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at NEI Academy.org. It is day nine of the government shutdown. Formal negotiations are at a standstill,

but this afternoon, the Senate's majority leader John Thune offered his Democratic colleagues

a potential off-ramp. We spoke about it earlier today. Senate Majority Leader John Thune offered his Democratic colleagues a potential off-ramp. We spoke about it earlier today.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, we know it's an extraordinarily busy day. Thank you so much for

making the time to join us back here on the News Hour. Great to be with you. Thanks, Omna.

So I want to start by asking you about some news. It was reported earlier. You told Semaphore that

you're considering offering

Democrats a vote on extending those health care subsidies they've been asking for as a possible

off-ramp to this government shutdown. What can you tell us about that potential offer and if you

have enough Democratic support to move it forward?

Well, I think at the end of the day, I'm now what's going to

have to happen is it's going to take Democrats to open up the government. And I've said,

you know, give us the votes to open up the government, then we'll have a conversation about

some of these issues that you want to discuss. And I think health care is certainly something

that we are anxious to talk about as well. And I think health care is certainly something that we are anxious to talk about as well.

And I think if giving them a potential vote on something in the future is a way for them to be able

to go to their people and say this is something that we got in exchange, then maybe that's what ultimately helps

open up the government. But at the current time, none of this happens absent them voting

...