Republicans made a new offer to Senate Democrats in hopes of ending the 37-day government shutdown, proposing a package of full-year spending bills and signaling a willingness to discuss rehiring laid-off federal workers, Politico reported Thursday.
The proposal, revealed before a closed-door Senate Democrat luncheon, marked the most serious attempt yet by GOP leaders to break the gridlock.
Four sources told Politico the deal would advance three full-year appropriations bills — covering Agriculture-FDA, Military Construction-VA, and the Legislative Branch — while attaching a temporary stopgap measure to reopen the rest of the government.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., confirmed that Republicans made an offer but stopped short of revealing details, saying the goal is to “get government working again” while maintaining fiscal discipline.
“We’re trying to put something reasonable on the table,” Thune told reporters.
The addition of rehiring provisions — allowing some federal employees affected by President Donald Trump’s reductions in force (RIF) to return — appears to be a nod to Democrats who have pressed for their inclusion.
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., one of the chamber’s key negotiators, said Thursday that “we need to make sure that federal employees who have been RIFed are able to come back to work.”
The offer came just a day after Trump, at a White House breakfast with GOP senators, renewed his call to “terminate the filibuster” to move spending legislation and reopen the government.
Thune, however, said Republicans “still don’t have the votes” to change Senate rules though Trump signaled he would defer to the conference’s wishes.
“This shutdown has gone on too long,” Trump said during the meeting, broadcast live on Newsmax. “Democrats need to come to the table and stop playing games with the American people’s paychecks.”
The new GOP plan could provide a potential off-ramp from the longest shutdown in U.S. history.
If passed, it would guarantee funding for key departments and programs, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program [SNAP] and veterans’ services, through next September.
The attached continuing resolution would reopen the rest of the government for a limited period while longer-term talks continue.
In exchange, Senate Republicans would agree to hold a future vote on extending Obamacare subsidies that Democrats want to preserve, The Washington Post reported.
Republicans hold 53 seats in the Senate and would need about eight Democrats to vote in favor to advance the package. According to the Post, about a dozen moderate Democrats are considering supporting the compromise.
Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., expressed cautious optimism.
“They’re tired of this,” Rounds told the Post. “If there’s a path forward that gives both sides something, we can get this done.”
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