirmed that the Senate would be in session for the weekend. Even if an agreement is reached in the coming days, finalizing the deal could take several days due to procedural hurdles and objections from the Senate.
Despite the ongoing negotiations, some Democrats remain hopeful. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), who has helped lead the bipartisan talks, stated after the Democratic lunch that she did not know if the talks were moving closer to an agreement. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer described the meeting as “very good, productive.”
Several Democrats emphasized the importance of maintaining unity as the latest developments in the shutdown negotiations bring attention to internal divisions within the Democratic party. Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) noted that the discussions focused on how to remain unified and that there was a “really good conversation” about doing so.