Congress
Capitol agenda: Senate talks sputter, White House aides prep ACA plans
Buckle up for the second week of a shutdown staredown, as the Senate tries again to pass a funding stopgap Monday evening.
All sides are showing little sign of budging. Democrats are refusing to open the government without an agreement on extending Affordable Care Act subsidies, and they’re digging in despite the Trump administration’s threat of mass layoffs. Republicans aren’t willing to negotiate until the government is open.
Most federal workers will miss their first paycheck Friday if the shutdown isn’t resolved. Another big date to watch is Oct. 15 — the day active duty military may also miss a check.
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise told members to hammer Democrats on the military pay deadline during a GOP call Saturday, after the House canceled votes this week. President Donald Trump during a Navy anniversary event on Sunday promised to get service members “every last penny.” Look for lawmakers to bat around the possibility of enacting legislation to keep paying troops, but GOP leaders think Democrats will fold before then.
“We might not even be in a shutdown at that point,” said one senior GOP leadership aide.
Congressional leaders aren’t talking, and rank-and-file attempts at bipartisan compromise appear to be sputtering. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer told CBS Sunday he has encouraged Democrats to talk to Republicans but “in those conversations, the Republicans offered nothing.”
At the White House, even some of Trump’s most hard-line deputies are starting to accept the political risks of letting ACA credits expire and are preparing proposals, three people granted anonymity to discuss the plans said. One includes grandfathering current beneficiaries and cutting off boosted subsidies for new enrollees.
Democrats are feeling confident. A CBS News poll released Sunday was the latest to show a small Democratic advantage in the shutdown blame game. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries told NBC on Sunday that Republicans are “losing in the court of public opinion.”
What else we’re watching:
— On the agenda: Speaker Mike Johnson will have a press conference Monday at 10 a.m. in the Rayburn Room. House Democrats will have a virtual caucus meeting at 6 p.m.
— War powers resolution: A group of senators will force a vote on a war powers resolution as soon as this week, according to a spokesperson for Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.). The legislation, led by Schiff and Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.), would require Congress to authorize ongoing military action against cartels following Trump administration strikes on alleged drug traffickers from Venezuela.
— Bondi on Blue Light News: Attorney General Pam Bondi will testify Tuesday before Senate Judiciary as part of the panel’s oversight of the DOJ. Expect Bondi to be questioned on her handling of matters related to Jeffrey Epstein, the indictment of former FBI director James Comey and the department’s overall posture of prosecuting Trump’s perceived political enemies.
Meredith Lee Hill, Jordain Carney and Hailey Fuchs contributed to this report.
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.
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.
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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- House Republicans huddle with Johnson to plot party-line package
- Senate rejects voter ID
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