Deal to reopen government starts to come together in Senate

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On Sunday, senators moved closer to a bipartisan agreement that could reopen the government as soon as this week, although several major obstacles remain.

Lawmakers and their aides have said they expect the final product, still in its early stages, to combine three full-year appropriations bills with a stopgap bill that extends all other spending levels until Jan. 30. Republicans would separately make commitments to Democrats on health care, such as a December vote on extending the Affordable Care Act’s enhanced tax credits, although the details of those deals remain murky.

Both parties have also discussed reversing President Donald Trump’s layoffs of federal workers during the 40-day shutdown, but there is no firm agreement yet on that front. There is also no vote on health care in the House, where Republican leaders have raised concerns about extending the appropriations in their current form.

Two of three promised spending bills for the full year were released Sunday afternoon; all three have the support of Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., the caucus’s top convener, a person familiar with the talks told Semafor. Senators plan to hold party meetings on Sunday before taking an initial evening vote on moving forward with the broader deal, after additional text is released.

“It’s just a matter of one or two things that need to be ironed out,” Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., said after leaving a meeting with other Senate Republicans Sunday afternoon. “And I think they’re trying to negotiate that across the aisle as well.”

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Republicans likely need at least eight Senate Democrats, who have been meeting for days on a bipartisan path, to cross the 60-vote threshold and end debate on the bill.

“Then there are issues, there are holdups, who knows — but we could still vote to pass the bill and resolve these other issues while it’s being debated,” said Sen. Markwayne Mullin, R-Okla.

The emerging deal could ultimately divide Democrats, many of whom want to continue pushing for more concrete gains on health care costs than they would get under its terms.

“Yes, [Trump] “I still think it’s progress.”

All 100 senators would have to agree to speed up the process; only one of them could delay the passage of several days by opposing an agreement on time. Some Democrats won’t be able to support the deal, but whether they hate it enough to drag it out is another question entirely.

Any deal on federal workers — a top Democratic priority — could serve as a compelling sweetener.

The House is then expected to return to Washington this week, amid air travel disruptions, for its own vote.

Notable

• The White House supports the emerging agreement, by Punchbowl News.

• At least one House Democrat, Rep. Ritchie Torres of New York, has already said it doesn’t go far enough on health care. to gain his support.