Group of Senate Dems Joins With GOP to End Shutdown Without Extending Obamacare Funding
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After 40 days of the government shutdown, a small — but large enough — group of Democrats has caved. For more than a month, the party incessantly demanded Republicans get on board with its effort to protect expiring Obamacare subsidies, preventing significant premium hikes for millions of Americans. But on Sunday, several Senate Democrats broke ranks with their caucus, setting in motion an end to the shutdown without a promise of extending said tax credits.
“If this is the so-called ‘deal,’ then I will be a no,” Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) said in a Sunday statement as news of the plan began to emerge. “That’s not a deal. It’s an unconditional surrender that abandons the 24 million Americans whose health care premiums are about to double.”
“Millions of Americans will see healthcare costs skyrocket because Republicans care more about billionaires than working families,” Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA) chimed in before the vote. “@SenateDems, it’s not too late to STAND STRONG. Everyday people are counting on us to champion their concerns. Keep fighting! Don’t be a cheap date!”
The Senate voted late Sunday night on one of many procedural votes that will be required to pass the CR-minibus deal. It will take several days for the final vote to come. Following the Senate passage, the House will have to vote on it as well.
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“If you can’t lead the fight to stop healthcare premiums from skyrocketing for Americans, what will you fight for?” Khanna asked.
“If this is the so-called ‘deal,’ then I will be a no,” Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) said in a Sunday statement as news of the plan began to emerge. “That’s not a deal. It’s an unconditional surrender that abandons the 24 million Americans whose health care premiums are about to double.”
“Millions of Americans will see healthcare costs skyrocket because Republicans care more about billionaires than working families,” Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA) chimed in before the vote. “@SenateDems, it’s not too late to STAND STRONG. Everyday people are counting on us to champion their concerns. Keep fighting! Don’t be a cheap date!”
The Senate voted late Sunday night on one of many procedural votes that will be required to pass the CR-minibus deal. It will take several days for the final vote to come. Following the Senate passage, the House will have to vote on it as well.
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The reality is House Republicans likely won’t need House Democrats’ support in order to pass the bill on the House floor. Nonetheless, many, across the Democratic Party political spectrum, voiced their discontent, with one, Ro Khanna (D-CA), calling for Schumer to be replaced.
“If you can’t lead the fight to stop healthcare premiums from skyrocketing for Americans, what will you fight for?” Khanna asked.
“If this is the so-called ‘deal,’ then I will be a no,” Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) said in a Sunday statement as news of the plan began to emerge. “That’s not a deal. It’s an unconditional surrender that abandons the 24 million Americans whose health care premiums are about to double.”
“Millions of Americans will see healthcare costs skyrocket because Republicans care more about billionaires than working families,” Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA) chimed in before the vote. “@SenateDems, it’s not too late to STAND STRONG. Everyday people are counting on us to champion their concerns. Keep fighting! Don’t be a cheap date!”
The Senate voted late Sunday night on one of many procedural votes that will be required to pass the CR-minibus deal. It will take several days for the final vote to come. Following the Senate passage, the House will have to vote on it as well.
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The deal comes as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) crisis worsens, with the administration refusing to tap an emergency fund to feed hungry Americans, taking its opposition to doing so all the way to the Supreme Court and, per the New York Times, warning states they could face penalties if they take steps to revive the program. The Senate deal would also include keeping SNAP funded by means of the minibus through Sept. 30, 2026.
The reality is House Republicans likely won’t need House Democrats’ support in order to pass the bill on the House floor. Nonetheless, many, across the Democratic Party political spectrum, voiced their discontent, with one, Ro Khanna (D-CA), calling for Schumer to be replaced.
“If you can’t lead the fight to stop healthcare premiums from skyrocketing for Americans, what will you fight for?” Khanna asked.
“If this is the so-called ‘deal,’ then I will be a no,” Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) said in a Sunday statement as news of the plan began to emerge. “That’s not a deal. It’s an unconditional surrender that abandons the 24 million Americans whose health care premiums are about to double.”
“Millions of Americans will see healthcare costs skyrocket because Republicans care more about billionaires than working families,” Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA) chimed in before the vote. “@SenateDems, it’s not too late to STAND STRONG. Everyday people are counting on us to champion their concerns. Keep fighting! Don’t be a cheap date!”
The Senate voted late Sunday night on one of many procedural votes that will be required to pass the CR-minibus deal. It will take several days for the final vote to come. Following the Senate passage, the House will have to vote on it as well.
