Senate Democrats, led by Chuck Schumer, have proposed a partial reopening of the federal government that would immediately restore funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) and the Women, Infants & Children (WIC) nutrition program while excluding subsidies tied to the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The idea seeks to apply pressure on Republicans by portraying the impasse as a refusal to protect food security for millions of Americans.

Meanwhile, Senate Republicans, led by John Thune, have rejected the piecemeal approach, arguing that only a full continuing resolution (CR) that restores funding across the board will suffice. They maintain that healthcare‐subsidy extensions should be negotiated only after the government is reopened, insisting the Democrats’ strategy is prolonging the shutdown for political leverage.

The stalemate is already taking real human tolls: millions stand to lose nutrition assistance, hundreds of thousands of federal employees remain unpaid or furloughed, and health‑care premium hikes loom as the ACA subsidies expire at year’s end. Democrats insist they will not reopen the government without assurances on the ACA subsidies; Republicans say talks cannot meaningfully begin while funding remains suspended.