Dem senator Shaheen doubles down after breaking with party to end shutdown
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New Hampshire Sen. Jeanne Shaheen broke ranks with party leadership by joining with Republicans and seven other Democrats to advance a measure that would end the longest government shutdown in U.S. history; This move sparked harsh reactions from leading progressives.
Shaheen said on “Fox & Friends”: “We’re making sure that Americans can get the food benefits they need, that air traffic controllers can get paid, that federal employees can come back, that laid off people can get paid, that contractors can get paid, that aviation can move forward…”
“We will be able to continue to fight on health care because we will vote in December.”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt. and others, Shaheen called Monday’s vote “[turn] Let the government get back into action” and get the economy “started again.”
SENATE DEMS STRENGTHENED BY WEEKEND MEETINGS BLOCKED GOP PLAN TO END SHUTDOWN FOR THE 11TH TIME
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., speaks at a news conference with other Senate Democrats who voted to restore government funding in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 9. (Nathan Posner/Anatolia via Getty Images)
The New Hampshire Democrat also pushed back on allegations that he acted without party coordination, saying leadership was kept informed throughout the process.
“I think it’s important to remember who is responsible for why we went into this shutdown,” he said.
“We are here because healthcare costs have increased significantly.” [for] “There were millions of Americans, and we had no indication before the shutdown began that our Republican colleagues were willing to address this issue.”
Under the new agreement, both sides will have “the opportunity to work on these health care expenses,” he said, noting that many Republicans “including many Trump supporters” also want help.
JOHN FETTERMAN SPREAD WITH DEMOCRATS ON LOCKDOWN VOTE, SAYS PUTTING AMERICA FIRST WAS ‘An EASY CHOICE’
Housing and Urban Development Secretary Scott Turner said the current government shutdown has shaken healthcare projects, pointing out that the stalls were an example of “the healthcare hypocrisy of the Left.” (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc. via Getty Images)
Eight Senate Democrats, including Shaheen, broke with their party and joined Republicans on Sunday to pass a renewed plan to end the shutdown.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer criticized the move, saying, “This health care crisis is so severe, so urgent, so devastating to families back home, that I cannot in good faith support this CR that fails to solve the health care crisis.”
Senator Sanders also blasted the decision, saying Sunday was a “very bad night.”
Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., also insisted that Schumer is “no longer effective” and “must be replaced.”
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Schumer and Senate Democrats have long held out that they would vote to reopen the government in exchange for a solid deal on extending expiring Obamacare subsidies.
When asked, Shaheen did not share whether she believed Schumer should be replaced.
Fox News’ Alex Miller and Leo Briceno contributed to this report.
