It’s official: Senators have voted to begin the process to reopen the federal government. Several Democratic Senators have joined Republicans to pass a bill that will begin the process of reopening the federal government.
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Republicans needed eight Democrats to join them, and tonight, they got it done.
The Democrats that joined Republicans in voting to reopen the government tonight are:
Every other Senator, including Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, voted against tonight’s legislation. Online and on the ground, you could feel the divide settle in as Senators filed out, some frustrated, some quiet.
Senator Tammy Baldwin, who has been involved at different points in the bipartisan talks, also voted no. Her explanation was blunt and left no room for interpretation. She said that a wink and a nod to deal with this health care crisis at some later date, with no actual guarantees, is simply not enough for her or for the Wisconsin families she works for.
Her statement echoed concerns that many Democrats have been raising privately for days, concerns that tonight finally burst into public view.
The legislation contains a continuing resolution that lasts until January 30. It includes a promise to hold a December vote on Affordable Care Act subsidies. It folds in a minibus of smaller bills, including measures that prevent future reductions in force and reverse layoffs triggered by the shutdown. It restores SNAP funding through fiscal year 2026. It guarantees full backpay for all federal workers and includes a promise that there will be no further layoffs. These are not small items. They touch every corner of the government, from kitchen tables to cubicles to the front desks of federal buildings where workers have been showing up for weeks without pay.
But one key point is hanging over everything. The Senate is promising a vote to extend the ACA credits. The House has said nothing. Not a word. Even Speaker Mike Johnson, only three days ago, refused to promise a vote on ACA credits in the House. That silence is shaping the entire political landscape right now. It is the reason so many Democrats see tonight’s bill as a gamble with no guarantee of a payoff, a bridge that might stop halfway over the river.
The legislative path from here stretches out over several days. Additional votes and procedural steps will be needed before this bill can leave the Senate for good. If and when that happens, it will land in the House of Representatives, where Republicans only need a simple majority to pass it. House Democrats are already united against the deal. Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries spelled it out clearly. He said he does not believe the House Democratic Caucus is prepared to support a promise, a wing and a prayer, from people who have been devastating the health care of the American people for years.
The next chapter of this fight will unfold quickly. Tonight’s vote opened the door. What happens on the other side is still entirely uncertain.