John Thune

Senate Majority Leader John Thune now plans to tee up a 10th vote on the Republican stopgap plan to try to force a handful of Democrats to defect.

This needs to end.

We can end it today.

But Democrats are insisting Republicans negotiate a deal that addresses looming Affordable Care Act premium spikes.

Without hope of a bipartisan deal in hand, lawmakers are predicting that the government shutdown may not end anytime soon.

Claudia Grisales, NPR News, the Capitol.

Senate Republican Leader John Thune and Democrat Leader Chuck Schumer both say they want to talk, but disagree on what to discuss.

Schumer wants to negotiate health care benefit extensions, while Thune will only talk about reopening the government.

Meanwhile, Speaker Mike Johnson says he's keeping the House closed for the week.

Johnson, a Republican, blames Schumer on NBC.

They're doing this to get political cover because Chuck Schumer is afraid that he won't win his next reelection bid to the Senate.

And House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, also on NBC, threw the burden on President Trump.

Schumer says the only solution is another meeting between Thune, Johnson, Jeffries, Trump and himself.

Luke Garrett, NPR News, Washington.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune told reporters he didn't see the point in holding more votes over the weekend since the Senate hasn't made any progress on negotiations.

The Senate voted on a GOP plan that already passed the House that would fund the government through late November.

It also voted on a Democratic counterproposal that funds the government through October and includes an extension of health care tax credits boosted up during the pandemic.

Those are on track to expire at the end of the year.

Both votes have failed repeatedly to meet the 60-vote threshold to advance the bills.

Republicans have said they'll negotiate on the subsidies, but only after the government is funded.