Republicans offer new proposal to Democrats in bid to end government shutdown: Report

By Rabia Iclal Turan

WASHINGTON (AA) - Republicans have made a new offer to Senate Democrats in an effort to end a 37-day US government shutdown and move forward on a package of three full-year spending bills, according to a report.

Politico, citing four people familiar with talks, reported that the proposal came ahead of a key Democratic caucus lunch and includes a new concession -- a willingness to discuss rehiring federal employees who were laid off during the shutdown.

The package would fund the Agriculture-Food and Drug Administration, Military Construction-Veterans Affairs, and legislative branch departments through next September, it added.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune confirmed Republicans made Democrats an offer but declined to share details.

The proposal does not address Democrats’ main concern -- the extension of Affordable Care Act insurance subsidies -- or specify the duration of the stopgap measure, according to the report.

The shutdown became the longest in US history, hitting 37 days on Thursday, with no resolution in sight as Republicans and Democrats in the Senate remain deadlocked on restoring funding to closed federal agencies.

It surpassed the previous record of 35 days set during Trump’s first term between December 2018 and January 2019 after the upper chamber rejected a House-passed Republican funding bill for a 14th time to end the shutdown Tuesday.