The likely end to the longest-ever government shutdown has Democrats turning on each other in searing anger.
The prevailing opinion appears to be frustration that eight senators freelanced a deal with Republicans.
While it does not guarantee the extension of expiring enhanced subsidies for Obamacare health insurance plans, it does guarantee there will be a Senate vote on that subject.
In addition, the deal funds SNAP benefits through 2026.
Sen. Tim Kaine, who helped finalize the deal, defended it on CNN Monday. Kaine noted that the White House had pledged to rehire federal workers fired during the lapse in government funding and to bar further reductions in force at least until January 30.
That’s not good enough for many Democrats who were feeling powerful after victories in mostly blue-state elections last week. They wanted to hold out for more guarantees from the White House, even as the nation’s air travel system started to buckle under the strain of air traffic controllers not being paid and people who rely on the government for assistance buying food went without.
There’s no guarantee that House Speaker Mike Johnson will allow a House vote on extending the enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies, but Kaine argued that if senators pass it with bipartisan support and Johnson ignores it, the GOP will pay a political price.