Democrats were prepping a counteroffer on a fiscal 2023 omnibus framework Thursday, as negotiators contended with a range of divisive issues, such as how to treat veterans medical care spending and the military’s requirement for servicemembers to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.
There were no imminent signs of a breakthrough, and no high-level bipartisan meetings were yet planned. But Senate Appropriations ranking member Richard C. Shelby, R-Ala., said “serious discussions” were underway.
“I don’t think we’re gonna resolve anything today. Maybe tomorrow,” Shelby said. “I think there are a lot of people on both sides of the aisle that see this is the right thing to do, to get it done.”
