10/30/2025

As Shutdown Reaches One-month Mark, Senate Talks Intensify

Many of the same issues have stalled progress for months

The federal government shutdown has entered its 30^th day, with bipartisan talks in the Senate showing new signs of life but still far from a resolution.

Over the past 36 hours, negotiators from both parties have ramped up discussions about how to reopen the government, according to POLITICO, though Senate Majority Leader John Thune indicated Wednesday night that progress remains too limited to keep lawmakers in town beyond today.

“There's no great magic in how we get out of this,” said Sen. Lisa Murkowski, noting that many of the same issues have stalled progress for months.

Congressional Democrats still insist they won’t vote to reopen the government without a firm agreement to extend the Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium subsidies first enacted during the pandemic, which they argue are critical to keeping health insurance affordable for millions of Americans. Most Republicans, including Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) and Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD), have urged that discussions on the issue take place only after the government is reopened.

This article was provided to OSAP by ASAE's Power of Associations and Inroads.