Senate majority leader says a potential shutdown deal is coming together but there's no guarantee of success

As the Senate held a uncommon Sunday session, the Republican person said a imaginable woody was "coming together" connected the government shutdown but determination was nary warrant it would extremity an impasse present stretching to 40 days.

There person been fewer signs of advancement implicit the play that could beryllium important successful a backing combat that has disrupted flights nationwide, threatened nutrient assistance for millions of Americans and near national workers without pay. Top Republicans are moving to contiguous a legislative bundle that would reopen the authorities into January portion besides approving full-year backing for respective parts of government. The indispensable Democratic enactment for that effort was acold from certain.

"A woody is coming together," Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said arsenic helium walked successful to unfastened the chamber. He warned, however, that it was not a done deal. Senators insisted connected clip to work implicit the proposals and it could beryllium hours earlier determination was immoderate action.

"We'll spot wherever the votes are," Thune said.

Democratic leaders are pushing hard for an hold of subsidies for wellness plans offered nether the Affordable Care Act marketplace. Republicans person rejected that offer, but signaled openness to an emerging connection from a tiny radical of mean Democrats to extremity the shutdown successful speech for a aboriginal ballot connected the "Obamacare" subsidies that marque sum much affordable.

For those enrolled successful wellness exchanges nether that law, premiums connected mean are expected to much than treble adjacent twelvemonth if Congress allows the enhanced subsidies to lapse.

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, an autarkic who caucuses with Democrats, said the pledge to clasp a ballot connected extending the subsidies would beryllium a "wasteful gesture" unless "you person the committedness of the talker of the House that helium volition enactment it and that the president of the United States volition motion it."

President Donald Trump has made wide helium is improbable to compromise immoderate clip soon. On Sunday, helium pressed Republicans erstwhile much to abolish the Senate's filibuster rules that forestall the enclosure from advancing connected astir authorities unless determination is enactment from 60 senators. "Be the Smart Party," helium said successful a societal media post.

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., and others person been discussing bills that would wage for parts of authorities — nutrient aid, veterans programs and the legislative branch, among different things — and widen backing for everything other until December oregon January. The statement would lone travel with the committedness of a aboriginal health-care vote.

It was unclear whether capable Democrats would enactment specified a plan. Even with a deal, Trump appears improbable to enactment an hold of the wellness benefits. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has said helium would not perpetrate to a wellness vote.

Republican leaders successful the Senate lone request 5 further votes to money the government, and the radical progressive successful the talks has ranged from 10 to 12 Democratic senators.

Some Republicans person said they are unfastened to extending the COVID-19-era taxation credits arsenic premiums could skyrocket for millions of people, but they privation caller limits connected who tin person the subsidies. They reason that subsidies for the plans should beryllium routed done individuals.

"THE WORST HEALTHCARE FOR THE HIGHEST PRICE," Trump called the existent strategy successful a station Sunday.

Trump wants Republicans to extremity the shutdown rapidly and scrap the filibuster truthful they tin bypass Democrats altogether. Vice President JD Vance, a erstwhile Ohio senator, said Republicans who privation to support the filibuster are "wrong."

But Republicans person rejected Trump's call, with Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., telling NBC's "Meet the Press" connected Sunday that due to the fact that of the filibuster, "the Senate is the lone spot successful our authorities wherever some sides person to speech to each other. That's a bully happening for America."

Thune is eyeing a bipartisan bundle that mirrors the connection the mean Democrats person been sketching out. What Thune, who has refused to negotiate, mightiness committedness connected wellness attraction is unknown.

The bundle would regenerate the House-passed authorities that the Democrats person rejected 14 times since the shutdown began Oct. 1. The existent measure would lone widen authorities backing until Nov. 21.

A trial ballot connected caller authorities could travel successful the adjacent fewer days if Thune decides to determination forward.

Then Democrats would person a important choice: Keep warring for a meaningful woody connected extending the subsidies that expire successful January, portion prolonging the symptom of the shutdown? Or ballot to reopen the authorities and anticipation for the champion arsenic Republicans committedness an eventual wellness attraction vote, but not a guaranteed outcome.

Senate Democrat person Chuck Schumer argues Republicans should judge a one-year hold of the subsidies earlier negotiating the aboriginal of the taxation credits.

"Doing thing is derelict due to the fact that radical volition spell bankrupt, radical volition suffer insurance, radical volition get sicker," Schumer said successful a level code Saturday. "That's what volition hap if this Congress fails to act."