Several Senate Democrats are indicating they are close to reaching a deal and vote to reopen the federal government — a sign that an end to the longest government shutdown in U.S. history may be approaching, according to a person familiar with the negotiations.
The framework of the emerging deal involves a new stopgap funding bill that would keep the government open through January, while also attaching a broader spending package to fund several key agencies for the full fiscal year.
This larger package would cover three major appropriations bills: military construction and veterans affairs, the legislative branch, and the Department of Agriculture.
According to a summary released by Sen. Patty Murray, the top DemocraFtic appropriator, the legislative branch funding includes $203.5 million in new security measures and protection for members of Congress, as well as $852 million allocated to the U.S. Capitol Police.
One significant Democratic request — an extension of the enhanced Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies — will not be included in this agreement. However, Senate Democrats secured a commitment for a future standalone vote on the issue. There is no guarantee, however, that the subsidy extension would ultimately become law.
Democrats involved in the talks have acknowledged that President Donald Trump’s firm opposition to continuing the ACA subsidies has made a bipartisan agreement on that front nearly impossible. As a result, several are prepared to accept a separate vote on the issue in exchange for reopening the government and ending the shutdown.
Despite progress, a few sticking points remain. Chief among them is the Democratic demand to reinstate federal workers who were dismissed by the Trump administration during the shutdown. Two sources familiar with the discussions said that some of the workforce reductions that occurred across federal agencies may be reversed as part of the final compromise.
It is still unclear when a final vote might take place as behind-the-scenes negotiations continue. Senate Majority Leader John Thune suggested that the first procedural vote could occur as early as Sunday.
Under the current plan, the Senate would first vote to take up the stopgap funding measure passed by the House. That would require at least eight Democratic votes to move forward. Once approved, the Senate would then amend the bill with the broader bipartisan funding package.
If the measure clears the Senate, it would return to the House for final approval before heading to President Trump’s desk for his signature. The entire process could take several more days, but lawmakers on both sides say the tone of the talks has grown more optimistic — raising hopes that a resolution to the prolonged shutdown is finally within reach.