Villaraigosa Criticizes Democrats Who Voted For Agreement To End Shutdown

LOS ANGELES, CA — Former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa criticized seven Democratic senators who voted Sunday to advance an agreement to end the longest government shutdown in U.S. history.

The agreement combines three full-year funding measures into one package with a stopgap funding bill that would reopen the government through Jan. 30. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-South Dakota, committed to holding a separate vote on legislation to extend the subsidies by the second week of December, after the government reopens.

"Healthcare costs are skyrocketing because Republicans chose their billionaire donors over middle-class Americans -- and now, after a 40-day gov shutdown, some Senate Democrats are willing to cave on a "deal" that has no concessions on healthcare costs," Villaraigosa, a Democrat running for governor, wrote on social media.

"We all deserve better."

The agreement to end the Democratic-led filibuster on the government funding bill passed by a 60-40 vote, exactly the three-fifths majority needed.

Both California senators, Alex Padilla and Adam Schiff, voted no, as did Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer.

Democratic senators voting yes were Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nevada; Dick Durbin, D-Illinois; John Fetterman, D-Pennsylvania; Maggie Hassan, D-New Hampshire; Tim Kaine, D-Virginia; Jacky Rosen, D-Nevada, and Jeanne Shaheen, D- New Hampshire.

Sen. Angus King, the Maine independent who caucuses with the Democrats, also voted yes. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Kentucky, was the lone Republican to vote no.

— City News Service