GOP Presses for Weekend Deal as Sen. Graham Prepares Reconciliation Plan

Senate Republicans are escalating efforts to strike a deal to end the government shutdown, warning they’re ready to work through the weekend if Democrats don’t come to the table. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said Thursday the chamber should “plan to be here through the weekend,” according to The Washington Examiner.

The Senate rarely stays past Thursday, but a 5 p.m. vote was set to keep members in town as negotiations intensify. Thune called it “the clearest path forward” to pass a short-term funding bill and start broader talks with the White House, The Examiner reported.

Republicans want to reopen the government with a stopgap that extends Affordable Care Act subsidies. After that, they plan to pivot to a bigger fiscal package that advances party priorities like energy, defense, and border security.

The shutdown fight has deepened partisan divisions, but GOP leaders see an opening to pressure Democrats into talks. Thune said reopening the government first would “clear the deck” for more serious budget work.

At the same time, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., is signaling that a longer-term reconciliation plan is taking shape. He told Politico that his committee is drafting instructions for a new GOP reconciliation bill focused on border security, defense, energy independence, and deficit reduction.

Graham said the framework would allow Republicans to pass a major policy package with a simple majority. “We want to show we can govern responsibly and deliver on the priorities that matter most,” he told Politico.

The Senate Budget Committee is already working on offsets to make the package “fully paid for.” Graham said those offsets would come through spending reductions and targeted revenue measures.

According to Politico, Graham’s plan would direct multiple committees to produce legislation under reconciliation rules. That strategy would let Republicans push through big-ticket items without needing Democratic votes.

The timing is strategic. Republicans believe linking the shutdown fight to a broader policy agenda strengthens their negotiating hand.

Democrats, meanwhile, are split over how to respond. The Washington Examiner reported that moderates favor a short-term deal to reopen the government, while progressives fear it could weaken healthcare funding or give Republicans new wins and momentum after Democratic candidates scored several gubernatorial and other wins across the country in elections on Tuesday.

GOP leaders are seizing on that divide. They argue Democrats risk appearing unwilling to govern while the GOP offers a path to reopen government and pursue fiscal reform.

For Republicans, the weekend work is about proving momentum. “We’re here until we get it done,” one senior aide told The Examiner.

Graham’s reconciliation push gives the effort a second front. It signals that Republicans intend not just to end the shutdown, but to set up their legislative agenda for 2026.