Source link
Nothing in the deal would force President Donald Trump and the OMB to spend congressionally appropriated funds in the way it requires — which was a Democratic demand at the beginning of the shutdown. The administration, over the course of 2025, has repeatedly impounded congressionally approved funds and pushed for party line votes to “rescind” funds that a bipartisan majority of senators appropriated.
The deal comes as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) crisis worsens, with the administration refusing to tap an emergency fund to feed hungry Americans, taking its opposition to doing so all the way to the Supreme Court and, per the New York Times, warning states they could face penalties if they take steps to revive the program. The Senate deal would also include keeping SNAP funded by means of the minibus through Sept. 30, 2026.
The reality is House Republicans likely won’t need House Democrats’ support in order to pass the bill on the House floor. Nonetheless, many, across the Democratic Party political spectrum, voiced their discontent, with one, Ro Khanna (D-CA), calling for Schumer to be replaced.
“If you can’t lead the fight to stop healthcare premiums from skyrocketing for Americans, what will you fight for?” Khanna asked.
“If this is the so-called ‘deal,’ then I will be a no,” Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) said in a Sunday statement as news of the plan began to emerge. “That’s not a deal. It’s an unconditional surrender that abandons the 24 million Americans whose health care premiums are about to double.”
“Millions of Americans will see healthcare costs skyrocket because Republicans care more about billionaires than working families,” Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA) chimed in before the vote. “@SenateDems, it’s not too late to STAND STRONG. Everyday people are counting on us to champion their concerns. Keep fighting! Don’t be a cheap date!”
The Senate voted late Sunday night on one of many procedural votes that will be required to pass the CR-minibus deal. It will take several days for the final vote to come. Following the Senate passage, the House will have to vote on it as well.
Source link
Senate Democrats will also get a floor vote on the expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies before the end of the year. That promise, of course, will not guarantee that the ACA bill will pass or that the House would take up the bill. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has already said he would not make a promise to bring a Democrat ACA bill to the floor. Republican senators, meanwhile, appear interested in a separate scheme to instead use at least some premium funds for flexible spending accounts, suggesting that they will not sign on to any Democratic-led effort in the upper chamber.
Nothing in the deal would force President Donald Trump and the OMB to spend congressionally appropriated funds in the way it requires — which was a Democratic demand at the beginning of the shutdown. The administration, over the course of 2025, has repeatedly impounded congressionally approved funds and pushed for party line votes to “rescind” funds that a bipartisan majority of senators appropriated.
The deal comes as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) crisis worsens, with the administration refusing to tap an emergency fund to feed hungry Americans, taking its opposition to doing so all the way to the Supreme Court and, per the New York Times, warning states they could face penalties if they take steps to revive the program. The Senate deal would also include keeping SNAP funded by means of the minibus through Sept. 30, 2026.
The reality is House Republicans likely won’t need House Democrats’ support in order to pass the bill on the House floor. Nonetheless, many, across the Democratic Party political spectrum, voiced their discontent, with one, Ro Khanna (D-CA), calling for Schumer to be replaced.
“If you can’t lead the fight to stop healthcare premiums from skyrocketing for Americans, what will you fight for?” Khanna asked.
“If this is the so-called ‘deal,’ then I will be a no,” Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) said in a Sunday statement as news of the plan began to emerge. “That’s not a deal. It’s an unconditional surrender that abandons the 24 million Americans whose health care premiums are about to double.”
“Millions of Americans will see healthcare costs skyrocket because Republicans care more about billionaires than working families,” Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA) chimed in before the vote. “@SenateDems, it’s not too late to STAND STRONG. Everyday people are counting on us to champion their concerns. Keep fighting! Don’t be a cheap date!”
The Senate voted late Sunday night on one of many procedural votes that will be required to pass the CR-minibus deal. It will take several days for the final vote to come. Following the Senate passage, the House will have to vote on it as well.
Source link
The bipartisan agreement includes a new CR that would fund the government until Jan. 30 alongside an Agriculture-FDA, Military Construction-Veterans Affairs and Legislative Branch minibus that includes a reversal of federal employee layoffs that the Trump administration executed during the shutdown, part of an effort by Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought to turn up the pressure on Democrats. The new CR text indicates the deal would also prevent any new layoffs until Jan. 30, 2026.
