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American senators are meeting during the weekend for the initial time since the federal closure began more than a month ago, but hopes for a bipartisan agreement on how to resolve the standoff appeared to recede as GOP senators floated a proposal toxic to Democrats: scrapping the Affordable Care Act, called Obamacare.

Growing Impact of Federal Closure

The impact on US citizens from the lengthiest shutdown of the federal government in history deepened on Saturday, as federal workers went unpaid, airlines were forced to cancel flights and SNAP benefits have been delayed for 42 million Americans.

Trump's Plan from Golf Course

As Saturday's meeting got under way, GOP senators welcomed a suggestion made on social media early Saturday by Donald Trump from his golf course in West Palm Beach, for subsidies to be replaced by health savings accounts.

"I am recommending to Senate Republicans that the Billions of Dollars currently being sent to profit-driven Insurance Companies in order to save the ineffective Healthcare provided by ObamaCare, BE SENT DIRECTLY TO THE PEOPLE SO THAT THEY CAN PURCHASE THEIR OWN, MUCH BETTER, HEALTHCARE," Trump wrote.

Republican Support

Several Republican senators welcomed the proposal, which is comparable with a alternative for Obamacare put forward in 2017.

"We're going to replace this failing program with something that is actually better for the consumer," one senator said.

Another senator praised Trump's proposal on online platforms, and stood next to a giant blow-up of Trump's post as he addressed on the Senate floor.

"I am drafting the bill right now," a third senator wrote in response to Trump's proposal. "We need to stop public funds from going to carriers and instead give it straight to Americans in HSA-style accounts and let them buy the health care they want."

Opposition Response

Opposition lawmakers shared concerned reactions to Trump's proposal.

"In other words, Donald Trump's 'proposal' for health care is another cynical attempt to repeal Obamacare," one Democratic senator stated. "It's the same unsuccessful Republican plan that's been rejected by voters and Congress."

Another senator responded to the criticism of carriers by posting: "Well, Trump and the Republicans dislike how the big, bad insurance companies are ripping-off Americans. Really? In that case I applaud your support for universal healthcare."

Ongoing Talks

The Senate adjourned without finding a solution, but Senate Republican leaders have signaled an willingness to an emerging plan from a handful of moderate Democrats to end the shutdown in return for a future vote on the Obamacare subsidies.

One Democratic senator, who is leading the talks among centrists, said that Democrats "require another path forward" after Republicans turned down an offer to reopen the government and extend the payments for a year.

Another leading Democratic lawmaker persisted in maintaining that Republicans should agree to a one-year extension of the payments before discussing the future of the tax credits.

"Doing nothing is irresponsible because people will go bankrupt, people will lose insurance, people will get sicker," the senator stated in a floor speech. "That is what will happen if this Congress fails to act."

Partisan Dynamics

Not one of the Republican senators seemed to address the fact that consumers would still need to buy coverage from the same carriers, or that Republican lawmakers need the support of several Democrats to restart the government, and the idea of repealing and replacing Obamacare with HSAs is unlikely to earn a solitary Democratic vote.

Several analysts suggested that the essence of such a plan would remove the ACA's mandate that insurance companies cover patients with pre-existing conditions.

After his golf outing, Trump went back to his residence and reiterated on his insistence that Republicans stop seeking compromise and try instead to repeal and overhaul Obamacare with a iteration of the plan that failed to garner enough backing in 2017.