Walking off the floor, Thune said the Senate could stay in session through the weekend if there are signs of progress on a deal.
“I think that depends a little bit on what happens. If there’s a path forward to vote, whether that’s today, tomorrow, Saturday, we’ll stay and do that,” Thune said. “I think all options are on the table.”
The outlines of the current proposal would tie a vote on reopening the government to a package of three appropriations bills, with a promise to vote on extending health care tax credits in the future. Republicans hope enough Democrats are willing to take that offer and end the stalemate.
Thune reiterated that he “can’t guarantee” Democrats “an outcome” on extending health care tax credits, but he can “guarantee them a process.”
“I think the clear path forward here with regard to the ACA issue is, they get a vote and we open up the government and we head down to the White House and sit down with the president and talk about it,” he added. “Right now, this hostage-taking has got to stop.”
Asked if there are enough Democrats who are willing to join Republicans to open the government, Thune said “I think there are Democrats who are inclined to do the right thing. They’re under an enormous amount of pressure from the left.”
He added: “There is a group, I believe, who really wants to, in my view, do the right thing and get this over with. So we’ll see if they hold sway today, and hopefully we’ll know more about that as the day rolls on.”