Sen. Tim Kaine was among eight Democrats to side with Republicans on a deal to end the government shutdown. Sen. Mark Warner voted no.
On Monday night, the Senate approved legislation that brings the longest government shutdown in history closer to an end. This deal would fund the government, but did not include a guarantee to extend Affordable Care Act subsidies, a key issue for Democrats throughout the shutdown.
Those subsidies make health care more affordable for those who receive insurance through the ACA. Without congressional action, they’ll expire on January 1, which could lead to higher premiums for many enrollees. Instead of guaranteeing an extension, the deal promises a vote on those subsidies in December.
The shutdown — at 41 days at the time of the vote — has caused flight reductions and uncertainty regarding SNAP benefits. Federal workers — including about 189,000 Virginians — have also gone without pay.
Kane and Warner Split
Kaine was among a group of Democrats who voted to pass the compromise legislation. He said the deciding factor for his vote was language in the bill that would prevent more mass layoffs and ensure back pay for federal workers.
“This legislation will protect federal workers from baseless firings, reinstate those who have been wrongfully terminated during the shutdown, and ensure federal workers receive back pay, as required by a law I got passed in 2019,” Kaine said in a statement. “That’s a critical step that will help federal employees and all Americans who rely on government services.”
Warner, on the other hand, kept with the majority of Democrats in voting against the deal. In a statement, he said he appreciates that the deal includes language preventing further layoffs. “But I cannot support a deal that still leaves millions of Americans wondering how they are going to pay for their health care or whether they will be able to afford to get sick. We owe the American people more than a short-term fix that leaves working families staring down a health care crisis, and simply kicking the can down the road is not good enough,” Warner said.
The House will now vote on the bill as early as Wednesday afternoon.
Feature images of Mark Warner (left) and Tim Kaine courtesy Mark Warner and Tim Kaine