Senate Democrats will also get a floor vote on the expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies before the end of the year. That promise, of course, will not guarantee that the ACA bill will pass or that the House would take up the bill. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has already said he would not make a promise to bring a Democrat ACA bill to the floor. Republican senators, meanwhile, appear interested in a separate scheme to instead use at least some premium funds for flexible spending accounts, suggesting that they will not sign on to any Democratic-led effort in the upper chamber.
Nothing in the deal would force President Donald Trump and the OMB to spend congressionally appropriated funds in the way it requires — which was a Democratic demand at the beginning of the shutdown. The administration, over the course of 2025, has repeatedly impounded congressionally approved funds and pushed for party line votes to “rescind” funds that a bipartisan majority of senators appropriated.
The deal comes as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) crisis worsens, with the administration refusing to tap an emergency fund to feed hungry Americans, taking its opposition to doing so all the way to the Supreme Court and, per the New York Times, warning states they could face penalties if they take steps to revive the program. The Senate deal would also include keeping SNAP funded by means of the minibus through Sept. 30, 2026.
The reality is House Republicans likely won’t need House Democrats’ support in order to pass the bill on the House floor. Nonetheless, many, across the Democratic Party political spectrum, voiced their discontent, with one, Ro Khanna (D-CA), calling for Schumer to be replaced.
“If you can’t lead the fight to stop healthcare premiums from skyrocketing for Americans, what will you fight for?” Khanna asked.
“If this is the so-called ‘deal,’ then I will be a no,” Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) said in a Sunday statement as news of the plan began to emerge. “That’s not a deal. It’s an unconditional surrender that abandons the 24 million Americans whose health care premiums are about to double.”
“Millions of Americans will see healthcare costs skyrocket because Republicans care more about billionaires than working families,” Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA) chimed in before the vote. “@SenateDems, it’s not too late to STAND STRONG. Everyday people are counting on us to champion their concerns. Keep fighting! Don’t be a cheap date!”
The Senate voted late Sunday night on one of many procedural votes that will be required to pass the CR-minibus deal. It will take several days for the final vote to come. Following the Senate passage, the House will have to vote on it as well.
Source link
“House Democrats have consistently maintained that bipartisan legislation that funds the government must also decisively address the Republican health care crisis,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) said in a Sunday statement. “It now appears that Senate Republicans will send the House of Representatives a spending bill that fails to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits … We will fight the GOP bill in the House of Representatives.”
The bipartisan agreement includes a new CR that would fund the government until Jan. 30 alongside an Agriculture-FDA, Military Construction-Veterans Affairs and Legislative Branch minibus that includes a reversal of federal employee layoffs that the Trump administration executed during the shutdown, part of an effort by Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought to turn up the pressure on Democrats. The new CR text indicates the deal would also prevent any new layoffs until Jan. 30, 2026.
Senate Democrats will also get a floor vote on the expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies before the end of the year. That promise, of course, will not guarantee that the ACA bill will pass or that the House would take up the bill. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has already said he would not make a promise to bring a Democrat ACA bill to the floor. Republican senators, meanwhile, appear interested in a separate scheme to instead use at least some premium funds for flexible spending accounts, suggesting that they will not sign on to any Democratic-led effort in the upper chamber.
Nothing in the deal would force President Donald Trump and the OMB to spend congressionally appropriated funds in the way it requires — which was a Democratic demand at the beginning of the shutdown. The administration, over the course of 2025, has repeatedly impounded congressionally approved funds and pushed for party line votes to “rescind” funds that a bipartisan majority of senators appropriated.
The deal comes as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) crisis worsens, with the administration refusing to tap an emergency fund to feed hungry Americans, taking its opposition to doing so all the way to the Supreme Court and, per the New York Times, warning states they could face penalties if they take steps to revive the program. The Senate deal would also include keeping SNAP funded by means of the minibus through Sept. 30, 2026.
The reality is House Republicans likely won’t need House Democrats’ support in order to pass the bill on the House floor. Nonetheless, many, across the Democratic Party political spectrum, voiced their discontent, with one, Ro Khanna (D-CA), calling for Schumer to be replaced.
“If you can’t lead the fight to stop healthcare premiums from skyrocketing for Americans, what will you fight for?” Khanna asked.
“If this is the so-called ‘deal,’ then I will be a no,” Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) said in a Sunday statement as news of the plan began to emerge. “That’s not a deal. It’s an unconditional surrender that abandons the 24 million Americans whose health care premiums are about to double.”
