Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said on Monday that he is “optimistic” lawmakers can strike a deal to reopen the government by the end of the week, and he is considering a stopgap spending bill into January or later as the proposed late-November date in the House-passed bill is no longer feasible.
The GOP leader told reporters that while he isn’t “confident” about the shutdown ending, he was more upbeat as talks continued among a bipartisan group of rank-and-fil...
Senate
EPA union: Government shutdown deal must include health care funding
The president of the union representing Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) workers on Monday urged Congress to include health care protections in a bill to reopen the government as the shutdown approaches record length.
“The U.S. government must be fully funded immediately, and that has to include funding for health care," said Justin Chen, president of the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) Council 238.
"The very foundation of EPA’s mission is ...
8 Democrats sit at center of potential deal to end government shutdown this week
At least eight moderate Senate Democrats are meeting in hopes of finding a deal to end the monthlong government shutdown, but sources familiar with the closely held conversations say they will need strong assurances from the GOP before voting to reopen the government.
The eight Democrats, who include Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (N.H.) and Jon Ossoff (Ga.), the latter a top Republican target in 2026, will need to feel comfortable with whatever is offered by Senate Majority Leader J...
How Democrats, GOP could end shutdown and save face
Voices in both parties say Democrats and Republicans alike are looking for a deal that would allow them to save face while ending a shutdown that’s causing increasing pain to Americans across the country.
The difficulty is finding a sweet spot that reopens the government and allows both sides to walk away telling their bases — with a straight face — that they won.
There is no obvious solution, and it's anyone's guess what the exact compromise will look like. But l...
Majority of voters blame Trump and GOP for shutdown: Poll
Most voters in a new survey blame either President Trump or Republicans in Congress for the federal shutdown, which has now stretched into its second month.
In an NBC News poll, conducted in late October, 52 percent of voters say Trump and/or the Republican Party is responsible for the federal shutdown, including 25 percent who blame congressional Republicans, 24 percent who blame Trump, and 3 percent who say they blame both, even after they were asked to select between the...
Fetterman: Both Republicans and Democrats ‘get hungry’ without SNAP during shutdown
Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) on Saturday called the effects of the government shutdown, including Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits not being issued for at least November, "wrong."
Speaking with Lara Trump on Fox News's "My View," Fetterman said he did not care "who's behind" the shutdown, "it's always wrong, and here we are."
"I really led the charge back in March, and we came up with enough votes to keep our government open," Fetterman sai...
Sunday shows preview: Stakes rise as government shutdown enters second month
The government shutdown entered its second month on Saturday, and the stalemate between Republican and Democratic senators could soon see a breaking point as federal food programs stopped issuing benefits to millions of Americans.
Back from his trip to Asia, President Trump said on Thursday that he wants Republicans to use the "nuclear option" to reject the filibuster, which requires legislation to be passed with 60 votes, and end the shutdown.
He's faced pushbac...
Fetterman leans on fellow Dems to reopen government: ‘This is not some sh—y game show’
Sen. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) on Friday criticized his fellow Democrats for repeatedly voting against legislation to reopen the government — a move that has put aid programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) at risk.
Democrats have held firm to their demands for an extension of health care subsidies under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) in exchange for support on the GOP-led continuing resolution. Now, 32 days since funding lapsed, frustrations are gr...
Trump’s call for end to filibuster faces GOP headwinds
President Trump's fresh push for Republicans to abandon the Senate filibuster is showing little sign of success, even as lawmakers struggle to find a way out of the ongoing government shutdown.
Trump’s call for Senate Republicans to use the “nuclear option” underscores his growing frustration with the government shutdown as it enters its second month. But it faces stiff headwinds from senators in his own party who have been adamantly opposed to getting rid of the ...
Shutdowns, Obamacare and the Risks of Bargaining for Policy Wins in a Crisis
A 2013 attempt to leverage minority power in a health care fight blew up on Republicans. Can today be different for Democrats?