WASHINGTON (TNND) — Senators have reached a deal to end the federal government shutdown.
The agreement was negotiated in part by Sens. Angus King, Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan as well as GOP senators, and has “more than enough” members of the Senate Democratic Caucus to advance, according to Politico.
The deal agrees to fund the government through January 30 and to set a vote on the Affordable Care Act bill in December. The deal includes a reversal of President Donald Trump’s firings of federal employees and provisions to prevent such actions in the future, the source said. It would also ensure food stamps are funded through fiscal year 2026.
However, several big obstacles remain.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said in a statement on Sunday night that House Democrats would not support legislation that doesn’t extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits that have been the main reason for the shutdown.
“As a result of the Republican refusal to address the healthcare crisis that they have created, tens of millions of everyday Americans are going to see their costs skyrocket. Many will not be able to afford a doctor when they or their children need one,” Jeffries wrote.
“America is far too expensive. We will not support spending legislation advanced by Senate Republicans that fails to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits,” he added.
Lawmakers and aides said the final product can be expected, still in its early stages, to combine three full-year appropriations bills with a stopgap bill to extend all other spending levels through Jan. 30.
Republicans would make commitments to Democrats on health care, including a possible vote in December on extending enhanced Affordable Care Act tax credits.
According to Politico, Senators are hopeful that they have the necessary eight Democrats they need to break the 60-vote threshold to advance the House-passed funding stopgap on Sunday.
Both parties discussed reversing President Donald Trump’s firing of federal workers during the 40-day government shutdown. There has not been any firm deal on that topic just yet.
A health care vote is also not offered in the House yet, where Republican leaders have raised concerns over extending any health care package and credits in its current form.
Two out of the three full-year spending bills were released on Sunday afternoon. All three of the bills have the support of Democratic Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, the caucus’s top appropriator.
Senators are expected to hold party meetings on Sunday before taking an initial evening vote on advancing the broader deal after more of the texts are released.
“It’s just a matter of one or two things to be worked out,” Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., said, leaving a meeting with other Senate Republicans Sunday afternoon. “And I think they’re trying to negotiate that across the aisle as well.”
Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin discussed the healthcare portion of the new Senate deal, saying, “If the Democrats are serious, that can be probably a happy medium for us.”
The emerging deal may ultimately divide Democrats, of whom many want to continue pushing for more concrete wins on health care costs than they’d get under its terms.
All 100 senators will need to agree to expedite the process to get the deal passed. Just one Senator could delay the passage for days by objecting to the time of agreement.
The White House says that it supports the Senate funding framework, according to reporting by Punchbowl News.
At least one House Democrat, Rep. Ritchie Torres of New York, has already said the deal doesn’t go far enough on health care to earn his vote.