Bipartisan rank-and-file negotiations on expiring Obamacare subsidies are picking up steam as lawmakers hunt for a shutdown off-ramp.
Republicans still say those talks won’t lead to action until the government reopens. Senate Majority Leader John Thune underscored this point in an exclusive interview Wednesday with POLITICO, where he said he needs to see a “critical mass” of Democrats offer support for the House-passed funding bill before agreeing to anything related to the enhanced tax credits.
So far, only Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), John Fetterman (D-Pa.) and Angus King (I-Maine) have broken rank to advance the GOP-led continuing resolution. Thune needs another five, at least.
“I keep telling them: When they have eight or 10 — preferably 10, or more … let me know if there’s some conversation they want to have,” Thune said.
Thune is betting that more Senate Democrats will flip as the shutdown pain persists — OMB Director Russ Vought threatened Wednesday to proceed with mass firings and slashed funding for crucial infrastructure and energy projects.
But Thune also thinks Democrats could be motivated by the member-level discussions taking place around what bipartisan work can be done under a functioning government — for instance, pairing an extension of the Affordable Care Act subsidies due to sunset Dec. 31 with some policy changes sought by Republicans.
The talks gained momentum in floor huddles Wednesday as senators voted against the House GOP’s stopgap for the third time. Senators were mostly “spitballing” ideas, as Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) put it. Some Republicans suggested working out a framework for the “mechanics” of negotiations around the tax credits in exchange for Democratic votes to end the shutdown.
And while some Democrats are dug in against any CR that doesn’t include a clean extension of the tax credits, others have signaled they’re softening on that red line as they hear more positive reinforcement from Republicans about wanting to extend the credits rather than see millions kicked off insurance and premium hikes skyrocket.
“There are Republicans telling us, ‘We agree with you. For our own interest, we have to fix this,’” Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.), who is involved in the talks, said Wednesday.
Hard-liners, however, could complicate matters as they rail against the subsidies and train their ire on any GOP senator involved in health care discussions.
“It’s profoundly foolish for the usual suspects in the Senate to undermine the strongest position the president and Republicans hold in the wake of the untenable shutdown position Democrats have staked out,” Rep. Chip Roy (R-Texas) told POLITICO. “It’s nuts.”
What else we’re watching:
— House GOP leaders to speak: Speaker Mike Johnson, Majority Leader Steve Scalise, Majority Whip Tom Emmer and GOP Conference Chair Lisa McClain will hold a 10 a.m. press conference in the speaker’s small rotunda. It comes two days into the government shutdown and despite the fact that the House is still on recess.
Jordain Carney contributed to this report.
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