The leader of the Senate, John Tune said that he gave the Democrats a chance to face their biggest initiative in the effort to end the government shutdown – but it is not enough to end the stalemate.
The tune, during an interview on MSNBC that aired Thursday morning.
“I told them. I said, And I said, ‘We’re willing to have a conversation.’ I said, ‘If you need a vote, we can make sure you get a vote on a certain date.’ At some points the Democrats should take YES for the answer,” said Thune in the interview, which was held on Wednesday.
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Senate Democrats have been seeking health care reform to avoid a spike in premiums for many low-income Americans and in areas to open up their government support. Democrats have remained unrepentant in their demands as the shutdown drags into its 16th day.
The Senate on Thursday failed for the 10th time to advance GOP federal government funding. In addition to that bump in the Appropriations Bill, Tune is set to try a new tactic later Thursday, adding reserve votes to fund the Defense Department for the entire calendar year.
Leader Andrew Harnik / Photo: Senate Leader John Tune speaks to reporters as Senate Republican leaders hold a press conference on Washington Hill in Washington, on October 15, 2025.
Thursday’s vote is a different type of vote than previous shutdown-related votes. This vote opens a discussion on one of the 12 general appropriations bills that keep the government running.
Thune has signed that if the Senate successfully supports this package on Thursday, he will try to introduce funding bills to find additional agencies that use the general order.
Reopening the government is an important first step in continuing discussions on health care reform, Thune said on MSNBC. He committed to the negotiations, but not the outcome.
“There is a way forward, I believe, but it has to include changes, and can I guarantee the result? No. And that’s what people want to see – it means that this will pass,” said Thune. “I can’t guarantee it will pass. I can guarantee you there will be a process and you will get a vote.”
Asked about Thune’s comments, Speaker Mike Johnson reiterated Thursday morning that no health care outcomes could be confirmed.
“It’s impossible for the leader to confirm that Chuck Schemer is long on that, because we haven’t finished those discussions.”
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There is a bipartisan interest, Thune said, in keeping health care costs down. But changes to the system need to be made, and discussions about those changes start with opening up the government, Thune said.
Thune has been pressured by the White House’s efforts to withdraw the money that has been legally hedged. Democrats have said that the use of deductions has made leery work on money deals. Thune did not explicitly say that he wanted the White House to stop doing bailouts, but he did say that the order’s equal shares were the preferred option.
“The power of persuasion is something of the Constitution – the question of whether you use it or not – Yes, obviously that’s something that I think will need to be discussed with the White House,” said Thune.
Elizabeth Frantz / Reuters – Photo: Senate Majority Leader John Tune speaks to reporters as Senate Republican leaders hold a press conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, October 15, 2025.
He said “discussions” on topics with the White House and that “I think it’s in a very good human condition, including the normal process of the house, to have a normal allocation process where people are bought.”
As Thune sat for this interview, the house was in its third consecutive week of recess. Thune was asked if it was the right choice for the house to stay outside the city. He said it was a “judgment call” for Speaker Johnson to make.
“There is nothing right now. They did their job. They passed their law. The game is in the Senate,” said Thune.
He also doesn’t guarantee the shutdown will end anytime soon. When asked by Ali Viatari if he thought it would go beyond gratitude, it didn’t work.
“I hope it’s not always thanks, because that would be hurting the American people,” he said.
ABC News’ Lauren Peller contributed to this report.
