Senate Democrats to meet to discuss deal ending government shutdown

Senate Democrats will meet on Thursday to discuss a deal ending the government shutdown.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer is hosting a special caucus lunch on Thursday afternoon to discuss the details of the emerging compromise package, which Democrats reviewed broadly during a Tuesday caucus lunch meeting, The Hill news outlet reported.

The Democrats will decide whether they are close enough to a deal to work through the weekend to reopen the government.

“All the meetings are the same: Active conversation on how to end this,” said Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin, and Illinios Democrat.

He added that the meeting earlier this week was for his conference to discuss “only the contours” of a potential deal.

“There are so many unanswered questions,” he said. “If this is going to progress to the point where we actually have an agreement, we need to do a lot today.”

Senate Majority Leader John Thune said Thursday morning that the Senate would stay in session over the weekend only if “it looks like there’s a path to wind this down this weekend.

“It’s in their court,” the South Dakota Republican said, referring to Democrats. “It’s up to them.”

Thune said that he is not ruling out the possibility of canceling the Senate’s Veterans Day recess, which is scheduled to begin Friday and last a week.

He added that he hopes to get “10 or more” Democratic senators to vote to reopen the government after Thursday’s meeting.

“I guess they get to have a big meeting today. Hopefully they’ll come out of there with 10 or more that are willing to vote to reopen the government. We’ll find out,” Thune said.