Government Shutdown Ends with No Clear Winner
Democrats entered the shutdown seeking to renew tax credits to stave off insurance premium price hikes and to show voters they have the stomach for hardball negotiations in President Donald Trump’s Washington.
As the record-long shutdown neared its end more than a month later, they failed to achieve either goal.
A group of eight Democrats on Sunday broke with the rest of their party and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to vote with Republicans to advance a bill to re-open the government on the impasse’s 40th day.
That plan doesn’t include the extension of the Affordable Care Act subsidies that Democrats staked their shutdown fight on.
They did get a pledge for a separate vote on the health-care tax credits in the coming weeks, but the prospects of Democrats landing a win from that endeavor are far from certain.
Background of the Shutdown
The shutdown began as a result of a disagreement between Democrats and Republicans over the extension of the Affordable Care Act subsidies. Democrats wanted to renew the tax credits to prevent insurance premium price hikes, while Republicans were opposed to the idea.
As the shutdown dragged on, its impacts began to be felt across the country. Federal workers went without pay, national parks were closed, and food assistance programs were affected.
The shutdown also had a significant impact on the economy, with estimates suggesting that it cost the country billions of dollars.
Democrats Who Voted with Republicans
A group of eight Democrats broke with their party to vote with Republicans to advance a bill to re-open the government. These Democrats included:
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, who helped negotiate the agreement to reopen government.
Sen. Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire, who emphasized the urgency of the situation due to the threats to federal food aid.
Sen. Angus King of Maine, who is an independent who caucuses with the Democratic Party and had already been voting to open the government since Oct. 1.
Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia, who cited the bill’s ban on new federal layoffs through Jan. 30 as the deciding factor.
Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois, who is the No. 2 Democrat in the Senate and said the bill takes important steps to reduce the shutdown’s hurt.
Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, who had already been voting to open the government since Oct. 1 and criticized Democrats for using the shutdown to demand concessions on health care.
Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada, who said the shutdown’s impacts on travel had been particularly harmful to Nevada.
Sen. Jacky Rosen of Nevada, who said that Trump and fellow Republicans “are weaponizing their power in alarming ways to inflict unimaginable pain and suffering on working people”.
Who Got What They Wanted?
The approaching resolution of the 40-day shutdown mirrors that of past showdowns where the party attempting to leverage a government closure for policy victories ends up without a victory.
Trump failed to secure border wall funding through the 2018-19 shutdown and Republicans failed to repeal Obamacare during the 2013 closure.
Senator Elizabeth Warren, a Massachusetts Democrat, said, “I think it’s a terrible mistake. The American people want us to stand and fight for health care, and that’s what I believe we should do.”
House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries also criticized the plan to re-open the government, saying Democrats in his chamber wouldn’t support it.
Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, who caucuses with the Democrats, said giving up the fight was a “horrific mistake.”
Next Steps
Many steps remain before the deal can become law. The Senate must first reach a bipartisan agreement to move quickly towards a final vote.
The Republican-controlled House must also sign off on the bill, and Trump would need to sign it into law.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, who has kept his chamber out of session since September, said Monday he wants to vote as quickly as possible on the deal.
Conclusion
The government shutdown has ended, but the impact of the shutdown will be felt for a long time. The shutdown highlighted the deep divisions between Democrats and Republicans and the difficulty of finding common ground.
The shutdown also showed that the use of the shutdown as a negotiating tool is not effective and can have serious consequences for the country.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What was the main issue that led to the government shutdown?
A: The main issue was the disagreement between Democrats and Republicans over the extension of the Affordable Care Act subsidies.
Q: How long did the shutdown last?
A: The shutdown lasted for 40 days.
Q: Who voted to re-open the government?
A: A group of eight Democrats broke with their party to vote with Republicans to advance a bill to re-open the government.
Q: What is the next step in the process?
A: The Senate must first reach a bipartisan agreement to move quickly towards a final vote, and then the Republican-controlled House must sign off on the bill, and Trump would need to sign it into law.
