Senator John Thune asserts that Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is not negotiating and faces pressure from activist groups and a dissatisfied base. Thune says he has not directly offered Schumer specific vote commitments or a bipartisan funding package but describes exchanges between rank‑and‑file Democrats and Republicans as producing several offers. Thune proposes a date‑certain floor vote to extend enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies while acknowledging he cannot guarantee passage. He warns that most Senate Republicans view COVID‑era policies as expired, though a subset might support temporary extensions with reforms.
"I don't think Schumer's negotiating on any of this,"
"He's in a box. He's got all these groups coming in this weekend and a base that's unhappy and wants to see him fight Trump."
"There's a group of Democrats ... who've been meeting and communicating with members on our side. There have been several, sort of, offers exchanged."
"You want a vote by date certain? We can do that."
"The people who think these were COVID-era policies that ought to expire is the majority. But there is a sufficient number of Republicans who, I think, would - with reforms - be supportive of at least doing something for some amount of time."
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