House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) told his party that lines of communication have reopened between his office and Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R-La.) to avert a government shutdown this weekend, members said.
Democrats said Jeffries revealed the development during a caucus meeting on Friday morning.
Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) told reporters that Jeffries said the “lines of communication have been reopened,” though he added the leader “didn’t specify [if] that could be staff.” But Connolly added that’s “good news.”
But Jeffries said after the meeting on Friday that Republicans have yet to present an offer on a path forward to prevent a shutdown.
“There’s no bill that’s been presented to House Democrats for us to evaluate,” Jeffries told reporters.
Asked about proposals being floated by some Republicans to split up items like disaster aid, a funding stopgap, and economic assistance for farmers into separate bills, Jeffries said “it’s not an idea that has been presented to anyone in House Democratic caucus, myself included.”
The news comes as House Republicans have struggled to move a stopgap funding plan across the finish line amid last-minute demands from President-elect Trump to include legislation to suspend the nation’s debt ceiling.
“Republicans have recognized you’re gonna have to talk to us,” Connolly said, adding the “hope is we will act today.”
Congress has roughly 12 hours to pass legislation to keep the government funded or risk a shutdown.
