By David Morgan and Bo Erickson
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Senate Democrats took center stage in the drama of the U.S. government shutdown on Thursday as they met behind closed doors to consider what top Republicans in the chamber said would be a proposal to reopen federal agencies shuttered this weekend.
On the 37th day of the longest shutdown in U.S. history, lawmakers said they hoped informal talks between Democrats and Republicans would lead to a short-term deal to reopen the government, giving Congress time to pass full-year appropriations bills and lower health insurance to pay tax credits owed under the Private Insurance Act.
A short-term bill to fund federal agencies until Nov. 21 has failed 14 times in the Senate, as Democrats urge Republicans to first agree to negotiate an extension of federal health subsidies, while Republicans say the government must reopen first.
Meanwhile, thousands of federal workers have been forced to work without pay or required, food aid subsidies for 42 million Americans have dried up along with head start subsidies for children and major U.S. Airports prepare to cut flights by 10%.
“We need to get the Dems’ response to the demand that they have in front of them,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune told reporters he expected to make a breakthrough in the coming days. He declined to elaborate on the offer, saying only that it would involve “back-and-forth conversations” between Republicans and Democrats.
“They have a big meeting today,” Thune, of South Dakota, said of the Democrats. “Hopefully they’ll come away with 10 or more people willing to vote to open the government.”
Democrats huddle behind closed doors
Senate Democrats met for hours behind closed doors Thursday but emerged without a unified position on how to reopen the government and secure an extension of the Affordable Care Act subsidies.
“We need to make sure we have a deal that has broad support,” said Democratic Senator Gary Peters of Michigan, who has been involved in the bipartisan talks. Nothing has really crystallized.”
Republicans have a 53-47 majority but need 60 votes to reopen the government. With one Republican opposing the short-term funding, Tune will need at least eight Democrats to break from his party. So far, only two Democrats and a working independent have expressed interest in doing so.
Republicans said they hoped more moderate Democrats would want to end the shutdown enough to break ranks with their colleagues.
The house moves uncertainly
The Republican-controlled House of Representatives has also presented a potential obstacle. Democrats have expressed concern that any Senate bill to extend the ACA tax credits may not receive a majority vote in the House. On Thursday, House Speaker Mike Johnson appeared to confirm those concerns, saying he would not promise such a vote.
“I’m not part of the discussion,” Johnson told reporters. “I promise nothing to anyone.”
Asked about the statement, Peters replied: “It’s a significant problem.”
If Senate Democrats and Republicans manage to reach a deal to reopen the government this week, agencies would still be shut down for several days. Such a measure would need approval by the House before President Donald Trump could sign it into law.
House Republican leaders, who have kept the chamber out of session since before the shutdown began, have pledged to give members 48 hours notice before being called back to Washington and 72 hours to review the legislation before a new floor vote.
(Reporting by Bo Erickson and David Morgan, Editing by Scott Malone and Diane Craft)