Reporter’s Notebook: Senate revotes today on ending government shutdown

The government shutdown will not end today. However, the Senate will vote for a sixth time on a set of test votes to break a filibuster on competing Democratic and Republican plans.

They need 60 votes.

The votes hit in the late morning or midday.

There are mild, informal bipartisan talks about ending the shutdown among senators, but Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., says they are at an impasse.

OMINOUS RED AND ORANGE SKIES HAD CAPITOL HILL TAKE NOTICE AS SHUTDOWN LOOMED

Lawmakers from both sides are now fretting about the potential of furloughed workers not receiving back pay. President Donald Trump floated that idea yesterday. However, both House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., appeared to believe that workers would receive back pay.

Johnson signaled an openness to passing a special bill to pay service members and air traffic controllers. But that would require the House to return to session. Johnson has vowed to keep the House out until Senate Democrats accept the GOP funding package. A senior House GOP leadership source doubted that Johnson would bring the House back before the shutdown ends.

The deadline to pay the military and air traffic controllers is Oct. 13.

SENATE REPUBLICANS CONFIRM MORE THAN 100 TRUMP NOMINEES AS GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN CONTINUES 

Meanwhile, lawmakers from both sides are increasingly worried about absences in the aviation sector and how that could impact safety. Don’t forget that aviation issues are what ended the 2018-2019 government shutdown.

There are also concerns about farm payments which impact tens of millions of acres in the U.S. The shutdown exacerbates this situation because Congress is two years behind on approving a farm bill.

Also, some Republicans are increasingly open to addressing the Democratic push for ObamaCare subsidies. That’s the main holdout for Democrats.

Republicans have spent the past 16 years arguing against ObamaCare. Now the unthinkable is happening: Some Republicans are advocating for increased subsidies under ObamaCare.