Lawmakers Move To End Shutdown: How NJ Senators Voted

New Jersey’s two U.S. senators – Cory Booker and Andy Kim – each voted against the latest proposal to reopen the federal government on Sunday.

The Senate voted 60-40 to move toward passing legislation to fund the government and hold a later vote on extending Affordable Care Act tax credits that expire Jan. 1. The proposal must also pass the House and get a signature from President Donald Trump.

The vote taken last weekend is the first of a series of steps needed to end the longest shutdown in U.S. history.

The agreement does not guarantee the health care subsidies will be extended, as Democrats have demanded for almost six weeks. A group of moderate Democrats agreed to proceed without a guaranteed extension, angering many in their caucus who say Americans want them to continue the fight.

Those opposed to the deal included Booker and Kim of New Jersey.

“As I’ve always said, I will not support a government funding bill that continues to raise our costs, jeopardizes our health care, and hurts the people of my state,” Sen. Booker said.

“I’m urging my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to stand up for Americans who are counting on us to lower their costs, and address the urgent, and – in too many cases – dire challenges people are facing in our country,” he added.

Sen. Kim also said he voted against the deal because of it doesn’t include an agreement on health care.

“I can’t support this bill,” Kim said, adding that it doesn’t “meet the urgency of the moment and deliver actual relief that can pass both chambers of Congress.”

“I’ve been clear that we need real action to stop the devastating health care cost increases that are hurting millions of families,” Kim said. “Trump and Republican leaders created this crisis, and they’ve only used it to make things worse for working families by withholding food assistance for millions for their own political gain.”

Some New Jersey Republicans have contested the stances from the state’s U.S. senators, however.

“Democrats have voted 14 times against reopening the government, funding SNAP and paying air traffic controllers,” the New Jersey Senate GOP commented last week in reaction to a social media post from Booker.

“Instead of trying to rewrite the past 38 days, Senator Booker should do his job and open the government,” the NJ Senate GOP said.

New Jersey’s presumed governor-elect, Mikie Sherrill – who is currently serving as a U.S. House member in the state’s 11th district – also slammed the proposed shutdown deal.

“Voters made it clear: the American people want leadership with a backbone,” Sherrill said in the wake of Sunday’s vote.

“At a critical moment when they need leaders to stay strong under pressure, the Senate is on the brink of caving on a bill that the American people can't afford,” she continued.” Make no mistake, if this deal passes, it will lead to New Jerseyans paying far more for their health care, when they are already paying more and more for everything.”

DEBATE CONTINUES

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York voted against moving ahead with the package, along with all but eight of his Democratic colleagues.

A group of three former governors — New Hampshire Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, New Hampshire Sen. Maggie Hassan and Independent Sen. Angus King of Maine — broke the six-week stalemate on Sunday when they agreed to vote to advance three bipartisan annual spending bills and extend the rest of government funding until late January in exchange for a mid-December vote on extending the health care tax credits.

Five other Democrats also voted in favor of the measure. Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia, home to tens of thousands of federal workers, also voted in favor of moving forward on the agreement. Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin, the No. 2 Democrat, Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman and Nevada Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto and Jacky Rosen also voted yes.

The agreement includes a reversal of the mass firings of federal workers since the shutdown began on Oct. 1 and would ensure that federal workers receive back pay.

The pact also agreed to fund parts of government — food aid, veterans programs and the legislative branch, among other things. All other funding would be extended until the end of January, giving lawmakers more than two months to finish additional spending bills.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune quickly endorsed the deal and called an immediate vote to begin the process of approving it as the shutdown continued to disrupt flights nationwide, threaten food assistance for millions of Americans and leave federal workers without pay.

"The time to act is now," Thune said.

Schumer, who said he could not “in good faith” support the deal because it doesn’t restore health care subsidies, vowed Democrats “will not give up the fight.”

Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont said capitulating on health care would be a “horrific mistake,” and Democratic Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut said in last week’s elections, people voted overwhelmingly Democratic “to urge Democrats to hold firm.”

Democrats had voted 14 times not to reopen the government as they demanded the extension of tax credits that make coverage more affordable under the Affordable Care Act. Republicans said they would not negotiate on health care, but GOP leaders have been quietly working with the group of moderates as the contours of an agreement began to emerge.

House Democrats swiftly criticized the Senate.

Texas Rep. Greg Casar, the chairman of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, said a deal that doesn't reduce health care costs is a “betrayal” of millions of Americans who are counting on Democrats to fight.

“Accepting nothing but a pinky promise from Republicans isn't a compromise — it's capitulation,” Casar said in a post on X. “Millions of families would pay the price.”

Rep. Angie Craig of Minnesota posted that “if people believe this is a ‘deal,’ I have a bridge to sell you.”

House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries blamed Republicans and said Democrats will continue to fight.

"Donald Trump and the Republican Party own the toxic mess they have created in our country and the American people know it," Jeffries said.

It's unclear whether the two parties would be able to find any common ground on the health care subsidies before a promised December vote in the Senate. House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana, has said he will not commit to bringing it up in his chamber.

Some Republicans have said they are open to extending the COVID-19-era tax credits as premiums could skyrocket for millions of people, but they also want new limits on who can receive the subsidies and argue that the tax dollars for the plans should be routed through individuals.

Other Republicans, including Trump, have used the debate to renew their years-long criticism of the law and called for it to be scrapped or overhauled.

Meanwhile, the consequences of the shutdown have been compounding. U.S. airlines canceled more than 2,000 flights on Sunday for the first time since the shutdown began, and there were more than 7,000 flight delays, according to FlightAware, a website that tracks air travel disruptions.

Treasury Secretary Sean Duffy said on CNN's "State of the Union" that air travel ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday will be "reduced to a trickle" if the government doesn't reopen.

• See Related: 2 NJ Airports To Slash Flights As Holiday Travel Season Looms

At the same time, food aid was delayed for tens of millions of people as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits were caught up in legal battles related to the shutdown.

• See Related: SNAP Benefits Now Available: What To Know In NJ

And in Washington, home to tens of thousands of federal workers who have gone unpaid, the Capital Area Food Bank said it is providing 8 million more meals ahead of the holidays than it had prepared for this budget year — a nearly 20 percent increase. Read More: Where To Get Food Assistance In All 21 NJ Counties

This article contains reporting from the Associated Press and the Patch national desk

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