Senators Expected to Support Government Reopening Bill
A number of Democratic senators, potentially up to ten, are anticipated to back a bill aimed at reopening the government as soon as Sunday evening or early Monday. This comes as moderate and liberal Democrats are looking to bring an end to the ongoing 40-day shutdown.
Last week, there was some progress among moderate Democrats and Republicans on the Senate Appropriations Committee to strike a deal for reopening the government. However, the discussions faced significant resistance from Senate progressives, who expressed the need for more substantial concessions regarding health insurance premium subsidies.
Moderate senators, including Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan from New Hampshire, were particularly eager to resolve the shutdown following the expiration of funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) on November 1. Additionally, airport traffic issues have been escalating.
Democrats like Jacky Rosen (Nevada), Tammy Baldwin (Wisconsin), Mark Kelly (Arizona), Jon Ossoff (Georgia), Gary Peters (Michigan), and Dick Durbin (Illinois) were involved in confidential negotiations to find a solution to the shutdown and are considered likely voters in favor of the agreement.
Axios reported early Sunday afternoon on the plan for ten Senate Democrats to vote in support of the deal.
Despite ongoing discussions, Senate officials indicated that details remain tentative, with expectations for a vote on advancing the funding package a few hours after its release.
Senate aides mentioned that a vote regarding the continuing resolution passed by the House, which Senate Democrats had previously blocked fourteen times, might take place around dinnertime.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune indicated he would propose a Senate deal to fund the government through the end of January, contingent upon at least eight Democrats agreeing to support the House bill.
A Republican source familiar with the discussions noted that around ten Democrats are expected to vote in favor of the House bill so that it can be revised with a replacement.
“I feel good,” remarked one Republican official regarding the situation.
Thune has also committed to allowing senators “five or six hours” to review the bill before casting their votes.
Susan Collins, the Chairwoman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, shared early Sunday afternoon the text related to military construction and Veterans Affairs funding.
This proposal includes a spending package that consolidates three bills meant to support military construction, Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, and the Legislature through the fiscal year 2026. It combines this with a continuing resolution that funds the remainder of the federal government until January 30, which falls on a Friday.
Moreover, the bill aims to address efforts initiated during the Trump administration to reduce the federal workforce through troop cuts amid the government shutdown.
