Sen. John Kennedy warned that a permanent end to the 38-day government shutdown is not around the corner, saying lawmakers should expect at least a week of stalemate and possibly longer. He described Democrats’ unwillingness to back a short-term funding extension and insisted Republicans will hold firm on changes to expiring health subsidies. The standoff centers on whether to attach extended Obamacare subsidies to must-pass funding, and Kennedy made clear Republicans want the government open before tackling that fight.
Kennedy told reporters, “I think we’re at least seven days and more likely 10 and very possibly two weeks away from opening up at the best,” setting realistic expectations for anyone watching the negotiations. That timeline undercuts talk of a quick patch and paints a picture of Democrats digging in rather than compromising. From a Republican perspective, the priority is clear: reopen government operations and then address policy disputes on their merits.
He added, “I have been told that the Democrats who’ve been negotiating with us are going to all vote no to proceed to the bill. That is an accommodation to their more aggressive Democratic senators. They’ve agreed to vote no one more time,” which signals a coordinated refusal to advance a short-term measure. That behavior looks like political theater to many Republicans who say it puts ideology ahead of constituents. If the opposition blocks procedural moves repeatedly, the result will be protracted gridlock that harms government workers and ordinary Americans.
The shutdown began in early October after Democrats, led by their Senate and House leaders, rejected a GOP short-term funding bill and insisted Congress address expiring subsidies tied to the Affordable Care Act. Republicans argue those subsidies are a separate policy issue and should not be used to hold funding hostage. The GOP position is that funding must be restored first, and then lawmakers can negotiate the subsidy question without shutting down core services.
Kennedy and other Republicans have signaled a willingness to consider subsidy changes once the government reopens, but they refuse to deliver a blank check to Democrats’ demands. “Republicans are not going to vote to extend the Obamacare subsidies for the exchanges without changes,” he said. “We will agree to doing it with changes, but I know we’re not going to give the Democrats what they want.”
Republicans frame their stance around responsible budgeting and pushing back against permanent extensions of emergency measures that began during a pandemic. Analysts who crunch the numbers warn that continuing enhanced subsidies could carry large price tags if left unchanged. That fiscal argument is central to Republican talking points: spending must be paired with reform rather than simply extended without offset.
Kennedy also warned that Democrats had previously wanted a guaranteed vote and passage for the subsidy extension, a deal the GOP views as unacceptable. “The last time I talked to [Democrats], they wanted a vote on the Obamacare subsidies — and guaranteed passage. Then we’re going to be shut down for a long time because that’s just not going to happen,” he said. From this view, giving in to demands that bypass debate and negotiation sets a bad precedent and could invite future leverage over must-pass bills.
The Senate was set to take up the Republican short-term spending extension on Friday, leaving open whether lawmakers will stay in Washington over the weekend or return for a scheduled recess for Veterans Day. Republicans emphasize the need for discipline: reopen the government, then address programmatic disputes with amendments and offsets. That approach aims to protect essential services while forcing a clear, accountable debate on policy changes and fiscal consequences.
For Republicans watching this play out, the deal is simple: restore funding, then negotiate. They argue Americans suffer when political bargaining chips are stuffed into crucial funding bills, and they are positioning to defend that principle. The coming days will reveal whether Democrats will shift from strategy to compromise or whether the standoff will stretch into a longer showdown with real consequences for federal operations.
