Senate Democrats on Thursday expressed cautious optimism over a possible Republican olive branch to end the federal government shutdown: a guarantee of a future stand-alone vote to renew expiring Obamacare subsidies, the Washington Examiner reported.
Some GOP senators have floated detaching the healthcare vote from the funding bill in order to break the impasse, according to the report.
“We need a lot more than just, ‘We’re going to have this one vote in the Senate.’ But it’s progress,” said Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., according to the Examiner.
Democrats triggered the government shutdown after refusing to pass a short-term funding bill unless it included a guarantee to extend Obamacare subsidies that expire Dec. 31.
They’re also demanding the rollback of Medicaid reforms passed in President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which gave states more control over healthcare spending.
That demand would add $1.5 trillion in spending that Republicans cut, including emergency Medicaid for illegals.
Republicans have called the shutdown a political stunt, accusing Democrats of holding federal workers hostage to protect failed programs.
The GOP’s proposal marks the first real sign of movement since funding expired Oct. 1.
Under the plan, Republicans would commit to allowing Democrats a stand-alone Affordable Care Act subsidy extension vote — separating it from the short-term funding bill.
It’s a concession meant to give Democrats a key policy win while preserving GOP leverage.
Sen. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., said the idea of an offer “helps that [Republicans] are actually talking and thinking about things, [and] they don’t think they could just ram this through and run us over,” the Examiner reported.
Democrat leaders have cautiously embraced the idea, calling the move “progress,” if honored.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., says Democrats are open to talks but demand binding assurance that the vote will be allowed.
Now in its second week, the shutdown has led to the furlough of more than 620,000 federal workers, stalled government operations, and intensified public frustration.
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