GOP senators head to WH for Rose Garden luncheon, affirming unity with Trump on shutdown

Senate Republicans will visit the White House on Tuesday in a show of unity with President Trump and to discuss the government shutdown as it enters the fourth week.

They continue to express an openness to discuss extending health care subsides as part of an omnibus measure to fully fund the government, but only after Democrats agree to a so-called continuing resolution – free or "clean" of any contingencies – to temporarily fund the government through October.  

Related votes have failed in the upper chamber 11 times so far.

Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso, second in Senate GOP leadership, told Fox News Channel’s “Fox & Friends” on Tuesday that the message at the Rose Garde luncheon will be, “Republicans are united, and I expect the president to say, ‘Stand strong.’”

Senate Majority Leader John Thune said Monday that he thinks Trump is ready to “get involved on having the discussion” about extending the subsidies past year's end. “But I don’t think they are prepared to do that until (Democrats) open up the government,” he said.

Federal workers are set to miss additional paychecks, and lapses in funding have resulted in more government programs being halted or fewer workers to run government services.

Thune also said that Republicans may propose a longer extension of current funding instead of passing individual spending bills if the shutdown doesn’t end soon. Congress would need to pass an extension beyond Nov. 21, which is the deadline of the current bill that has been repeatedly blocked, “if not something on a much longer-term basis,” Thune said.

North Dakota Sen. John Hoeven said that Republican senators will talk strategy with Trump at the lunch.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said regarding Trump: “He needs to get off the sidelines, get off the golf course. We know that House and Senate Republicans don’t do anything without getting permission from their boss, Donald J. Trump.”

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Monday, "Our position remains the same: We want to end the shutdown as soon as we can and fix the [Affordable Care Act] premium crisis that looms over 20 million hardworking Americans."

He also called the White House meeting a “pep rally,” saying it was “shameful” that House Speaker Mike Johnson has kept the House out of town during the shutdown.