The Senate approved legislation Monday night to reopen the government and end the record-long shutdown after eight Democrats joined Republicans to break the stalemate.
The vote was 60-40, with every Republican except Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky voting in favor.
The bill now heads to the House, where lawmakers could vote as early as Wednesday. President Donald Trump signaled his support for the bipartisan deal earlier in the day.
Senators spent much of Monday voting on and rejecting a series of amendments before combining the final deal into one package.
Senate bill secures funding for SNAP benefits for a year
The legislation includes a “minibus” containing three full-year appropriations bills. It also secures full funding for SNAP benefits through next September and temporarily keeps other parts of the government open through Jan. 30.
In a significant concession for Democrats, the bill does not renew expiring subsidies under the Affordable Care Act after Republicans refused to continue those payments. Without them, health care premiums could rise for more than 20 million Americans next year.
“The American people have now awoken to Trump’s health care crisis,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said ahead of the vote. “Democrats demanded a solution, but Republicans have refused to move an inch. I cannot support this bill because it does nothing of substance to fix the crisis.”
The compromise was led by Sens. Angus King, I-Maine; Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H.; and Maggie Hassan, D-N.H. Supporting them were Catherine Cortez Masto and Jacky Rosen of Nevada, Dick Durbin of Illinois, John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, and Tim Kaine of Virginia.
“This was the only deal on the table,” Shaheen told reporters before the vote. “It’s our best chance to reopen the government and immediately begin negotiations to extend the ACA tax credits that millions rely on to keep costs down.”
Needed to End Political Battle
Durbin said he shared his colleagues’ concerns about the Trump administration but couldn’t justify “waging political battle” at the expense of federal workers’ paychecks.
Although Democrats didn’t secure their key demand, they did win a promise from Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., to bring an ACA funding bill to a vote by mid-December. However, it’s uncertain whether such a bill would get the 60 votes needed to pass.
King noted that reopening the government improves the odds of a deal to “maybe 50%,” though he admitted, “I can’t guarantee a result.”
In a setback for Democrats, all 53 Senate Republicans voted against Sen. Tammy Baldwin’s amendment to include a one-year ACA subsidy extension before final passage.
Over in the House, Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., held a conference call Monday morning outlining plans for votes later in the week. Johnson said he hopes the House can act by Wednesday, but urged members to return to Washington as soon as possible due to ongoing flight delays.
House Democrats want to Oppose the Senate Bill
Before the vote, Johnson plans to swear in Democratic Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva, who won her special election on Sept. 23. After that, the House will vote on a rule for the Senate’s bill and then proceed to final passage before adjourning again.
While the vote is expected to be close, Johnson expressed confidence the measure will pass.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said Democrats intend to oppose the bill. “We’re focused on the legislation coming from the Senate, and we’re going to fight hard to defeat it,” he said.
Asked if the shutdown fight was worth it, Jeffries responded, “Democrats waged a battle on behalf of the American people. The fight lives on.”
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