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Senate votes for fifth time against advancing legislation to end the shutdown

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The Senate is trapped in a shutdown Groundhog’s Day with no end in sight.

Senators rejected dueling stopgap spending bills Monday for the fifth time as lawmakers show few signs of nearing a detente —even as the shutdown-induced pain is poised to grow as the federal funding lapse heads into its second workweek.

Senate Republicans had hoped the Trump administration’s imminent threat of mass firings, paired with a weekend back home to hear from constituents, would shake loose even a couple of potential swing-vote Democrats. Add to that the fact that most federal workers and active duty members of the military are due to miss their first paychecks Oct. 10 and Oct. 15, respectively.

But Monday evening, Democratic Sens. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania and Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada — alongside Independent Sen. Angus King of Maine, who caucuses with Democrats — were once again the only three to break ranks and vote to advance the GOP-led stopgap bill, which would fund the government until Nov. 21.

Earlier in the day, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) reiterated that Democrats are ready to negotiate on a deal to end the shutdown, but the discussion on health care needs to happen now.

“We’re ready to work with Republicans to reopen the government and end the health care crisis that faces tens of millions of Americans. But it takes two sides to have a negotiation,” Schumer said.

Republicans also again rejected the Democratic stopgap that would link government funding through October to the party’s health care priorities, including a permanent extension of soon-to-expire Affordable Care Act subsidies, plus restrictions on President Donald Trump’s ability to unilaterally claw back congressionally approved funding.

Top Democrats have demanded a “bipartisan negotiation” on health care as part of the government funding fight. Expanded ACA subsidies aren’t set to expire until the end of the year, but with open enrollment for Obamacare plans to begin Nov. 1, Democrats — and some Republicans — view that as the real deadline for getting an agreement for an extension.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune has said he is only open to negotiating on the health care tax credits once the government is reopened, a position that even some moderate members of his conference have backed. The South Dakota Republican doubled down on this stance Monday.

“We said we’re willing to have those conversations, but it starts with ending the shutdown,” Thune said.

Thune said that while he didn’t speak with Schumer over the weekend, he would talk to his Democratic counterpart going forward if it was “useful.” He added that he hoped enough Democrats would soon change their minds and vote to advance the House-passed stopgap, but that it “sounds like they’re still stuck at the moment.”

He has also warned that while he can promise a discussion on an extension of the enhanced ACA tax credits, he can’t guarantee a deal, which will also need to clear the House and garner Trump’s blessing. This uncertainty has made some Democrats wary of accepting anything short of an ironclad agreement, exacerbating an already deep lack of trust between the two parties — and between Democrats and Trump, in particular.

Yet Republicans are betting they will eventually win over enough Democratic senators to reopen the government, seeking to keep pressure up by forcing votes related to the funding bills every day until the shutdown ends. With Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) voting “no,” Republicans need a total of eight Democrats to break with Schumer.

Senators from both parties are trying to find an off-ramp — largely around setting up a framework for what will happen to the ACA credits and the fiscal 2026 appropriations process once the shutdown ends.

But so far lawmakers involved in the bipartisan discussions have failed to sway more Democrats to back the GOP-led stopgap.

“They’re good conversations but they don’t quite seem ready yet,” Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), the chair of the Appropriations Committee, said about talks with Democrats.

Calen Razor and Jennifer Scholtes contributed to this report.

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Congress

House Republicans huddle with Johnson to plot party-line package

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A large contingent of House Republicans — encompassing hard-liners, Budget Committee members, panel chairs and party leaders — piled into Speaker Mike Johnson’s office Thursday afternoon to discuss a second party-line package, according to four people granted anonymity to share details of the private meeting.

Among the lawmakers attending were Budget Chair Jodey Arrington of Texas and Republican Study Committee Chair August Pfluger, also of Texas.

Reps. Chip Roy of Texas, Byron Donalds of Florida, Tom McClintock of California and Josh Brecheen of Oklahoma were also on hand, alongside Pennsylvania Reps. Lloyd Smucker and Scott Perry.

“We’re definitely preparing to move forward,” Johnson said in an interview as he left the meeting, regarding the House GOP Conference’s plans to pursue another bill through the filibuster-skirting budget reconciliation process. “We’re talking about more details. Lots of work going on.”

One of the biggest issues members are trying to work through at the moment is how to close the wide gap between Republicans in the House and Senate. Most House Republicans want a more expansive bill with myriad conservative policy priorities to ride alongside war and defense funding, while the Senate GOP is largely pushing for a more narrowly-focused measure, according to the four people.

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Senate rejects voter ID

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Senate Democrats rejected a GOP photo ID amendment Thursday, an issue that Republicans are eager to use as a cudgel in the midterms.

Senators voted 53-47 on the amendment from Ohio Sen. Jon Husted, which needed 60 votes to advance. Republicans wanted to add the language to their election bill, known as the SAVE America Act.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said the amendment “would impose the single strictest voter ID law in America.”

“Stricter than Texas. Stricter than Florida. Stricter than any state in the country,” he said.

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John Thune says he’s aiming to land DHS deal Thursday

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Senate Majority Leader John Thune said he wants to clinch a bipartisan Department of Homeland Security funding agreement Thursday.

“I think the Dems are now in possession of what I think is our last and final” offer, Thune told reporters. “So let’s hope this gets it done.”

“We’re going to know soon,” he added.

The South Dakota Republican declined to discuss details of the offer but suggested it was similar to where the discussions were headed over the weekend. GOP senators then were looking at a bipartisan deal that would fund most of DHS but leave out funding for ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations.

That offer was rejected by Democrats. But two people granted anonymity to discuss the revised proposal said it, too, omitted only ERO money but included additional language to try to address some of Democrats’ concerns.

Spokespeople for Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Senate is expected to vote again on the House-passed DHS bill Thursday afternoon. The House is also voting again on DHS funding Thursday and is planning to leave town Friday morning for a two-week holiday recess. Progress in the Senate could prompt House GOP leaders to stay in session in hopes of sending a bill to President Donald Trump.

Asked about the Senate vote, Thune said he hoped there would be “some finality in this real soon.”

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