Senate Majority Leader John Thune mentioned that he expects senators to proceed speaking over the weekend, after beforehand noting that there was an uptick in bipartisan talks this week.
“I think there will be, yeah, I’m sure they’re going to be discussions. We got members on both sides who are continuing to dialogue,” he mentioned.
Asked if he had began talking with rank-and-file Democrats after saying yesterday that he’d communicate with them quickly, Thune mentioned, “I don’t have anything to report on that. But again, like I’ve said before, when they’re willing to produce
the votes to open up the government, we’re going to talk.”
Thune additionally expanded on the president’s message that he’s keen to satisfy with Democrats after the shutdown ends to debate well being care subsidies, emphasizig that he can’t promise them a particular consequence from these conversations.
“Once the government’s open, I think, as you know, the president does like to negotiate, and I don’t know what, where that would lead, I can’t predict that — and that’s what I told the Democrats here, that I can’t guarantee an outcome or result,” he mentioned. “What I can promise them is a process, and they would get their vote, and they can have their vote by a date certain, which I think is, you know, initially, this is what a lot of them were asking for.”
Democrats have insisted on an settlement to save lots of the expiring enhanced well being care subsidies, not the chance to vote on the difficulty.
Pressed on whether or not he thinks the shutdown may finish within the subsequent week or two, Thune advised reporters, “I’m always optimistic. Aren’t you?”