Six Moderate Democrats Help Pass Bill to Reopen Government and Extend Healthcare Subsidies
A half-dozen House Democrats, mostly moderates from competitive districts, voted in favor of a funding package that ended the longest government shutdown in modern U.S. history, paving the way for President Trump's signature into law on Wednesday.
The bill, which will keep the federal government open until January 30, reverses federal layoffs during the shutdown and includes three-year-long funding bills covering military construction, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Agriculture, the FDA, and legislative operations.
Moderate Democrats Jared Golden of Maine, Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington, Henry Cuellar of Texas, Adam Gray of California, Don Davis of North Carolina, and Tom Suozzi of New York were among those who backed the bill.
Golden, representing a rural district in northern Maine, initially expressed frustration with his party's hardline stance but later voted for the bill, saying it will keep food aid flowing to vulnerable families. His vote came after he blamed "hardball politics" by far-left groups for the shutdown.
Perez of Washington broke with her own party on multiple occasions during the shutdown, urging caution against partisanship and vowing that Americans cannot afford Representatives getting caught up in partisan wins at the expense of urgent problems facing the nation.
Cuellar from Texas pointed to disruptions in food aid as a result of the shutdown, emphasizing the need for cooperation across the aisle.
Gray, California's 21st district representative, prioritized preventing any more interruptions to food aid if there's another shutdown by voting in favor of this bill. He also urged that lasting policy isn't born from hostage-taking but rather compromise.
Davis of North Carolina expressed a sense of urgency and relief at getting an increase in the number of families he has spoken with daily who have been suffering due to government inaction during the shutdown.
Suozzi, New York's 3rd district representative, echoed similar sentiments on X after the vote, saying his colleagues' representation offered hope for extending health insurance subsidies but noted the White House had chosen to make this process needlessly painful, leading him not to fully trust the process.
A half-dozen House Democrats, mostly moderates from competitive districts, voted in favor of a funding package that ended the longest government shutdown in modern U.S. history, paving the way for President Trump's signature into law on Wednesday.
The bill, which will keep the federal government open until January 30, reverses federal layoffs during the shutdown and includes three-year-long funding bills covering military construction, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Agriculture, the FDA, and legislative operations.
Moderate Democrats Jared Golden of Maine, Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington, Henry Cuellar of Texas, Adam Gray of California, Don Davis of North Carolina, and Tom Suozzi of New York were among those who backed the bill.
Golden, representing a rural district in northern Maine, initially expressed frustration with his party's hardline stance but later voted for the bill, saying it will keep food aid flowing to vulnerable families. His vote came after he blamed "hardball politics" by far-left groups for the shutdown.
Perez of Washington broke with her own party on multiple occasions during the shutdown, urging caution against partisanship and vowing that Americans cannot afford Representatives getting caught up in partisan wins at the expense of urgent problems facing the nation.
Cuellar from Texas pointed to disruptions in food aid as a result of the shutdown, emphasizing the need for cooperation across the aisle.
Gray, California's 21st district representative, prioritized preventing any more interruptions to food aid if there's another shutdown by voting in favor of this bill. He also urged that lasting policy isn't born from hostage-taking but rather compromise.
Davis of North Carolina expressed a sense of urgency and relief at getting an increase in the number of families he has spoken with daily who have been suffering due to government inaction during the shutdown.
Suozzi, New York's 3rd district representative, echoed similar sentiments on X after the vote, saying his colleagues' representation offered hope for extending health insurance subsidies but noted the White House had chosen to make this process needlessly painful, leading him not to fully trust the process.
that this government shutdown thingy is finally over!!! 
those moderate democrats are total heroes in my book! 
Jared Golden's story about blaming "hardball politics" for the shutdown made me feel all warm inside 
, and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez breaking free from her party's hardline stance was like a breath of fresh air 
. It shows that even when things get tough, you can still find ways to work together 
Adam Gray's focus on keeping food aid flowing is EVERYTHING 
, and Tom Suozzi's honesty about not trusting the process after what felt like a super painful process for healthcare subsidies 
gives me chills 
but overall I'm just so grateful we're gonna be okay! 
Anyway, it's good that some of these moderates are willing to put aside their differences and get stuff done. But I have to say, I'm still not convinced about the whole process... reminds me of when Obama used to talk about "bipartisan cooperation" 
... I guess it's all well and good until you're actually on the other side of the aisle... 
They always showed how hard it was for those politicians to work together. I wonder if they'd be able to do better today...
so I think it's kinda cool that some moderate Dems were able to work with each other and get stuff done 
. And Henry Cuellar just kept saying how important it is to keep the government open and working properly 
. It's not always easy for them, but I think they're doing their best to make sure everyone's needs are being met 
, six moderate democrats just saved the day by voting in favor of the funding package it's great to see them putting aside party politics and prioritizing the people they represent 
especially jared golden from maine who said he was frustrated with his own party's hardline stance but still voted for this bill cuz it'll keep food aid flowing to vulnerable families 
it's amazing to see representatives like cuellar, gray, davis, and suozzi putting their constituents first even when it means compromising
. And can we talk about how these moderates were able to keep the government open without any major concessions? It's like they somehow magically knew that if they blinked too hard during shutdown, no one would notice 
... either way, I guess this is a win for now 
.
. I mean, imagine having to decide between paying your bills or waiting around for food aid to kick in... it's just not right. The fact that six moderate Democrats stood up and voted for a bill that keeps the government open and extends healthcare subsidies is actually kinda inspiring 
It was really scary for all those families who were struggling to get food aid and healthcare subsidies 
. It's also awesome to see reps like Marie Gluesenkamp Perez and Henry Cuellar speaking up for cooperation across parties 
. This bill is definitely a step in the right direction, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that our representatives will keep working together for the people 
Jared Golden should've known better than to let his party strong-arm him. And don't even get me started on Marie Gluesenkamp Perez's flip-flopping - she was all about "caution" one minute and the next, she's good to go! 
It just goes to show that politics is all about playing both sides.
Adam Gray's stance on preventing more shutdowns was a step in the right direction, but it's about time those moderates got their act together.
meanwhile, i'm still salty about how this whole thing went down 
Oh my gosh, I'm literally so relieved that those 6 moderate Democrats were able to pass that bill 
, but it's amazing how he was able to put aside his party's hardline stance for the sake of his constituents 
. On the other hand, Perez's warnings about partisan wins at the expense of urgent problems are super valid