Republicans swat down Democratic offer to end shutdown as impasse continues into 38th day

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Majority Leader John Thune quickly swatted down a Democratic offer to reopen the government and extend expiring health care subsidies for a year, calling it a “nonstarter” as the partisan impasse over the shutdown continued into its 38th day.

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer made the offer to reopen the government on Friday as Republicans have refused to negotiate on demands to extend health care subsidies. It was a much narrowed version of a broad proposal Democrats laid out a month ago to make the health tax credits permanent and reverse Medicaid cuts that Republicans enacted earlier this year.

Schumer offered Republicans simultaneous votes to end the government shutdown and extend the expiring health care subsidies, along with a bipartisan committee to address Republican demands for changes to the Affordable Care Act.

“All Republicans have to do is say yes,” Schumer said.

But Republicans quickly said no, and Thune reiterated that they would not trade offers on health care until the government is reopened. “That’s what we’re going to negotiate once the government opens up,” Thune said after Schumer made his proposal on the floor.

Thune said he thinks the offer is an indication that Democrats are “feeling the heat."

“I guess you could characterize that as progress,” he said. "But I just don’t think it gets anywhere close to what we need to do here.”

Republicans met Friday afternoon with no resolution about steps forward.

“We’re back to square one,” said Sen. John Kennedy, adding that he could not predict when the shutdown will end.

Despite the stalemate, lawmakers in both parties were feeling increased urgency to reopen the government as airlines were forced to cut more than 1,000 flights, government workers remained unpaid and food aid was delayed for millions of people. Thune pleaded with Democrats as he opened the Senate on Friday to “end these weeks of misery.”

It was unclear what may happen next. Thune was keeping the Senate in session over the weekend as a group of moderate Democrats worked on a possible compromise proposal. President Donald Trump called on the Senate to stay in town “until they have a Deal to end the Democrat Shutdown.”

As leaders of the two parties disagreed, the small group of Democrats led by New Hampshire Sen. Jeanne Shaheen continued to negotiate among themselves and with rank-and-file Republicans on a deal that would end the shutdown.

The group has been discussing for weeks a vote for a series of bills that would pay for parts of government — food aid, veterans programs and the legislative branch, among other things — and extend funding for everything else until December or January. The three annual spending bills that would likely be included are the product of bipartisan negotiations that have continued through the shutdown.

But the contours of that agreement would only come with the promise of a future health care vote, rather than a guarantee that Affordable Care Act subsidies are extended by the end of the year. Many Democrats have said that’s unacceptable.

Still, Republican leaders only need five additional votes to fund the government, and the group involved in the talks has ranged from 10 to 12 Democratic senators.

“Unfortunately the Republicans made it very clear that they were not going to go along with the offer that Senator Schumer put on the floor, so we need another path forward,” Shaheen said Friday evening as she left a meeting with the other moderates. “We're working on it.”

Trump urged Republicans at a White House breakfast Wednesday to end the shutdown quickly and scrap the legislative filibuster, which requires 60 Senate votes for most legislation, so they can bypass Democrats altogether.

“I am totally in favor of terminating the filibuster, and we would be back to work within 10 minutes after that vote took place,” Trump said Friday.

Republicans have emphatically rejected Trump’s call, and Thune has instead been eyeing a bipartisan package that mirrors the proposal the moderate Democrats have been sketching out. But it unclear what Thune, who has refused to negotiate, would promise on health care.

The package would replace the House-passed legislation that the Democrats have now rejected fourteen times. That bill would only extend government funding until Nov. 21, a date that is rapidly approaching after six weeks of inaction.

A test vote on new legislation could come in the next few days if Thune decides to move forward.

Then Democrats would have a crucial choice to make: Do they keep fighting for a meaningful deal on extending the subsidies that expire in January, while prolonging the pain of the shutdown? Or do they vote to reopen the government and hope for the best as Republicans promise an eventual health care vote, but not a guaranteed outcome?

After a caucus meeting Thursday, most Democrats suggested they would continue to hold out for Trump and Republican leaders to agree to negotiations.

“That’s what leaders do,” said Sen. Ben Ray Lujan, D-N.M. “You have the gavel, you have the majority, you have to bring people together.”

Sen. Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, said Democrats are “obviously not unanimous” but “without something on health care, the vote is very unlikely to succeed.”

Democrats are facing pressure from unions eager for the shutdown to end and from allied groups that want them to hold firm. Many Democrats have argued that the wins for Democrats on Election Day show voters want them to continue the fight until Republicans yield and agree to extend the health tax credits.

