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8 Democratic senators join forces with Republicans to end the crisis...
A small group of Democratic senators joined Republicans on Monday night to pass a funding measure that would reopen the federal government, without meeting their party's key demand to ensure the extension of the Affordable Care Act's enhanced subsidies that help millions of Americans afford health insurance.
The financial compromise will now move to the House of Representatives, where Republican leaders hope to vote on it by Wednesday and end the longest shutdown in U.S. history. The deal, reached last weekend and expected to be signed by President Donald Trump, would restore essential services like federal food assistance and pay hundreds of thousands of federal workers.
Eight Democratic senators crossed over to the Republican side, securing approval with 60 votes in favor and 40 against. The only Republican to vote against was Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky.
The long government shutdown has been politically painful in Washington, where Republicans have been widely blamed in polls for the financial crisis. The deal, brokered by centrist Democrats in the Senate, has sparked intense debate within the party over its strategy and direction after 41 days of gridlock.
Most Democrats were determined to continue the fight, while the party’s center-right wing acknowledged that, with Trump unwavering, they were unlikely to gain any significant political gains on health care. Instead, they pledged a future vote on a health care bill they proposed, for which they hope to secure Republican support. However, the fate of that bill in the Senate, let alone the House, remains uncertain.
Monday night's vote capped several days of intense negotiations in Congress, with quiet talks between centrist senators, Republican leaders and the White House over the weekend before the deal was made public on Sunday. The eight Democratic senators who took the first step of supporting it on Sunday gave final approval a day later.
They are: Dick Durbin, Maggie Hassan, Tim Kaine, Jeanne Shaheen, Catherine Cortez Masto, John Fetterman, Jacky Rosen and Angus King (an independent who is cooperating with the Democrats).
Meanwhile, Senate Democratic Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has faced harsh criticism from the party's left wing for allowing this compromise without any concrete victory over the Affordable Care Act's subsidies, which will soon expire and raise insurance costs for millions of citizens.
Many Democrats in both houses of Congress believe the battle will be repeated on Jan. 30, when the next funding package expires. However, the current package includes funding for several key agencies, including those that administer federal food assistance, the Women and Children's Nutrition Assistance Program (WIC), and veterans' programs, through the end of fiscal year 2026.
Now, the focus is on House Speaker Mike Johnson and lawmakers returning to Washington from their districts' recess. The House is expected to vote on the government reopening bill on Wednesday, around 4 p.m., according to a statement from Deputy Majority Leader Tom Emmer.
Johnson, to get the package through a split majority, is likely to seek the president's help. But in an optimistic sign, Trump told CNN that "yes, I support this deal."
"Based on everything I'm hearing, nothing has changed, we have enough support from the Democrats and we will reopen the country very quickly. It's unfortunate that it was closed, but America will open up again," Trump said. /Pamphlet
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