Senate Democrats face an uphill challenge in getting a December deal reviving expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies.
There are no official negotiations going on yet — just informal talks with Republicans — and Democrats are deliberating between engaging with the GOP or forcing Republicans to vote down a subsidy extension and letting them deal with the political fallout.
“If we want to get something passed, it should include some Republican input,” said Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H.
Republicans say a straight extension of the subsidies will fail and GOP Whip John Barrasso stressed that Republicans need “major modifications, major revisions” to the ACA to consider a Democratic proposal.
That leaves Democrats’ skeptical that the Senate can get 60 votes for anything.
“There’s some [Republicans] that genuinely want to try to figure it out. Whether it’s 13? That’s questionable,” said Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich.