The Senate is leaving Washington, D.C., for the weekend as Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., and Republicans work to peel more Democrats to support their plan to reopen the government. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)
Senate Republicans and Democrats will instead return on Tuesday next week, after observing Columbus Day, to continue the ongoing back and forth on the GOP’s CR following a week of trying and failing to pass the bill and reopen the government.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., plans to continue bringing the Republicans’ bill to the floor in an effort to fragment Senate Democrats. So far, only three Democratic caucus members have consistently split from their largely unified party.
Talks have continued in the background behind closed-doors, but nothing has quite yet materialized into full-blown negotiations on expiring Obamacare, formally known as the Affordable Care Act (ACA), tax credits to find an off-ramp as the government shutdown barrels into a third week.
"The ACA issue is important to a lot of us, not just to Democrats," Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said. "The tax subsidies were enhanced during COVID. They do need to be reformed, but they do need to be extended as well."
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Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, wants to hit lawmakers where it hurts as the government shutdown rages on. (Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images)
"There's always a lot of swirl out there, as you know, from, you know, social media, etc., but no, we’re not having that conversation," Thune said.
But not every Republican wants to ignore nuking the 60-vote filibuster as, day in and day out, the GOP’s plan to reopen the government falls five votes short.
Sen. Bernie Moreno, R-Ohio, said that if the shutdown continues, it's an option that should be considered.
"Look, 50%, 60% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck," he said. "We're going to trip that wire next week. Now if there's another paycheck — that's probably 80% of Americans that can't go without two paychecks in a row. I think at that point we have to look at it and say ‘the Democrats are still doing political stunts.’"
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Republicans also found a new point of attack against Democrats. Schumer told Punchbowl News in an interview that "Every day gets better for us," in his assessment of Senate Democrats’ political momentum as the shutdown marches onward.
"Who is ‘us?’ Not better for the American people," Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso, R-Wyo., said. "Who does he mean by ‘us?’ Not the military who is not getting paid. Not the Border Patrol who are not getting paid. Not the air traffic controllers who are not getting paid. Who is ‘us?’ He’s playing a game!"
But Senate Democrats are largely shrugging off the issue. Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, contended that it was Republicans' latest attempt to "change the topic from 114% increase in premiums," a point Democrats have argued could happen if the Obamacare tax credits aren’t extended.
"They're a little desperate to change the news cycle, and this is their latest attempt," Schatz said.
Alex Miller is a writer for Fox News Digital covering the U.S. Senate.
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/senate-leaves-washington-government-shutdown-nears-3rd-week-military-pay-risk