A few of the Democratic senators who supported advancing the federal government funding measure, enabling it to proceed, held a presser to defend their votes.
“This was the one deal on the desk,” mentioned Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire.
Sen. Angus King of Maine, an unbiased who caucuses with Democrats, known as the deal “a win for the American folks.”
He mentioned the Democrats’ shutdown technique wasn’t working. King had been voting with Republicans on the earlier makes an attempt to advance the funding measure.
“There was zero likelihood of coping with the [Affordable Care Act] situation so long as the shutdown continued,” mentioned King.
Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia, who mentioned he joined the group of Democrats simply 48 hours in the past, instructed reporters, “We had been in a scenario the place SNAP recipients had been struggling, and there was no assure we’d ever get to an ACA resolution.”
“Now we have strong SNAP funding and a assured vote — not a assured end result — however a assured vote on ACA tax credit,” Kaine mentioned.
Sen. John Hickenlooper of Colorado, who remained a “no” vote, mentioned, “There is no good selection … now we have to face as much as this type of robust man dictatorial method to governing this nation.” He mentioned the bundle provided “no aid … for the unimaginable pressures individuals are feeling.”
Hickenlooper mentioned Democrats “didn’t get our key demand” to revive the Reasonably priced Care Act premium tax credit, although he was fast so as to add that “there’s not one individual within the Democratic Caucus who would not imagine that we’d like well being care for everyone.”
— Grace Kazarian, Patrick Maguire