Bipartisan and bicameral talks to head off a partial government shutdown after next week appeared to be underway Thursday after the collapse of Speaker Mike Johnson’s two-part stopgap funding package Wednesday night.
Senate appropriators were in the paper-trading stage while, at least at the staff level, discussions were taking place among the “four corners” of the spending panels and congressional leadership in both chambers.
“We have just gotten some draft language from the Democrats and now we’re starting to enter into review and negotiation, which is a great relief since we have very few days left,” Senate Appropriations ranking member Susan Collins, R-Maine, said. While talks remain “at the very initial stages,” Collins said, other sources said a bipartisan proposal could be ready as soon as Monday.