A vote on the health care subsidies “has got to mean something,” said Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, an independent who caucuses with the Democrats. “That means a commitment by the speaker of the House, that he will support the legislation, that the president will sign.”

But Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., made clear he will not make any commitments. “I’m not promising anybody anything,” Johnson said Thursday when asked if he could promise a vote on a health care bill.

Associated Press writers Seung Min Kim, Kevin Freking, Joey Cappelletti, Stephen Groves and Lisa Mascaro contributed to this report.

A traveller heads through a maze of empty kiosks to check in for a flight on Frontier Airlines in Denver International Airport Friday, Nov. 7, 2025, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

Travelers check in for flights at Terminal D of Dallas Forth Worth International Airport Friday, Nov. 7, 2025, in Grapevine, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

People wait in line durning an emergency food distribution at The Jewish Federation of Greater Philadelphia's Mitzvah Food Program in Philadelphia, Friday, Nov. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, is surrounded by congressional reporters looking for updates on a plan to end the 38 day government shutdown, at the Capitol in Washington, Friday, Nov. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Speaking to reporters, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., responds to Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer to reopen the government if Republicans extend expiring health care subsidies for one year, at the Capitol in Washington, Friday, Nov. 7, 2025, day 38 of the government shutdown. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., left, leaves with Rep. Gabe Evans, R-Colo., right, after speaking with reporters at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)

People receive free meals from the World Central Kitchen as they provide food to federal employees and their families near the U.S. Navy Memorial Plaza, during the federal government shutdown, Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)

President Donald Trump speaks during a breakfast with Senate and House Republicans in the State Dining Room of the White House, Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Hundreds of people wait in line to receive free meals from the World Central Kitchen as they provide food to federal employees and their families near the U.S. Navy Memorial Plaza, during the federal government shutdown, Wednesday, Nov. 5, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)

TORONTO (AP) — LeBron James knew his record streak of double-digit scoring efforts was in jeopardy. And in the moment, he didn't care.

The right play was to pass the ball — so he did. And with that, his streak ended.

James' run of 1,297 consecutive double-digit regular-season scoring efforts ended Thursday night, when the NBA’s career points leader was held to eight points in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 123-120 win over the Toronto Raptors. He had the game-winning assist, setting up Rui Hachimura's 3-pointer as time expired.

Afterward, he was asked what thoughts he had about the streak ending.

“None,” James said. “We won.”

James could have tried to win the game — and extend the streak — on the final possession, but he instead passed to Hachimura in the left corner. Hachimura connected, and James threw his hands in the air in celebration.

“Just playing the game the right way. You always make the right play,” James said. “That's just been my M.O. That's how I was taught the game. I've done that my whole career.”

“LeBron is acutely aware of how many points he has at that point,” Lakers coach JJ Redick said. “He did it like he's done so many times.”

James checked back into the game for the final time Thursday with 5:23 left, the outcome and the streak hanging in the balance. He had six points on 3-of-15 shooting at that point.

He scored with 1:46 left to tie the game and missed a 14-footer with 1:01 left that would have gotten him to double digits.

He didn’t take another shot — but could have. Austin Reaves gave James the ball with a few seconds left, but James opted to make the pass instead.

“The basketball gods, if you do it the right way, they tend to reward you,” Redick said.

James’ streak started on Jan. 6, 2007. It was, by far, the longest such streak in NBA history: Michael Jordan had 866 consecutive double-digit scoring games, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had 787 and Karl Malone had the fourth-longest run at 575.

“He’s such an unselfish player,” Lakers center Jake LaRavia said. “He’s just playing the game of basketball. He had the opportunity but because of the player he is and just who he is as a person, he made the unselfish play, passed it to Rui and we won the game.”

It was usually an afterthought long before the start of fourth quarters. During James’ streak, he had reached the 10-point mark by the start of the fourth quarter 1,266 times entering Thursday.

But two of those single-digit games through three quarters had come in the last week or so: He had nine points going into the fourth against Dallas on Nov. 28, then had six points going into the fourth against Phoenix on Monday night.

James managed to extend the streak against the Suns. One game later, it was done — and he celebrated anyway.

“I always just make the right play. That's automatic, win, lose or draw,” James said. “You make the right play, the game gods are always giving back to me.”

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James (right) drives to the basket as Toronto Raptors' Sandro Mamukelashvili (54) defends during second half NBA basketball action in Toronto on Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James, left, is guarded by Toronto Raptors' Scottie Barnes (4) during second-half NBA basketball game action in Toronto, Thursday, Dec. 4, 2025. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)