Thune pivots to federal worker pay as latest shutdown trial balloon

Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD), navigating the fourth week of a government shutdown, is not out of play calls yet as he dares Democrats to oppose a bill paying certain federal workers later this week.

The legislation, expected to receive a vote on Wednesday or Thursday, amounts to a trial balloon meant to test Democrats’ commitment to the healthcare demands at the center of the shutdown fight.