A bipartisan group of Democratic and Republican senators reached an agreement to reopen the government after the longest shutdown in U.S. history, voting on the first procedural step of the measure.
The agreement would fund the government until January 30 and include full funding for three appropriations bills, including full funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) until September 30, 2026, that is, the end of the fiscal year.
The vote, held late Sunday night, ended with 60 votes in favor and 40 against, with seven Democrats and one independent joining the majority of Republicans to approve the measure.
This was the first, but crucial, step for the approval of the measure in the Senate. Once the bill has surpassed the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster, the remaining Senate votes will only need a simple majority. However, the legislation still needs to be approved by the House of Representatives for the shutdown to end, allowing air traffic controllers and other federal employees to receive their salaries and federal food benefits to resume, among other things.
Democratic senators had previously voted against more than a dozen short-term spending measures in their fight to preserve health subsidies. But as the effects of the shutdown continued to intensify, some agreed to more modest changes in the latest proposal.
The temporary resolution to fund the government until the end of January would also include measures to reverse any reductions in the federal workforce that occurred during the shutdown, as well as protections against new layoffs until the end of the fiscal year and retroactive pay for all federal employees during the shutdown period.
“I’ve long said that to earn my vote, we need to be on the path to fixing the mess Republicans made in health care and protecting federal employees,” said Senator Tim Kaine (D-Va.) in a statement. “This agreement ensures a vote to extend the tax credits for Affordable Care Act health plans, something Republicans were not willing to do.”
The agreement to reopen the government is also expected to include a Senate vote on health reform by the second week of December, based on a bill chosen by Democrats. This informal agreement is not part of the legislative text.
Democrats are deeply divided over the compromise measure, which was rejected by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.
“I think it’s a terrible mistake,” said Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) about the agreement. “The American people want us to fight for public health.”
Divisions Among Democrats Over the Legislation
Several key House Democrats also vowed to vote against the bill.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) criticized the agreement in a statement ahead of the Senate vote.
“We will not support spending legislation proposed by Senate Republicans that does not extend Affordable Care Act tax credits,” Jeffries said in a statement. “We will fight the Republican bill in the House of Representatives, where Mike Johnson will be forced to end the seven weeks of taxpayer-funded Republican vacations.” Democratic Rep. Greg Casar of Texas called the agreement a “betrayal” and “capitulation” because it does not reduce health care costs.
The House has not voted since September 19 and previously passed a government funding measure without Democratic support.
The Senate agreement on government funding comes after a series of Democratic electoral victories last week, giving some party members newfound political confidence to continue fighting for the health program extension.
Many Democrats believed that keeping the government shut down gave them their only legislative leverage, as Republicans still control Congress and the White House.
Moderate Democrats defended their votes, with some telling reporters it was the best deal possible.
Kaine, one of the Democrats who voted for the measure on Sunday, defended his support, stating that Democrats could bring key health legislation to a vote.
“Legislators know their voters expect them to vote for it, and if they don’t vote for it, they can very well be replaced at the ballot box by someone who will,” he said in his statement.
Source: npr.org by Claudia Grisales, Luke Garrett