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In a significant move on Sunday, the Senate took steps to conclude the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. This development came as eight Democrats aligned with their Republican colleagues to support a procedural vote on a legislative plan to fund the government. However, this decision has sparked criticism from some Democratic leaders due to the absence of assurances regarding the continuation of health care subsidies.
The Senate’s 60-40 vote on the procedural measure saw eight Democrats siding with Republicans, while Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky stood as the sole Republican opposing the motion. This vote paves the way for a spending bill designed to finance most federal agencies through late January. Additionally, the package includes provisions to reverse the mass layoffs of federal employees that occurred after the shutdown commenced.
One of the contentious elements of the deal is its scheduling of a mid-December vote concerning the extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies, which are slated to end by year’s close. Despite this, Republicans have not committed to ensuring its approval, leaving some Democrats uneasy.
Securing the 60 votes required for the procedural measure witnessed a brief delay on Sunday. This was due to three Republican senators known for their fiscal conservatism—Mike Lee of Utah, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, and Rick Scott of Florida—who temporarily withheld their support. They engaged in discussions with Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota before ultimately deciding to back the measure.
The threshold was eventually met after Senator John Cornyn of Texas made a last-minute return from his home state to cast his decisive vote, ensuring the procedural vote’s passage and advancing efforts to resolve the shutdown.
The procedural measure, which needed 60 votes to pass, ran into a delay on Sunday as three GOP deficit hawks, Sens Mike Lee, R-Utah, Ron Johnson, R-Wis. and Rick Scott, R-Fla., briefly with held their vote and held talks with Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D.
The three senators eventually agreed to back the measure but the 60 vote threshold was reached only after another GOP senator, John Cornyn of Texas, flew back from his home state and cast his vote.
Who Are The Eight Democrats Who Voted To Pass The Measure?
Sens. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., Maggie Hassan, D-N.H., and Angus King, I-Maine, were the lead negotiators of the deal. They were joined in the procedural vote by Sens. Dick Durbin of Illinois, Tim Kaine of Virginia, John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, and Nevada’s Catherine Cortez Masto and Jacky Rosen. Shaheen, acknowledged that some of her Democratic colleagues would be dissatisfied with the outcome but said the GOP had made it clear for months that this was the “only deal on the table,” and “waiting another week or another month wouldn’t deliver a better outcome. It would only mean more harm.” King also defended the deal saying, the shutdown wasn’t achieving its goal and “at the same time hurting a lot of people.” He added that they now have a “concrete agreement” to bring to the “floor of the Senate before the middle of December a bill dealing with the ACA tax credits and other healthcare issues.” He added: “As of this morning our chances [on extending healthcare subsidies] were zero, as of tonight our chances are maybe 50 percent.”
