Senators to work through the weekend on shutdown as Republicans and Democrats are still far apart [View all]
WASHINGTON (AP) — Senators are working through the weekend for the first time since the government shutdown began more than a month ago, hoping to find bipartisan resolution that has so far eluded them as government workers have gone unpaid, airlines have been forced to cancel flights and SNAP benefits have been delayed for millions of Americans.
As the weekend session was set to begin Saturday, it was unclear if Republicans and Democrats could make any headway toward reopening the government and breaking a partisan impasse that has now lasted 39 days. Republicans on Friday rejected an offer from Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer to reopen the government and extend expiring health care subsidies for a year, with Thune calling it a “nonstarter.”
Republicans have refused to engage with Democrats who are demanding that GOP leaders and President Donald Trump negotiate an extension of the Affordable Care Act tax credits that expire at the end of the year. But GOP leaders have signaled an openness to an emerging proposal from a small group of moderate Democrats to reopen the government in exchange for a vote on health care at a later date.
New Hampshire Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, who is leading the talks among moderates, said Friday evening that Democrats “need another path forward” after Republicans rejected Schumer’s offer. “We’re working on it,” she said.
https://apnews.com/article/shutdown-senate-thune-schumer-trump-9b1829525772259070ed73562ce4ebb3
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