Key senators of both parties said they would try to find a way to pay all federal employees during the partial government shutdown after the Senate blocked consideration of dueling proposals Thursday.

Sens. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., and Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., who authored competing bills, talked up the possibility of brokering a compromise after both of their measures were blocked from advancing on the floor. But a provision in Van Hollen’s bill to prohibit the administration from conducting layoffs during the shutdown remained a key sticking point.

Johnson’s bill would allow paychecks to flow for troops and “excepted” federal employees who are required to work without pay during the shutdown. Van Hollen’s bill would also cover furloughed employees.

“I really don’t have an objection to pay

See Full Page