U.S. Senator Susan Collins (R-ME) speaks with Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK), as Lori Chavez-DeRemer, U.S.
President Trump’s nominee to be secretary of labor testifies before a Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., February 19, 2025.Kent Nishimura | Reuteen.
Susan Collins is reportedly shopping around a potential off-ramp to the government shutdown that has paralyzed Washington, but the Maine Republican is not ready to give in on the primary demand by her Democratic colleagues.Collins has been circulating a "discussion draft" of a posal that would include GOP pledges on a deal related to enhanced Obamacare tax credits, Punchbowl News reported.But Collins is insisting that any extension of the Affordable Care Act subsidies should be negotiated after Congress passes a funding resolution that would allow the government to reopen.Collins told reporters Monday that she has a draft of a posal to get out of the shutdown, which she has d "selectively.""There are a lot of informal discussions, but so far there's no duct, so we have the discussion draft," she said, according to the news site NOTUS.Her draft "suggests that there be a conversation on the ACA extension ...
after we reopen government," she said, according to NOTUS."I do think we need an extension, but we also need some reforms, such as a cap on how much income you can earn, and that is totally feasible to do right after we finish keeping government open," Collins said Monday, according to the Maine Morning Star."But we should not have issues that are very complicated that split the Senate attached to the continuing resolution, because all that's going to do is long the shutdown."Most Democratic senators have refused to vote for any funding legislation unless it codifies an extension of the subsidies, which are due to expire at the end of the year.Republicans Collins, however, insist that conversations over the subsidies should occur after the government re-opens.Sens.
Josh Hawley, R-Mo. and Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, both support extending the tax credits, as do Reps.
Jen Kiggans, R-Va., and Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., Punchbowl reported.Murkowski and Collins are no strangers to crossing partisan lines.Read more CNBC government shutdown coverageTrump suggests not all furloughed workers will get back pay: ‘It depends’Republicans face pressure to consider Democrats' health care demands as shutdown drags onFunding bill falls short again in Senate, extending government shutdownThe shutdown meant no jobs report.
Carlyle's analysis shows it would have been pretty badMissing this pay date may be too much for Trump and Congress to long shutdownThe shutdown meant no jobs report.
Here's what it would have said the economyDemocratic leader Jeffries challenges GOP House Speaker Johnson to debate shutdown'There will start to be layoffs' if Trump decides shutdown talks have stalled, Hassett saysTrump could 'start taking sharp measures' if next government funding bills fail: HassettAffordable Care Act premiums will rise 114% in 2026 if subsidies expire: KFFTrump admin freezes $2.1 billion for Chicago jects, blames Democrats for shutdown holdupShutdown fallout: Energy Dept.
axes billions for green jects in blue statesTrump administration cancels nearly $8 billion in climate funding to blue states: VoughtGovernment shutdown : Stalemate to last at least three daysTrump touts shutdown as 'unprecedented opportunity' to cut more Democratic prioritiesGovernment shutdown fight hinges on ACA tax credits — and if some immigrants should getBoth Republicans voted against some GOP pieces of legislation during President Donald Trump's first term.The two moderate Republicans have not yet shown an indication that they will vote with Democrats on the funding legislation, but their openness marks a potential shift.In a separate sign of the growing pressure on Republicans to weigh Democrats' health care demands, Sen.
Angus King of Maine, an independent who caucuses with Democrats, said that he may be souring on the Republican posal to temporarily fund the government.King has voted with Republicans five times on the government funding bill.
But he said Monday that he is "contemplating" changing his vote unless the GOP is more "forthcoming dealing with the ACA blem.""We need some assurance that they will deal with this blem, and so far that hasn't been forthcoming."Trump said Monday that he was negotiating with Democrats on health care that "could lead to very good things," a claim that was quickly refuted by Democratic leadership.Lawmakers in the Democratic caucus remain unly to accept commitments not backed up by legislation, underscoring the gridlock."[If] you reopen the government and we lose our leverage, and they say, well, 'You know, We want this.
We want that,'" Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., said Monday on CNN."No, there has to be an agreement right now.
That's what this whole shutdown is , to tect the American people and our health care system from collapsing," he said.