“Millions of Americans will see healthcare costs skyrocket because Republicans care more about billionaires than working families,” Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA) chimed in before the vote. “@SenateDems, it’s not too late to STAND STRONG. Everyday people are counting on us to champion their concerns. Keep fighting! Don’t be a cheap date!”
The Senate voted late Sunday night on one of many procedural votes that will be required to pass the CR-minibus deal. It will take several days for the final vote to come. Following the Senate passage, the House will have to vote on it as well.
Source link
The House Democratic leader almost immediately expressed his frustration with the deal after it became public, saying he will not be supporting the bill the Senate is expected to pass in the coming days.
“House Democrats have consistently maintained that bipartisan legislation that funds the government must also decisively address the Republican health care crisis,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) said in a Sunday statement. “It now appears that Senate Republicans will send the House of Representatives a spending bill that fails to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits … We will fight the GOP bill in the House of Representatives.”
The bipartisan agreement includes a new CR that would fund the government until Jan. 30 alongside an Agriculture-FDA, Military Construction-Veterans Affairs and Legislative Branch minibus that includes a reversal of federal employee layoffs that the Trump administration executed during the shutdown, part of an effort by Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought to turn up the pressure on Democrats. The new CR text indicates the deal would also prevent any new layoffs until Jan. 30, 2026.
Senate Democrats will also get a floor vote on the expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies before the end of the year. That promise, of course, will not guarantee that the ACA bill will pass or that the House would take up the bill. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has already said he would not make a promise to bring a Democrat ACA bill to the floor. Republican senators, meanwhile, appear interested in a separate scheme to instead use at least some premium funds for flexible spending accounts, suggesting that they will not sign on to any Democratic-led effort in the upper chamber.
Nothing in the deal would force President Donald Trump and the OMB to spend congressionally appropriated funds in the way it requires — which was a Democratic demand at the beginning of the shutdown. The administration, over the course of 2025, has repeatedly impounded congressionally approved funds and pushed for party line votes to “rescind” funds that a bipartisan majority of senators appropriated.
The deal comes as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) crisis worsens, with the administration refusing to tap an emergency fund to feed hungry Americans, taking its opposition to doing so all the way to the Supreme Court and, per the New York Times, warning states they could face penalties if they take steps to revive the program. The Senate deal would also include keeping SNAP funded by means of the minibus through Sept. 30, 2026.
The reality is House Republicans likely won’t need House Democrats’ support in order to pass the bill on the House floor. Nonetheless, many, across the Democratic Party political spectrum, voiced their discontent, with one, Ro Khanna (D-CA), calling for Schumer to be replaced.
“If you can’t lead the fight to stop healthcare premiums from skyrocketing for Americans, what will you fight for?” Khanna asked.
“If this is the so-called ‘deal,’ then I will be a no,” Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) said in a Sunday statement as news of the plan began to emerge. “That’s not a deal. It’s an unconditional surrender that abandons the 24 million Americans whose health care premiums are about to double.”
“Millions of Americans will see healthcare costs skyrocket because Republicans care more about billionaires than working families,” Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA) chimed in before the vote. “@SenateDems, it’s not too late to STAND STRONG. Everyday people are counting on us to champion their concerns. Keep fighting! Don’t be a cheap date!”
The Senate voted late Sunday night on one of many procedural votes that will be required to pass the CR-minibus deal. It will take several days for the final vote to come. Following the Senate passage, the House will have to vote on it as well.
Source link
Most Republicans also supported the deal; Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), who has been voting “no” on the GOP CR for weeks, was the sole Republican who broke from his caucus, doing so for a series of reasons unrelated to most Democrats’ objections to the bill.
The House Democratic leader almost immediately expressed his frustration with the deal after it became public, saying he will not be supporting the bill the Senate is expected to pass in the coming days.
“House Democrats have consistently maintained that bipartisan legislation that funds the government must also decisively address the Republican health care crisis,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) said in a Sunday statement. “It now appears that Senate Republicans will send the House of Representatives a spending bill that fails to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits … We will fight the GOP bill in the House of Representatives.”
The bipartisan agreement includes a new CR that would fund the government until Jan. 30 alongside an Agriculture-FDA, Military Construction-Veterans Affairs and Legislative Branch minibus that includes a reversal of federal employee layoffs that the Trump administration executed during the shutdown, part of an effort by Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought to turn up the pressure on Democrats. The new CR text indicates the deal would also prevent any new layoffs until Jan. 30, 2026.
