SACHA PFEIFFER, HOST:
It's Day 40 of the government shutdown, the longest in U.S. history, and Americans are feeling the pain through canceled flights and suspended federal food aid. Meanwhile, Senate Republicans and Democrats have been working this weekend to try to fund the government. NPR's Luke Garrett is on Capitol Hill with more on the status of shutdown negotiations. Hi, Luke.
LUKE GARRETT, BYLINE: Sacha, thanks for having me.
PFEIFFER: Any progress today on reopening the government?
GARRETT: That is the million-dollar question. But at this point, no one really knows when the government will reopen, even the senators who are here today trying to find a solution. At the heart of this government shutdown is really a policy disagreement over health care tax credits. On Friday, Democrats offered to reopen the government in exchange for a one-year extension on these health care tax credits. Here's Majority Leader John Thune's response on Saturday.
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JOHN THUNE: The Democrat leader's proposal is a nonstarter. There's still only one path out. It's a clean funding extension.
GARRETT: And, you know, Thune continues to say Democrats need to first fund the government and then negotiate health care subsidies.
PFEIFFER: Which we've been hearing for a while - so how much closer are we to a solution than when the shutdown started?
GARRETT: You know, there has been increased conversation and proposals between senators on Capitol Hill, and the Senate being in session over the weekend - a rarity - is a testament to the growing pressure both parties are really feeling to fund the government. One possible solution that is arising is a GOP plan that would advance the House-passed funding bill and tack on an appropriations package. This so-called minibus would keep the government funded through the end of January. It's a framework some senators really see as the beginnings of a solution with at least one key Senate Democrat involved. And this evening, Democrats are holding a caucus meeting to discuss, you know, this very plan. But Oklahoma senator, Markwayne Mullin, a top GOP negotiator, used some choice words to describe how he's really not hopeful Democrats will get on board.
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MARKWAYNE MULLIN: I don't expect anything from the Democrats at this point. Their demands have been so ridiculous. I don't know what they're going to do. And at this point, I frankly don't give a crap.
GARRETT: And it's worth noting that, you know, even if the Senate does come to a compromise, the House will have to sign off too. Speaker Mike Johnson has kept the House shuttered for weeks.
PFEIFFER: And Luke, where has President Trump been on all this? How involved has he been in policy negotiations?
GARRETT: So during the shutdown, Trump has refused to meet with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, despite multiple requests. And now, Trump is actively lobbying Republican senators to use what he calls the, quote, "nuclear option" by ending the filibuster and allowing for party line votes in the Senate. So Trump has little interest to negotiate with Democrats. And this weekend, he has been railing against the Affordable Care Act and the extension of these subsidies, calling the health care program a, quote, "disaster for the American people." Instead, Trump has proposed selling - or sending money directly to Americans through their health savings accounts, though there are few details on that proposal.
PFEIFFER: In terms of the political dynamics at play here, we know that Democrats feel like they had a very good day on Election Day last Tuesday. How are the election results affecting shutdown negotiations?
GARRETT: You know, lawmakers on the Democratic side are celebrating, you know, last week and the wins there. Leader Jeffries now says Democrats will definitely take back the House in the 2026 midterms. This newfound political confidence is strengthening their resolve to fight for health care extensions and federal worker protections. But Republicans still control, you know, Congress and the White House. The only legislative leverage Democrats have is really keeping the government shut down.
PFEIFFER: That is NPR's Luke Garrett reporting from Capitol Hill. Luke, thank you.
GARRETT: You bet. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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