Illinois’ senators were divided late Sunday as the Senate voted on the first steps to end the government shutdown after a group of moderate Democrats agreed to proceed without an assured extension of health care subsidies.
Three former governors — New Hampshire Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, New Hampshire Sen. Maggie Hassan and Independent Sen. Angus King of Maine — said they would vote to reopen if the Senate passed three annual spending bills and extend the rest of government funding until late January. A total of eight Democrats, including Sen. Dick Durbin, joined 52 Republicans in a procedural vote.
Durbin issued a statement, in part, saying, “today’s bill is not the same one we’ve voted down 14 times…”
“…Republicans finally woke up and realized their Groundhog Day needed to end,” he added. “This bill is not perfect, but it takes important steps to reduce their shutdown’s hurt. Not only would it fully fund SNAP for the year ahead, but it would reverse the mass firings the Trump Administration ordered throughout the shutdown…”
The Democrats who opted to proceed did so without a guaranteed extension of health care subsidies, angering many in their caucus who wanted to continue the fight.
Sen. Tammy Duckworth voted against the funding bill, saying, “This is the time to keep fighting to bring costs down and protect the American people.”
“Trump and Republicans refuse to fight for American families, but I refuse to give up on them,” she stated. “I simply cannot, and I will not, vote to do nothing to help protect them from Trump’s vindictive and malicious efforts in exchange for a vague promise from the least trustworthy Republican party in our nation’s history…
The deal would also include a future vote on the health care subsidies, which would not have a guaranteed outcome, and a reversal of the mass firings of federal workers that have happened since the shutdown began on Oct. 1. The full text of the deal has not yet been released.
Final passage of the legislation could take several days if Democrats object and draw out the process. Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, who caucuses with the Democrats, said that giving up the fight was a “horrific mistake.”
Full statements issued by Duckworth and Durbin on Sunday night can be found below:
Duckworth
“Trump and Republicans refuse to fight for American families, but I refuse to give up on them.
“I simply cannot, and I will not, vote to do nothing to help protect them from Trump’s vindictive and malicious efforts in exchange for a vague promise from the least trustworthy Republican party in our nation’s history.
“This is the time to keep fighting to bring costs down and protect the American people.”
Durbin
“For months, Democrats have warned that health care premiums would skyrocket because the Affordable Care Act enhanced premium tax credits will expire on December 31—and that this will affect everyone. But Republicans have done everything in their power, while controlling both Congress and the Presidency, to shut down the government rather than help Americans afford to go to the doctor and access cancer treatment or life-saving prescriptions.
“For 40 days—the longest shutdown in U.S. history—federal workers went without paychecks. This includes our air traffic controllers, whose towers were already understaffed. They continued to work 10 hours days, six days per week to keep our airspace safe, with this additional stress at a life-saving job. All while the President has been fighting tooth and nail to avoid paying SNAP benefits to our nation’s hungry, while he builds himself a golden ballroom and perfects his golf game.
“At Democrats’ urging, today’s bill is not the same one we’ve voted down 14 times. Republicans finally woke up and realized their Groundhog Day needed to end. This bill is not perfect, but it takes important steps to reduce their shutdown’s hurt. Not only would it fully fund SNAP for the year ahead, but it would reverse the mass firings the Trump Administration ordered throughout the shutdown.
“Now that Democrats secured these wins, it’s time for Leader Thune to keep his promise to schedule a vote on the ACA tax credits in December and we will see to it that he makes good on his word for the millions of Americans worried they won’t be able to afford health care in January.”