Senate Democrats will also get a floor vote on the expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies before the end of the year. That promise, of course, will not guarantee that the ACA bill will pass or that the House would take up the bill. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has already said he would not make a promise to bring a Democrat ACA bill to the floor. Republican senators, meanwhile, appear interested in a separate scheme to instead use at least some premium funds for flexible spending accounts, suggesting that they will not sign on to any Democratic-led effort in the upper chamber.
Nothing in the deal would force President Donald Trump and the OMB to spend congressionally appropriated funds in the way it requires — which was a Democratic demand at the beginning of the shutdown. The administration, over the course of 2025, has repeatedly impounded congressionally approved funds and pushed for party line votes to “rescind” funds that a bipartisan majority of senators appropriated.
The deal comes as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) crisis worsens, with the administration refusing to tap an emergency fund to feed hungry Americans, taking its opposition to doing so all the way to the Supreme Court and, per the New York Times, warning states they could face penalties if they take steps to revive the program. The Senate deal would also include keeping SNAP funded by means of the minibus through Sept. 30, 2026.
The reality is House Republicans likely won’t need House Democrats’ support in order to pass the bill on the House floor. Nonetheless, many, across the Democratic Party political spectrum, voiced their discontent, with one, Ro Khanna (D-CA), calling for Schumer to be replaced.
“If you can’t lead the fight to stop healthcare premiums from skyrocketing for Americans, what will you fight for?” Khanna asked.
“If this is the so-called ‘deal,’ then I will be a no,” Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) said in a Sunday statement as news of the plan began to emerge. “That’s not a deal. It’s an unconditional surrender that abandons the 24 million Americans whose health care premiums are about to double.”
“Millions of Americans will see healthcare costs skyrocket because Republicans care more about billionaires than working families,” Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA) chimed in before the vote. “@SenateDems, it’s not too late to STAND STRONG. Everyday people are counting on us to champion their concerns. Keep fighting! Don’t be a cheap date!”
The Senate voted late Sunday night on one of many procedural votes that will be required to pass the CR-minibus deal. It will take several days for the final vote to come. Following the Senate passage, the House will have to vote on it as well.
Source link
Sens. Angus King (I-ME), John Fetterman (D-PA), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) voted in favor of the continuing resolution (CR) following the bipartisan deal.
Most Republicans also supported the deal; Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), who has been voting “no” on the GOP CR for weeks, was the sole Republican who broke from his caucus, doing so for a series of reasons unrelated to most Democrats’ objections to the bill.
The House Democratic leader almost immediately expressed his frustration with the deal after it became public, saying he will not be supporting the bill the Senate is expected to pass in the coming days.
“House Democrats have consistently maintained that bipartisan legislation that funds the government must also decisively address the Republican health care crisis,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) said in a Sunday statement. “It now appears that Senate Republicans will send the House of Representatives a spending bill that fails to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits … We will fight the GOP bill in the House of Representatives.”
The bipartisan agreement includes a new CR that would fund the government until Jan. 30 alongside an Agriculture-FDA, Military Construction-Veterans Affairs and Legislative Branch minibus that includes a reversal of federal employee layoffs that the Trump administration executed during the shutdown, part of an effort by Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought to turn up the pressure on Democrats. The new CR text indicates the deal would also prevent any new layoffs until Jan. 30, 2026.
Senate Democrats will also get a floor vote on the expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies before the end of the year. That promise, of course, will not guarantee that the ACA bill will pass or that the House would take up the bill. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has already said he would not make a promise to bring a Democrat ACA bill to the floor. Republican senators, meanwhile, appear interested in a separate scheme to instead use at least some premium funds for flexible spending accounts, suggesting that they will not sign on to any Democratic-led effort in the upper chamber.
Nothing in the deal would force President Donald Trump and the OMB to spend congressionally appropriated funds in the way it requires — which was a Democratic demand at the beginning of the shutdown. The administration, over the course of 2025, has repeatedly impounded congressionally approved funds and pushed for party line votes to “rescind” funds that a bipartisan majority of senators appropriated.
The deal comes as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) crisis worsens, with the administration refusing to tap an emergency fund to feed hungry Americans, taking its opposition to doing so all the way to the Supreme Court and, per the New York Times, warning states they could face penalties if they take steps to revive the program. The Senate deal would also include keeping SNAP funded by means of the minibus through Sept. 30, 2026.
