President Donald Trump has announced that the prolonged US government shutdown is nearing its conclusion, citing progress in Senate negotiations. “It looks like we’re getting very close to the shutdown ending,” Trump stated, emphasizing the administration’s stance against allocating funds to prisoners and undocumented immigrants. This optimistic outlook emerged as reports surfaced of a potential deal brokered in the Senate.
According to sources, a coalition of at least eight moderate Democratic Senators has tentatively agreed with Senate Republican leaders and the White House to end the shutdown. This proposed resolution reportedly involves a future vote on extending subsidies for the Affordable Care Act, a key point of contention in the funding dispute. The agreement would bring an end to the current federal government closure.
The deal includes a short-term funding measure extending government operations until January, potentially linking to a broader appropriation bill for critical agencies. Senate proceedings were anticipated to address the measure late Sunday. The bipartisan talks involved several centrist Democrats and Republican leadership, with White House involvement.
While the agreement doesn’t secure immediate extensions for healthcare subsidies, participants expressed confidence in future bipartisan negotiations on the matter. Senate Democratic leaders were reportedly in closed-door discussions to determine their caucus’s position, while House Democrats have publicly criticized the proposed resolution. The legislative process, if successful in the Senate, would then proceed to the House for consideration.