Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) speaks to the media, on the day of the Senate Republicans' weekly policy lunch on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., February 19, 2025. REUTERS/Kent Nishimura
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) rejected an offer by Democrats to end a government shutdown.
On Friday, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) offered to vote for a Republican government funding bill if it included a one-year extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies.
"We'd like to offer a simple proposal that would reopen the government and extend the ACA premium tax credits simultaneously, and then have the opportunity to start negotiating longer-term solutions to health care costs," Schumer said in a floor speech. "Let's do all three."
After huddling with Republican senators, Thune called the offer a "nonstarter" and said the deal doesn't "get anywhere close to what we need to do here."
Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS) called the deal a "horrible idea."
"They have to be willing to fix Obamacare," he insisted. "They have to make a commitment to fix Obamacare before we move on."
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