Senators work through weekend as US government shutdown enters 40th day

The US government shutdown has entered its 40th day (Mariam Zuhaib/AP)

The US government shutdown stretched into its 40th day on Sunday, even as senators stayed in Washington for a gruelling weekend session hoping to find an end to the funding fight that has disrupted flights nationwide, threatened food assistance for millions of Americans, and left federal workers without pay.

The Senate has so far shown few signs of progress over a weekend that could be crucial for the shutdown fight.

Republican leaders are hoping to hold votes on a new package of Bills that would reopen the government into January while also approving full-year funding for several parts of government. But the necessary Democratic support for that effort is far from guaranteed.

“We’re only a handful of votes away” from passing a Bill to reopen the government, Senate majority leader John Thune said on Saturday.

The shutdown has disrupted flights across the US (Gabrielle Lurie/AP)

Still, Democratic leaders are pushing hard for an extension of subsidies for health plans offered under the Affordable Care Act marketplace. Republicans have rejected that offer, but signalled openness to an emerging proposal from a small group of moderate Democrats to end the shutdown in exchange for a later vote on the “Obamacare” subsidies, which make coverage more affordable.

For those enrolled in Affordable Care Act exchanges, premiums on average are expected to more than double next year if Congress allows the enhanced subsidies to lapse.

Vermont senator Bernie Sanders, an independent who caucuses with Democrats, said the pledge to hold a vote on extending the healthcare subsidies would be a “wasteful gesture” unless “you have the commitment of the speaker of the House that he will support it and that the president of the United States will sign it”.

President Donald Trump has made clear he is unlikely to compromise any time soon. He pressed Republicans again over the weekend to get rid of the Senate’s filibuster rules that prevent the chamber from advancing on most legislation unless there is support from 60 senators.

Senate majority leader John Thune has said Republicans need only a ‘handful’ of votes to pass a Bill which would reopen the government (J Scott Applewhite/AP)

Senator Jeanne Shaheen, and others, negotiating among themselves and with some rank-and-file Republicans, have been discussing Bills that would pay for parts of government – food aid, veterans programmes and the legislative branch, among other things – and extend funding for everything else until December or January. The agreement would only come with the promise of a future healthcare vote, rather than a guarantee of extended subsidies.

It is unclear whether enough Democrats would support such a plan. Even with a deal, Mr Trump appears unlikely to support an extension of the health benefits. House Speaker Mike Johnson also said this past week that he would not commit to a health vote.

Republican leaders only need five additional votes to fund the government, and the group involved in the talks has ranged from 10 to 12 Democratic senators.

Some Republicans have said they are open to extending the Covid-era tax credits as premiums could skyrocket for millions of people, but they want new limits on who can receive the subsidies. They lined up on Saturday to take to the Senate floor and argue that subsidies for the plans should be routed through individuals.

“We’re going to replace this broken system with something that is actually better for the consumer,” senator Lindsey Graham said.

President Donald Trump wants Republicans to act so they can bypass Democrats in future (Luis M Alvarez/AP)

Mr Trump wants Republicans to end the shutdown quickly and scrap the filibuster, which requires 60 Senate votes for most legislation, so they can bypass Democrats altogether.

Vice-President JD Vance, a former Ohio senator, endorsed the idea in an online post on Saturday, saying Republicans who want to keep the filibuster are “wrong”.

Republicans have rejected Mr Trump’s call, and Mr Thune is eyeing a bipartisan package that mirrors the proposal the moderate Democrats have been sketching out. What Mr Thune, who has refused to negotiate, might promise on healthcare is unknown.

The package would replace the House-passed legislation that the Democrats have rejected 14 times since the shutdown began on October 1. The current Bill would only extend government funding until November 21.

A test vote on new legislation could come in the next few days if Mr Thune decides to move forward.

Then Democrats would have a crucial choice: Keep fighting for a meaningful deal on extending the subsidies that expire in January, while prolonging the pain of the shutdown – or vote to reopen the government and hope for the best as Republicans promise an eventual healthcare vote, but not a guaranteed outcome.

Democratic leader Chuck Schumer on Saturday persisted in arguing that Republicans should accept a one-year extension of the subsidies before negotiating the future of the tax credits.

“Doing nothing is derelict because people will go bankrupt, people will lose insurance, people will get sicker,” he said in a floor speech. “That’s what will happen if this Congress fails to act.”