The Senate began the process to end the nation’s longest government shutdown on Sunday after eight Democratic senators struck a deal with Republicans that did not include Democrats’ key demand of extending boosted healthcare subsidies for those who receive health insurance through the Affordable Care Act.
The Democrats voting to reopen the government were:
- Dick Durbin (Ill.)
- Jeanne Shaheen (N.H.)
- Maggie Hassan (N.H.)
- Jackie Rosen (Nev.)
- Catherine Cortez Masto (Nev.)
- John Fetterman (Pa.)
- Tim Kaine (Va.)
- Angus King (I-Maine), who caucuses with Democrats
Three of these senators — Fetterman, Cortez Masto and King — have voted with Republicans to begin floor debate on the funding bill since the shutdown began.
These eight senators broke ranks with the majority of Democrats and Democratic Party voters who viewed the shutdown as a necessary maneuver to both rein in President Donald Trump’s autocratic turn and prevent Republicans from raising health care costs for millions of Americans. It appeared as though the shutdown was working to Democrats’ political advantage. Polling showed Republicans and Trump taking most of the blame and Democrats romped to victory in off-year elections on Nov. 4.
The decision to fold now risks both taking the air out of the party’s sails and turning the party’s base even further against party leadership as they seethe with anger over Trump’s authoritarianism and the Democratic Party’s failure to stop or stall him.
Each of the eight senators highlighted the pain caused by the shutdown to government workers and the public while touting the promise by Republicans to hold a vote to restore the Affordable Care Act subsidies as a major win.
“This agreement gives Democrats control of the Senate floor — at a time when Republicans control every level of power — on one of our top legislative priorities,” Shaheen told reporters on Sunday.
“It’s a win for those people that are so insistent on protecting our health care,” King said. “Our judgment is that the best way to do that is to get a bill on the floor. Is there a guarantee it will pass? No. Is it a guarantee it will pass? In the House, there is actually some very strong interest in the House.”
King noted that it appeared unlikely that Republicans would ever agree to restoring the expiring health care subsidies in negotiations.
“The question was, as the shutdown progresses, is a solution on the ACA becoming any more likely? It appears not,” King said.
Kaine also echoed this point in justifying his support for the deal.
“This was the reality, SNAP recipients suffering, nothing happening on ACA,” Kaine said. “The vote tonight will be full, and not just last year’s, but full and robust SNAP funding and a path on the ACA. So from suffering and no path, we’ve now got robust benefits and a path.”
The senators also argued that putting the health care subsidies on the floor will require Republicans to take a tough vote that, if it doesn’t pass, can be used against them in 2026.
“We also have an opportunity now to put Republicans on the record on the ACA,” Cortez Masto said in a statement. “If Republicans want to join us in lowering costs for working families, they have the chance to do so. And if they do not come to the table, they will own the premium increases they cause.”
Others pointed to the increasing pain being caused by the Trump administration’s refusal to release food aid funds in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
“This bill is not perfect, but it takes important steps to reduce their shutdown’s hurt,” Durbin said. “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.”
And, at least one of the folding senators took umbrage at those criticizing their decision.
Those criticizing the deal “need to understand how the Senate works,” Durbin said on CNN. “We have brought this issue as a major national issue from zero to a major factor.”