Senate leaders plan to take up a stopgap funding measure in a rare Friday session to test whether a Democratic logjam could finally break to end the longest partial government shutdown in history.
But after a long day of closed-door talks, Democrats remained mostly tight-lipped about their intentions, with some suggesting they were prepared to continue the standoff until they secure an extension of expiring health insurance subsidies. Republicans leaders have insisted they would not negotiate on health subsidies until the government is reopened.
“The plan is to reopen the government and lower health care costs,” said Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., a senior appropriator who has negotiated with Republicans on a shutdown exit. “As soon as we have a clear path to that, we’re going to take it.”
