Informal bipartisan talks are nowhere close to ending the second-longest government closure in U.S. history. When Washington first woke up to a government shutdown earlier this month, there was one hope for a quick exit: a bipartisan group of rank-and-file senators were at least talking about a solution. However, three weeks into the shutdown, there are no signs of progress, and the conversations have stalled, leaving senators with no clear path forward.
Senator Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) expressed disappointment, stating that despite the initial optimism, there is no clear way to end the shutdown. He noted that the senators involved in the talks are not negotiating and are not a ‘gang’ as they were previously. The absence of trust and the lack of consensus on the need for bipartisan talks have further complicated efforts to reach a resolution.
The situation has changed significantly since early 2018, when a Senate gang helped negotiate an end to a short shutdown during Trump’s first term. Since then, many of the key dealmakers have retired, and the Senate has become more polarized. This has made it difficult to find common ground, especially with the ongoing debate over the Affordable Care Act subsidies. Democrats want a bipartisan deal on extending the credits, but Republicans are unwilling to negotiate while the government is closed.
Some senators have suggested that the talks should focus on what would happen after the government reopens. Ideas include having a vote to reopen the government followed by a vote on the insurance subsidies. However, these suggestions have not been enough to win support from Democrats. Senator Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) has stated that there is no progress to be seen, and Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) highlighted the lack of political incentive for either party to break ranks.
The senators are not entirely giving up, but there is a sense of frustration, especially from Shaheen and others in the group. They believe that the stalemate needs to be broken by top leaders, including former President Trump, who is away on a trip to Asia. However, most Republicans do not believe Trump should be involved until after the government reopens, and GOP senators have pledged to remain unified behind their funding strategy. Democrats, on the other hand, have been emboldened by public support for their shutdown stance.
Despite the lack of progress, some cross-aisle outreach has continued. However, a request from Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries to meet with Trump was quickly rejected by the White House. While there has been some private communication, Shaheen has emphasized that higher-level involvement is essential to resolve the impasse and find a way to end the shutdown.