The reality is House Republicans likely won’t need House Democrats’ support in order to pass the bill on the House floor. Nonetheless, many, across the Democratic Party political spectrum, voiced their discontent, with one, Ro Khanna (D-CA), calling for Schumer to be replaced.
“If you can’t lead the fight to stop healthcare premiums from skyrocketing for Americans, what will you fight for?” Khanna asked.
“If this is the so-called ‘deal,’ then I will be a no,” Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) said in a Sunday statement as news of the plan began to emerge. “That’s not a deal. It’s an unconditional surrender that abandons the 24 million Americans whose health care premiums are about to double.”
“Millions of Americans will see healthcare costs skyrocket because Republicans care more about billionaires than working families,” Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA) chimed in before the vote. “@SenateDems, it’s not too late to STAND STRONG. Everyday people are counting on us to champion their concerns. Keep fighting! Don’t be a cheap date!”
The Senate voted late Sunday night on one of many procedural votes that will be required to pass the CR-minibus deal. It will take several days for the final vote to come. Following the Senate passage, the House will have to vote on it as well.
Source link
Sens. Angus King (I-ME), John Fetterman (D-PA), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) voted in favor of the continuing resolution (CR) following the bipartisan deal.
Most Republicans also supported the deal; Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY), who has been voting “no” on the GOP CR for weeks, was the sole Republican who broke from his caucus, doing so for a series of reasons unrelated to most Democrats’ objections to the bill.
The House Democratic leader almost immediately expressed his frustration with the deal after it became public, saying he will not be supporting the bill the Senate is expected to pass in the coming days.
“House Democrats have consistently maintained that bipartisan legislation that funds the government must also decisively address the Republican health care crisis,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) said in a Sunday statement. “It now appears that Senate Republicans will send the House of Representatives a spending bill that fails to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits … We will fight the GOP bill in the House of Representatives.”
The bipartisan agreement includes a new CR that would fund the government until Jan. 30 alongside an Agriculture-FDA, Military Construction-Veterans Affairs and Legislative Branch minibus that includes a reversal of federal employee layoffs that the Trump administration executed during the shutdown, part of an effort by Office of Management and Budget Director Russ Vought to turn up the pressure on Democrats. The new CR text indicates the deal would also prevent any new layoffs until Jan. 30, 2026.
Senate Democrats will also get a floor vote on the expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies before the end of the year. That promise, of course, will not guarantee that the ACA bill will pass or that the House would take up the bill. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has already said he would not make a promise to bring a Democrat ACA bill to the floor. Republican senators, meanwhile, appear interested in a separate scheme to instead use at least some premium funds for flexible spending accounts, suggesting that they will not sign on to any Democratic-led effort in the upper chamber.
Nothing in the deal would force President Donald Trump and the OMB to spend congressionally appropriated funds in the way it requires — which was a Democratic demand at the beginning of the shutdown. The administration, over the course of 2025, has repeatedly impounded congressionally approved funds and pushed for party line votes to “rescind” funds that a bipartisan majority of senators appropriated.
The deal comes as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) crisis worsens, with the administration refusing to tap an emergency fund to feed hungry Americans, taking its opposition to doing so all the way to the Supreme Court and, per the New York Times, warning states they could face penalties if they take steps to revive the program. The Senate deal would also include keeping SNAP funded by means of the minibus through Sept. 30, 2026.
The reality is House Republicans likely won’t need House Democrats’ support in order to pass the bill on the House floor. Nonetheless, many, across the Democratic Party political spectrum, voiced their discontent, with one, Ro Khanna (D-CA), calling for Schumer to be replaced.
“If you can’t lead the fight to stop healthcare premiums from skyrocketing for Americans, what will you fight for?” Khanna asked.
“If this is the so-called ‘deal,’ then I will be a no,” Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) said in a Sunday statement as news of the plan began to emerge. “That’s not a deal. It’s an unconditional surrender that abandons the 24 million Americans whose health care premiums are about to double.”
“Millions of Americans will see healthcare costs skyrocket because Republicans care more about billionaires than working families,” Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA) chimed in before the vote. “@SenateDems, it’s not too late to STAND STRONG. Everyday people are counting on us to champion their concerns. Keep fighting! Don’t be a cheap date!”
The Senate voted late Sunday night on one of many procedural votes that will be required to pass the CR-minibus deal. It will take several days for the final vote to come. Following the Senate passage, the House will have to vote on it as well.
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Tags Dems extending funding GOP group joins Obamacare Senate shutdown
