As the GOP prepares new bills without a healthcare fix, Democrats consider prolonging the shutdown

"Senate Republicans are moving to try to end the government shutdown by preparing a new bipartisan package of spending bills and daring Democrats to vote for it, but it was unclear if their plan would work.Many Democrats said they would continue to hold out for an extension of expiring health care subsidies, which was not expected to be part of the legislation."

"A test vote on the new package, which had not yet been publicly revealed, could come as soon as Friday. Democrats will then have a crucial choice to make: Do they keep fighting for a meaningful deal on extending health care subsidies that expire in January, while extending the pain of the shutdown? Or do they vote to reopen the government and hope for the best as Republicans promise an eventual health care vote, but not a guaranteed outcome?"

""That's what leaders do," said Democratic Sen. Ben Ray Lujan of New Mexico. "You have the gavel, you have the majority, you have to bring people together." Hawaii Sen. Brian Schatz said Democrats are "obviously not unanimous" but they are unified that "without something on health care, the vote is very unlikely to succeed." Other Democrats have been working on a deal that would reopen the government with only an agreement for a future vote on the health care subsidies."

Senate Republicans prepared a bipartisan package of spending bills intended to end the government shutdown and pushed Democrats to vote for it. Many Democrats said they would continue to hold out for an extension of expiring health care subsidies, which were not expected to be included. Senators had repeatedly voted against reopening the government and left caucus meetings without agreement on a compromise. A possible test vote could come as soon as Friday, forcing Democrats to choose between reopening government without guaranteed subsidy language or prolonging the shutdown while seeking health care protections. Some Democrats sought a reopening tied only to a future health care vote.

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