Republicans flirt with hardball offer on ending shutdown
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Senate Majority Leader John Thune. Photo: Anna Moneymaker via Getty Images
Senate Republicans are leaning toward keeping pressure on Democrats to reopen the entire government, not just parts of it, senators and aides told Axios.
Why it matters: With the largest federal workers union calling on Congress to "pass a clean continuing resolution," Republicans are convinced that they are close to breaking Democrats' will on the government shutdown.
The latest example was Monday, when the largest union for federal workers called on Democrats to immediately pass a "clean" stopgap spending bill on the GOP's terms.
- Another example was last week, when Georgia Sens. Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock joined Republicans to vote for a carveout on military pay. They'd previously stuck with other Democrats.
- Significant pain points are coming: U.S. troops and many federal workers will miss a full paycheck this week, and SNAP — a critical food assistance program for 42 million low-income people — will run out of funds on Nov. 1.
The big picture: Softening the blow for one group — like military personnel, air traffic controllers or SNAP recipients — would reduce the pressure to end the shutdown.
- "If they want to open the government, they're really concerned about the SNAP program — open the government with a simple vote," Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) said as he came out of a leadership meeting Monday evening.
- "I just think the cleanest and most comprehensive way is just to do the CR. Real people are hurting," Sen. Eric Schmitt (R-Mo.) told Axios.
- "They are trying to break the logjam," said Sen. John Hoeven (R-N.D.), who said he wants "to see what our leadership wants" before making a final decision on next steps.
The other side: Some Senate Democrats are indicating they would be open to partially reopening the government.
- "If you get something that works and makes sense and doesn't provide more power to [OMB Director] Russell Vought … we'll take a close look at it," Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.) told Axios today.
- Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) told reporters he would support bills to pay for SNAP and air traffic controllers.
- Multiple sources told Axios it took some muscling from Democratic leadership last week to keep it to just three Democrats who voted in support of a GOP-led bill to pay some federal workers and troops.
What's next: All eyes will be on the GOP's closed-door lunch tomorrow, during which next steps will be debated, including whether to force more votes on smaller bills to fund specific programs or federal workers.
- "I'm sure we'll have a fairly good discussion about it tomorrow," Majority Leader John Thune told reporters today.
- Thune told reporters his view is that if Democrats want "to pay SNAP recipients, open the government."
- Vice President Vance is expected to attend the lunch, NBC News first reported and Axios has confirmed.
Go deeper: D.C.-area Dems scoff at federal workers union's call to end shutdown |
