Senate Republicans are eyeing a Friday vote on legislation that would pay some federal employees and active-duty troops amid the record-setting government shutdown.
Majority Leader John Thune said there was a “good possibility” that he would tee up a vote on the legislation from Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.).
“We’re going to vote to pay federal workers,” Thune said.
The Senate tried to bring up Johnson’s bill last month, but it was blocked by Democrats. Republicans continue to discuss another potential vote on the House-approved continuing resolution, which Thune wants to use as a vehicle for an eventual larger funding deal.
The possible Friday vote comes as pain from the shutdown mounts, including a cascade of new flight cancellations and airport delays.
Thune added that he expects the Senate to stay in session this weekend, a step he’s avoided for the first five weeks of the shutdown.
“We will continue to proceed forward in hopes at some point that we’ll get a chance to vote — whether that’s today or tomorrow — on a package of bills that we have been negotiating with Democrats,” Thune said.
Some senators have privately grumbled about staying through the weekend without firm hopes for an agreement among the bipartisan group of senators who have been negotiating a way out of the shutdown.
“There’s a lot of people that have got other plans in terms of things they need to do,” said Sen. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.). “If they’re going to come here and sit, they’re not going to be very happy.”