Hakeem Jeffries, the House Democratic leader (D-NY), announced on Monday that he would oppose the Republican-backed bill to open the federal government. This sets up an epic showdown at the start of the second week of the shutdown.
This measure passed by 60-40 in the U.S. Senate on Sunday evening. It was supported widely across the political spectrum and seemed to be a solution for the government shutdown which began back in November. Jeffries, however, made it clear that House Democrats will not support the plan. They claim that this does not meet Democratic core priorities.
Jeffries expressed his support on Monday for Senate Majority leader Chuck Schumer, (D-NY), standing behind his Senate counterpart despite growing criticism by progressive Democrats regarding the compromise agreement to end the shutdown.
Jeffries replied to reporters, “Yes, and yes.” When asked whether Schumer was effective in his role as Senate Minority Leader and if he should continue the position.
Jeffries and other Democratic leaders have indicated they will oppose the GOP’s stopgap financing bill, when it comes to the House Floor later this week. Schumer voted to stop the bill from being advanced during Sunday’s Senate session.
He also thanked Senate Democrats who resisted, saying that “the overwhelming majority, led by Chuck Schumer have waged a valiant battle over the past seven weeks and defeated the Republican spending bill fourteen or fifteen times in varying order, week after, after, after.”
Senators Angus King, I-Maine and Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H. negotiated the Senate agreement. The Senate agreement was negotiated by Senators Angus King (I-Maine), Jeanne Shaheen (D – N.H. Along with several Republican colleagues. This proposal would fund the federal government until January, and end the longest U.S. shutdown without any major cuts in spending.
The package was approved by several Senate Democrats, who joined Republicans to describe it as an essential step in restoring stability and avoiding further economic damage. The shutdown caused hundreds of thousands to lose their paychecks, and has disrupted vital services throughout the nation.
Jeffries’ position effectively stops momentum in the House where Democrats are strongly opposed to it. House Republicans without Democratic support will need to choose whether they want to pass the bill on their own, or open negotiations in order to accommodate some of Jeffries’ demands.
Jeffries’ main objection is that the bill does not include a provision to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits, which are due to expire in 2022 under the Democrats’ reconciliation package. Democrats are pushing for an extension of one year to prevent millions of Americans from paying higher premiums in the coming years.
Jeffries’s announcement exposed divisions in the Democratic ranks. Several Senate Democrats had voted to advance the measure. This split highlights the challenges facing the party leaders, who must balance the pressure on them to end the shut down quickly while also maintaining leverage over key policy matters. Republicans are claiming that Jeffries’ refusal to compromise is the reason for the prolonged standoff.
Furloughs for thousands of federal workers have already been imposed by the shutdown that began when Congress failed to pass an ongoing resolution before November 1. Small businesses and contractors are warning that the economic stress is increasing daily if this stalemate persists.
Jeffries has not shown any signs of backing off. Jeffries’ opposition shows that Democrats will endure political consequences rather than accept an unpopular plan, which they feel undermines the health-care protections of working class priorities. Both parties are under increasing pressure as federal offices remain closed and tensions between the two political camps continue to rise.
