It is the longest administrative shutdown in US history: 40 days. Donald Trump’s measure is in the process of being resolved thanks to a handful of eight Democratic senators, who agreed to reopen the government without guarantees on health aid.
In an initial vote, the first in a series of necessary procedural maneuvers, the Senate voted 60-40 to move toward approving federal funding and hold a subsequent vote on extending the Affordable Care Act’s fiscal deadlines, which expire on January 1.
Final approval could be delayed for several days if Democrats object and delay the process. The agreement tears the party apart. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer (D-NY) and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) opposed it.
“This health crisis is so serious, so urgent, and so devastating to families in my districts that I cannot, in good conscience, support this temporary funding resolution,” Schumer declared on the Senate floor, referring to the bill.
The majority of Democrats demanded guarantees from the White House to extend Obamacare, a system through which the government helps 20 million Americans pay for their health insurance in order to expand health coverage for the population. But Trump, who passed his massive tax bill in the summer that already provides for social policy cuts, keeps repeating that Obamacare is a disaster… but has so far offered no alternative proposal.
Trump wanted a blank check from Democrats, whom he continues to insult every day. And a bunch of them give it to them. Thus, the Senate votes on Sunday to take the first steps to end the partial government shutdown without health compensation.
A group of three former governors — New Hampshire Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, New Hampshire Sen. Maggie Hassan and independent Maine Sen. Angus King — announced they would vote to reopen the economy if the Senate passes three annual spending bills and extends the rest of the government’s funding through the end of January, the Associated Press reported.
Republican Senate Majority Leader John Thune supported the agreement on Sunday night and called for an immediate vote to begin the approval process.
The agreement would also include a future vote on health care aid, the results of which Republicans will not guarantee, and an undoing of the mass layoffs of federal employees that have occurred since the shutdown began on October 1.
Republicans need five Democratic votes to reopen the government. In addition to Shaheen, King and Hassan, Democratic Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia, a state that is home to millions of federal workers, announced that he would support the agreement.
After Democrats met for more than two hours to discuss the proposal, Senate Democratic Minority Leader Chuck Schumer announced that he could not support it “in good faith.”
“The United States is in the midst of a health crisis caused by Republicans,” Schumer announced on the floor just before the scheduled vote. “Democrats have sounded the alarm, and we will not give up the fight,” Schumer said.
Independent Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, a progressive leader belonging to the Democratic group, declared that abandoning the fight would be a “huge mistake.”
Republicans are teaming up with a caucus of centrist Democrats as the government shutdown continues to disrupt flights across the country, putting food assistance for millions of Americans at risk and leaving federal workers without pay. However, many Democrats believe that the political battle cannot end without agreeing to extend health support.
“It seems we are approaching the end of the lockdown,” Trump said upon his return to the White House on Sunday evening after attending a football match.
Democrats voted 14 times against reopening the government, demanding an extension of aid that makes coverage more affordable for health insurance provided under the Affordable Care Act, popularly known as Obamacare. Republicans have refused to negotiate health benefits while the government remains closed, although an agreement with moderate Democrats would fund some government funding, such as food aid.
The agreement calls for funding programs for veterans and the Legislature, among other things, and expanding funding for everything else through the end of January. According to sources close to the issue, Republicans’ longtime offer to hold a future vote on health care subsidies, which would be held in mid-December, will be accepted.
The deal would bring back federal employees who received layoff notices and compensate states that used their own money to keep federal programs running during the shutdown. Additionally, it will protect against future employee cuts during January and ensure all federal employees will receive their paychecks once the shutdown ends.
In addition to resolving the funding problem, Republicans on Sunday published the final legislative text of three spending bills over the course of an entire year. This legislation maintains the ban on legislators’ pay raises, but increases their security by $203.5 million in response to increased threats. It also includes a provision pushed by Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., to prevent the sale of certain hemp-derived products.
Even if the Senate approves the funding legislation, a final vote could take several days if Democrats who oppose the deal raise objections and delay the process. The first vote will serve as the initiation of consideration of the legislation.
There are no guarantees that Affordable Care Act aid will be extended if Republicans agree to future votes on health care. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) said he would not concede.
Some Republicans have expressed a willingness to expand aid in the era of Covid-19, given that insurance premiums could rise significantly for millions of people, but they also want to put new limits on who can get benefits.
Other Republicans, including Trump, used the debate to repeat their criticisms, which they have been making for years, and called for its abolition or reform, without proposing any alternative.
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