Senator Ruben Gallego of Arizona, a Democrat, has voiced concerns regarding the ongoing government shutdown and urged lawmakers to achieve bipartisan agreement on reopening operations. Despite repeated failed attempts at passing funding legislation, Gallego engaged in informal discussions with Republican counterparts. He emphasized Democrats’ strong stance on healthcare issues and called on Republicans to take concrete action before November. He noted that Senate Republicans also aim for an agreement and underscored the potential consequences of inaction. If Congress fails to extend Affordable Care Act subsidies, millions will receive notices of substantial premium increases starting next month.