The US Senate has taken the first step to end the government shutdown after a group of moderate Democrats, including Illinois Senator Dick Durbin, agreed to proceed without a guaranteed extension of health care subsidies. That angered many Democrats, including Illinois’ other US Senator Tammy Duckworth, who say Americans want them to continue the fight. Final passage could be several days away if Democrats object and delay the process.
Durbin says the measure is not like others that were rejected on 14 different votes.
“Republicans finally woke up and realized their Groundhog Day needed to end,” he added. “This bill is not perfect, but it takes important steps to reduce their shutdown’s hurt. Not only would it fully fund SNAP for the year ahead, but it would reverse the mass firings the Trump Administration ordered throughout the shutdown…”
Sen. Tammy Duckworth voted against the funding bill, saying, “This is the time to keep fighting to bring costs down and protect the American people.”
“I simply cannot, and I will not, vote to do nothing to help protect them from Trump’s vindictive and malicious efforts in exchange for a vague promise from the least trustworthy Republican party in our nation’s history.”
