WASHINGTON (AP) — Bipartisan talks to reopen the government intensified on Thursday as lawmakers in both parties felt increased urgency to alleviate a growing airport crisis, pay government workers and restore delayed food aid to millions of people. But resolution still appeared far off amid internal disagreements in both parties over the best way to end the shutdown, now in its 37th day.
Senate Democrats who have now voted 14 times not to reopen the government were meeting again Thursday. Moderates have been pushing a plan to pass a group of spending bills now and take up Republicans’ offer to have a vote at a later date on that expire Jan. 1.
But others in the Democratic caucus strongly oppose that framework, arguing that strong show voters want them to continue the fight until Republicans yield and agree to extend the health tax credits, as they have demanded from the start.
A vote on the health care subsidies “has got to mean something,†Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent who caucuses with the Democrats, said on Wednesday. “That means a commitment by the speaker of the House, that he will support the legislation, that the president will sign.â€
But Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., made clear Thursday morning that he has no plans to support any compromise bill on the health tax credits or even to commit to a vote. Many Republicans in his conference would firmly oppose an extension.
Asked if the House would guarantee a vote on extending if the Senate struck a deal, Johnson said Thursday, “I’m not promising anybody anything.â€
Johnson’s clear refusal was a setback for negotiators. Michigan Sen. Gary Peters, one of the moderate Democrats involved in negotiations, said his comments were “a significant problem.â€
“We have to make sure we have a deal that we can get broad support for,†Peters said.
As the talks grind on, deepens. On Wednesday, the Federal Aviation Administration announced plans to reduce air traffic by 10% across 40 high-volume markets beginning Friday to maintain safety amid staffing shortages. Millions of people have already been affected by halted government programs and missed federal paychecks — with more expected as another round of paydays approaches next week.
Trump pressures Republicans, gives Democrats optimism
President Donald Trump has increased pressure on Senate Republicans to end the shutdown — now the longest in — calling it a “big factor, negative†in the poor GOP showings across the country. Democrats saw Trump’s comments as a reason to hold firm, believing his involvement in talks could lead to a deal on extending .
Trump has been increasingly fixated on pushing Republicans to scrap to speed reopening — a step many GOP senators, including Senate Majority Leader John Thune, reject out of hand. Trump kept up the pressure in a video Wednesday, saying the Senate’s 60-vote threshold to pass legislation should be “terminated.â€
Thune said Thursday morning that the next step hinged on a response from Democrats to an offer on the table. He said staying in session through the weekend was possible if progress was made.
“It’s in their court. It’s up to them,†Thune said.
But Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer held firm, saying voters “fired a political torpedo at Trump and Republicans†in Tuesday’s election.
“Donald Trump clearly is feeling pressure to bring this shutdown to an end. Well, I have good news for the president: Meet with Democrats, reopen the government,†Schumer said on the Senate floor.
Closed-door negotiations become more public
Democrats and Republicans insisted they were making steady progress on a deal. In a new development on Thursday, Republicans suggested that they might be open to including language in a final agreement that would reverse some of the mass firings of government workers by the White House, according to two people familiar with the private talks granted anonymity to discuss them.
Senate Appropriations Committee Chairwoman Susan Collins, a moderate Republican who has been talking to Democrats, says she wants furloughed workers to be given back pay and for workers who have been fired during the shutdown to be “recalled.â€
“We’re still negotiating that language,†she said.
Senators from both parties, particularly the members of the powerful Appropriations committee, are pushing to ensure the normal government funding process in Congress can be put back on track. Among the goals is guaranteeing upcoming votes on a smaller package of bills to fund various aspects of government, such as agricultural programs and military construction projects at bases.
More vexing is whether they can resolve the standoff over the funding for the Affordable Care Act subsidies. Some Republicans support extending the subsidies, with changes.
Democrats divided after election wins
Senate Democrats face pressures of their own, both from unions eager for the shutdown to end and from allied groups that want them to hold firm. Many see the Democrats’ decisive as validation of their strategy to hold the government closed until expiring are addressed.
“It would be very strange for the American people to have weighed in, in support of Democrats standing up and fighting for them, and within days for us to surrender without having achieved any of the things that we’ve been fighting for,†said Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn.
Schumer has not yet weighed in, but has repeatedly called for Trump to sit down with Democrats. But that seems unlikely to happen.
Republicans only need five Democrats to vote with them, even if the Democratic caucus can’t agree. And while that hasn’t happened yet, some of them have been increasingly clear that they are ready for a resolution.
“I don’t feel that the elections changed where I was,†said Sen. John Hickenlooper, D-Colo. “I still feel I want to get out of the shutdown.â€
