Democrats are tearing into members of their own party after a centrist coalition broke ranks Sunday night and agreed to vote on legislation to end the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. The vote, which was 60-40, is a procedural move but signals an end could be on the horizon.
The coalition of eight, led by veteran senators Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and Tim Kaine, D-Va., joined a Republican agreement that does not extend Affordable Care Act subsidies, and is supposed to put the issue to a vote next month, which many believe will fail.
The backlash was immediate. Progressive Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., said Democrats failed to “hold the line” in a post on X. “Working people want leaders whose word means something,” she said.
Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker said the deal was “an empty promise” and called on Democrats to “stand tall for affordable health care.” California Gov. Gavin Newsom was painfully blunt, simply calling the move “pathetic.”
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., said that the deal was ineffective for “tens of millions of everyday Americans.”
“America is far too expensive,” Jeffries said in a statement. “We will not support spending legislation advanced by Senate Republicans that fails to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits.”
Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., targeted Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., in his rebuke, saying he was “no longer effective” and calling for him to be “replaced.”
“If you can’t lead the fight to stop health care premiums from skyrocketing for Americans, what will you fight for?” Khanna said on X.
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New Jersey Governor-elect Mikie Sherrill said that Democratic leadership “keeps failing the people” and called the deal “malpractice.”
“The Senate is on the brink of caving on a bill that the American people cannot afford,” a statement from Sherrill read.
Kaine defended the move, arguing that Republican senators’ constituents would expect them to vote in favor, or “they could very well be replaced at the ballot box by someone who will.” Durbin said the vote was necessary. “This bill is not perfect, but it takes important steps to reduce their shutdown’s hurt,” Durbin said, referencing Republican layoffs and SNAP cuts.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., disagreed. “Tonight was a very bad night,” Sanders said. Final passage of the bill could be several days away if Democrats delay the process. Donald Trump has not said whether he supports the bill, according to AP, but on Sunday at the White House said “It looks like we’re getting close to the shutdown ending.”
