8 Democrats sit at center of potential deal to end government shutdown this week
At least eight moderate Senate Democrats are meeting in hopes of finding a deal to end the monthlong government shutdown, but sources familiar with the closely held conversations say they will need strong assurances from the GOP before voting to reopen the government.
The eight Democrats, who include Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (N.H.) and Jon Ossoff (Ga.), the latter a top Republican target in 2026, will need to feel comfortable with whatever is offered by Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.), and they may need to hear from President Trump himself, sources told The Hill.
The group huddled in the Capitol basement during votes Thursday in an attempt to put themselves in a position to end the shutdown before the scheduled Veterans Day recess.
“Bipartisan conversations are continuing and that’s a good sign,” Ossoff told The Hill.
Asked how optimistic he was of reaching a deal this week, Ossoff, who voted earlier this month to pay essential federal workers during the shutdown, said, “We need a resolution that does right by our constituents.”
“My constituents don’t want their health insurance premiums to skyrocket, they want the government reopened,” he said. “It’s good that bipartisan conversations are continuing.”
The senators viewed as most likely to vote for a clean continuing resolution to reopen the government are Shaheen, Ossoff and Sens. Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Peter Welch (D-Vt.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) and Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.).
The eight lawmakers were spotted emerging from a meeting in a Capitol hideaway Thursday before the Senate adjourned for the week, and some........





















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