WASHINGTON — The Senate took the first step towards overthrowing the government malfunction on Sunday after a group of moderate Democrats agreed to proceed without a guaranteed extension of health care subsidies, angering many in their caucus who say Americans want them to continue the fight.
In a test vote that is the first in a series of necessary procedural maneuvers, the Senate voted 60-40 to pass a compromise bill to fund the government and hold a follow-up vote on extending the Affordable Care Act tax breaks that are set to expire Jan. 1. Final passage could be days away if Democrats object and delay the process.
The agreement does not guarantee an extension of health care subsidies, as Democrats have demanded, by nearly six weeks. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of New York voted against advancing the package, along with all but eight of his Democratic colleagues.
A group of three former governors — New Hampshire Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, New Hampshire Sen. Maggie Hassan and independent Sen. Angus King of Maine — broke a six-week deadlock on Sunday when they agreed to vote to advance three bipartisan annual spending bills and extend the rest of state funding through the end of January in exchange for a mid-December vote to extend health care tax cuts.
The agreement also includes an end to the Trump administration's massive layoffs of federal workers since the shutdown began Oct. 1 and ensures that federal workers will receive back pay.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune quickly backed the deal and called an immediate vote to begin the approval process as the shutdown continued. disrupt flights throughout the countrythreaten food aid for millions of Americans and leave federal workers without pay.
“It’s time to act,” Thune said.
Returning to the White House on Sunday night after attending a football game, President Donald Trump did not say whether he supported the deal. But he said: “It looks like we are nearing the end of the shutdown.”
In addition to Shaheen, King and Hassan, Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia, home to tens of thousands of federal workers, also voted to move forward with the agreement. Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin, the No. 2 Democrat, Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman and Nevada Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto and Jacky Rosen also voted in favor.
Moderates expected more Democrats to vote with them, since 10-12 Democratic senators took part in the negotiations. But in the end, only five Democrats changed their votes—exactly as many as Republicans needed. King, Cortez Masto and Fetterman have already voted to open the government on October 1st.
The vote was temporarily delayed Sunday night as three conservatives who frequently criticize spending bills, Republican Sens. Mike Lee of Utah, Rick Scott of Florida and Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, withdrew from voting and huddled with Thune in the back of the chamber. They ultimately voted yes after talking with Trump, Lee said.
Another Republican, Sen. John Cornyn of Texas, was forced to fly back from Texas to cast the crucial 60th vote.
After Democrats met for more than two hours to discuss the proposal, Schumer said he could not support it “in good faith.”
Schumer, who received backlash from his party in March when he voted to keep the government open, said Democrats have now “sounded the alarm” on health care.
“We will not give up the fight,” he said.
Independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, who is part of the Democratic caucus, said giving up the fight was a “terrible mistake.”
Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., agreed, saying people voted overwhelmingly for Democrats in last week's election “to urge Democrats to stand firm.”
Democrats voted 14 times not to reopen the government as they sought an extension of tax breaks that make insurance more affordable under the Affordable Care Act. Republicans said they would not negotiate on health care, but GOP leaders quietly worked with a group of moderates as the outlines of an agreement began to emerge.
The agreement includes bipartisan bills developed by the Senate Appropriations Committee to fund parts of the government including food assistance, veterans programs and the Legislature. All remaining funding would be extended through the end of January, giving lawmakers more than two months to finalize additional spending bills.
The deal would reinstate federal workers who received layoff or layoff notices and reimburse states that spent their own money keeping federal programs running during the shutdown. It would also protect against future layoffs through January and ensure that federal workers will be paid after the shutdown ends.
House Democrats sharply criticized the Senate.
Texas Rep. Greg Casar, chairman of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, said the deal, which does not reduce health care costs, is a “betrayal” of millions of Americans who count on Democrats to fight.
“Accepting anything more than a Republican pinky promise is not a compromise—it is a capitulation,” Casar said in a post on X. “Millions of families will pay the price.”
Rep. Angie Craig of Minnesota wrote, “If people believe this is a 'deal,' I have a bridge I can sell you.”
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries blamed Republicans and said Democrats will continue to fight.
“Donald Trump and the Republican Party are to blame for the toxic mess they have created in our country, and the American people know it,” Jeffries said.
It's unclear whether the two parties can find common ground on health care subsidies before the promised December Senate vote. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-Louisiana, said he would not raise the issue in his chamber.
Some Republicans have said they are willing to extend COVID-19-era tax breaks as premiums could rise sharply for millions of people, but they also want new restrictions on who can receive subsidies and argue that tax dollars for those plans should be channeled through individuals.
Other Republicans, including Trump, used the debate to renew their decades-long criticism of the law and called for its repeal or revision.
Meanwhile, the impact of the shutdown worsens. US Airlines More than 2,000 flights canceled Sunday saw more than 7,000 flight delays for the first time since the shutdown began, according to FlightAware, a website that tracks air travel disruptions.
Treasury Secretary Sean Duffy said on CNN's “State of the Union” that air travel ahead of Thanksgiving will be “reduced to a trickle” unless the government reopens.
At the same time, food assistance was delayed for tens of millions of people under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. advantages were involved in legal battles related to shutdown.
And in Washington, where tens of thousands of unpaid federal workers live, the Metropolitan Food Bank said providing 8 million more meals before the holidays than planned for this budget year – almost 20%.
___
Associated Press writers Stephen Groves and Kevin Freking contributed to this report.
