Republicans have just rejected the Democrats offer to end the shutdown

Senate Majority Leader John Thune swiftly rejected a Democratic proposal to reopen the government and extend soon-to-expire health insurance subsidies for an additional year, dismissing it as a “nonstarter,” as the shutdown stalemate dragged into its 38th day.

Earlier Friday, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer put forward the offer, attempting to restart negotiations after weeks of Republican refusal to discuss health subsidy extensions. The plan was a scaled-back version of a broader Democratic package unveiled a month ago that would have made the tax credits permanent and reversed Medicaid reductions approved by Republicans earlier this year.

Schumer proposed holding back-to-back votes: one to reopen the government and another to extend the subsidies, along with forming a bipartisan working group to examine GOP demands for changes to the Affordable Care Act.

“All Republicans need to do is agree,” Schumer said.

Republicans declined, reiterating their position that health-care negotiations cannot begin while the government is closed. “That’s something we’ll discuss after the government reopens,” Thune said in response on the Senate floor.

Thune added that the Democratic offer shows they are starting to feel political pressure.
“You could call that progress,” he said, “but it’s nowhere near what needs to happen.”

Republicans met again later Friday, without reaching any agreement on how to move forward.

“We’re basically back at the beginning,” said Sen. John Kennedy, noting he had no idea when the shutdown would end.