HUNT VALLEY, Md. (TNND) -- Eight Democratic senators met Thursday to discuss how to end the government shutdown, The Hill reported.
New Hampshire Sens. Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan, along with Michigan Sens. Elissa Slotkin and Gary Peters, reportedly talked with Sens. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., Peter Welch, D-Vt., and Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., in a Capitol "hideaway."
Sources familiar with their conversations said the lawmakers need "strong assurances" from Republicans before voting to fund the government and end the shutdown, The Hill noted. The Democrats will need to feel comfortable with any deal Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., offers, and they may need to speak directly with President Donald Trump, according to the outlet.
Ossoff told The Hill that bipartisan conversations, which he called a "good sign," were taking place. The outlet asked him how optimistic he was of the Senate reaching an agreement this week. The lawmaker reportedly replied, "We need a resolution that does right by our constituents."
"My constituents don't want their health insurance premiums to skyrocket. They want the government reopened," The Hill quoted him as saying. "It's good that bipartisan conversations are continuing."
Most Democratic senators have rejected a bill supported by Republicans to fund the government because it doesn't address their healthcare concerns. Premiums for some insurance plans sold through the federal marketplace could increase after subsidies expire at the end of the year.
The Hill noted that sources familiar with the Democrats' meeting said the lawmakers' talks were very "sensitive" and that Thune would need to assure them that Trump and House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., would seriously consider any proposal to extend the subsidies. Shaheen and Kelly also wanted the chamber to stay in session this past weekend to reach a deal, according to the outlet.
Shaheen has said Congress can reopen the government while protecting against greater health insurance costs. She added in an interview on Saturday that Democrats were hoping to reach an agreement with Republicans.
"I continue to believe that we ought to be able to do both, to get government open, keep it open, and we also ought to be able to make sure that people can afford their health insurance," the senator said.
Republicans have pledged to discuss Democrats' healthcare concerns after the shutdown ends. Hassan believes lawmakers have to reopen the government while addressing a "healthcare calamity," though, as she said in a video message on Tuesday.
Some Democratic senators have also claimed that Trump, who has influence over their Republican colleagues, isn't participating in any negotiations. Peters wrote in a social media post last week that the president and other GOP leaders should be working in "good faith," a sentiment Slotkin shared on X on Wednesday.
"If the President wants this done, he can get it done in 72 hours. He's the Art of the Deal guy," Slotkin said, referring to Trump's book.
The president has resisted negotiating with Democrats. He prefers they vote to fund the government before sitting down for a meeting.
The arguments taking place in the Senate focus on rising healthcare costs, Kelly added in a statement on Friday. He's in the capital to urge Trump and other Republicans to "come to the table and work with us to keep health care within reach for Arizonans."
Welch added that Trump is choosing to raise prices for millions of families, costs Baldwin claimed the GOP doesn't care about. Thune said on Thursday that Trump has tried multiple times to find money for people affected by the shutdown, though.