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Eight Democrats broke their party lines And voted to reopen the government last night, which was the 40th day of the shutdown.
The group said the Republicans’ “blatant refusal” to back down on any of their proposals led them to believe that “This is the best possible offer we can secure,” as they released joint statement,
The deal included a future vote on whether the government would continue to pay the increased price. affordable Care Act Subsidy. Additionally, the agreement does not guarantee that the government will continue health care subsidies.
However, the deal is expected to open money for government services It could be combined into a larger package by January to fund more federal agencies.
However, despite this seismic shift in the shutdown impasse, the deal still needs to be approved by the House before the government can officially reopen.
senate majority leader john thune He said he will hold a vote on the ACA by the middle of next month cnnAnd said he is “optimistic” that the agreement will end the shutdown.
Meanwhile, Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen from New Hampshire told the broadcaster that it was “the only deal on the table.”
“I now understand that not all of my Democratic colleagues are satisfied with this agreement, but waiting another week or another month will not yield a better result,” she said.
Shaheen was one of them democrat To break his party’s stance on the shutdown. Throughout the crisis, Democrats have remained steadfast in their position that Republicans should not be given an inch of leeway on questions. Medicaid And ACA.
Virginia Senator Tim Kaine
For senator tim kaineA future vote on the future of the ACA was enough to convince him to agree to the deal.
one in statement Sharing on X, he said he was particularly guided by the need to protect federal employees because Virginia is home to approximately 300,000 government employees.
Kaine claimed that the deal “will protect federal employees from baseless firings, reinstate those who have been wrongfully terminated during the shutdown, and ensure that federal employees receive back pay.”
Illinois Senator Dick Durbin
Senator Dick Durbin said in a statement That “this bill isn’t perfect, but it takes important steps to mitigate the harms of their shutdown,” as he broke with his party by agreeing to the compromise.
He added, “For 40 days – the longest shutdown in American history – federal workers went without pay.” “This also includes our air traffic controllers, who were already understaffed at their towers.
“They continue to work 10 hours a day, six days a week, to keep our airspace safe, with this added stress on top of a life-saving job.”
However, by agreeing to the compromise, Durbin opened up division in his own state as Illinois’ other senator, Senator Tammy Duckworth, voted against the compromise.
“I cannot do anything and will not vote to help protect them from Trump’s vindictive and malicious efforts in exchange for a vague promise to the least trustworthy Republican Party in the history of our country,” Duckworth said. wrote,
After serving in the US Senate for nearly three decades, Durbin has confirmed that he will not seek reelection in 2026.
New Hampshire Senator Jeanne Shaheen
shine has announced that she will not seek re-election this fall after becoming First democratic senator For New Hampshire since 1980.
“Let’s be clear: This is a major step that was not premeditated,” she said in an interview. statement“I have spent years as the lead sponsor of this legislation.
“There is no one in the Senate who wants to see these tax credits expanded more than me.
“But weeks of conversations with Republicans have made it clear that they will not address health care as part of the shutdown negotiations.”
He said that “waiting longer would only worsen the pain Americans are feeling because of the shutdown.”
Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman
Senator John Fetterman Early broke with his fellow Senate Democrats by voting for a short-term funding bill approved by the House.
“Our party may be overintervening,” he said, according to CNN. “I don’t think anything has been accomplished in the last 40 days except a lot of chaos and a lot of upheaval.”
Now, Fetterman Thinks the shutdown has “far exceeded its goal”, but acknowledged the agreement would likely get a “minimum” of votes to pass.
one in social media postHe claimed that allowing the shutdown was a “failure”.
“I’m sorry for our military, SNAP recipients, government employees and Capitol Police who have not been paid for weeks,” he said.
The senator’s home state is a key state, with 19 Electoral College votes, the fourth most behind New York, California and Texas.
Fetterman has long been a controversial figure in his partyDelegates in Pennsylvania are already gearing up to challenge him in the 2028 elections, according to CBS News,
Critics have accused him of agreeing too much with Donald Trump, pointing to his strong support for Israel and his absence from the “No Kings” rally in Philadelphia.
“We are looking for leaders who will fight for us, because even today there are people within the Democratic Party who think we should turn over and die,” Indivisible PA founder Leah Greenberg said at a No Kings rally earlier this year. newsweek“Has anyone seen John Fetterman here today?”
New Hampshire Senator Maggie Hassan
Senator Maggie Hassan was re-elected to her seat in 2022. Like Fetterman, his state plays a big role in elections because of its Large number of Electoral College votes And it tends to swing between voting for Democrats and Republicans.
one in statementHassan said he had spoken to voters who were deeply affected by the shutdown, which led them to vote for the agreement.
“Our work to provide relief to families has now entered a critical phase,” he wrote. “Congress has a month to engage in serious bipartisan negotiations to extend the Affordable Care Act’s expiring tax cuts, which help people afford their health insurance.”
Hassan has not confirmed whether she will run for re-election in 2026, but is expected to become the senior senator following Shaheen’s retirement.
Senator Angus King of Maine
senator angus king He said he voted for a bipartisan compromise because a solution on the ACA appeared unlikely.
According to CNN, he said, “I think people are saying we won’t get what we want, although we still have a chance — because part of the deal is a vote on ACA subsidies — but in the meantime, a lot of people are hurting.”
King is technically an independent, though he often associates with Democrats and votes in line with the party.
In 2024, he was elected by the residents of Maine to a third term and is expected to run for re-election in 2028.
Nevada Senator Catherine Cortez Masto
senator catherine cortez masto Won a tight 2022 race by narrowly defeating Republican Adam Laxalt, and hopes to run for re-election in the future.
He told reporters Sunday night that during the government shutdown he had seen “lines we haven’t seen since the pandemic” at food banks and said the vote could help “stop that pain.”
Cortez Masto said he hopes to find a solution to the “imminent health care crisis” politico,
Before this, she had voted to end the shutdown 15 times.
Cortez Masto has made headlines before for being a close aide of former Vice President Kamala Harris. The pair became close after they sued big banks during the 2008 financial crisis Delaware Attorney General Beau BidenFor $20 billion.
The money won in the lawsuits was used to support his constituents who were disproportionately affected by the market crash.
Nevada Senator Jackie Rosen
Jackie Rosen joined her fellow Nevada senators in voting to advance the deal.
In his state, more than 95,000 people receive credits from the Affordable Care Act, and he said a vote on ACA subsidies is “the concession we’ve been able to get.”
“Trump and his Republican allies on Capitol Hill don’t care about hurting working people, and their conduct over the past month has been nothing short of appalling,” he said. public statement,
It is unknown whether Rosen will run again after her six-year term ends in 2030.