Democrat lawmakers angry at Schumer over Senate vote to end government shutdown

Since the Senate voted in a move to reopen the government on Sunday evening, Democrats have been reeling over what many of them perceive as a loss: that the GOP was able to put forward a bill to fund the government without an extension of Obamacare subsidies Democrats in the Senate had been pushing for in the shutdown. Many have taken aim at Chuck Schumer in the aftermath of the vote. 

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer voted "no" against the package on Sunday as enough Senate Democrats voted with the Republicans on a cloture vote, bringing debate on the package to a close, meaning it can pass with a simple majority vote without the obstacle of the filibuster.

Despite his vote against the package, however, left-wing Democrats are still enraged over his apparent inability to keep more moderate Democrats from breaking ranks to open up the government without an extension on Obamacare subsidies. Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) claimed that Schumer "is no longer effective and should be replaced."

Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA) also called for "new leadership," and added, "If Chuck Schumer were an effective leader, he would have united his caucus to vote ‘No’ tonight and hold the line on healthcare. Maybe now Ed Markey will finally join me in pledging not to vote for Schumer?" 

Progressive Senator Elizabeth Warren posted to X, "I will not support a deal that does nothing to make health care more affordable. We are in a health care emergency. A simple one-year extension of these tax credits would cost less than Donald Trump’s $40 billion bailout for Argentina. A vote for this bill is a mistake."

"If you can’t lead the fight to stop healthcare premiums from skyrocketing for Americans, what will you fight for?" Khanna added. Axios reported that despite his no vote, "that doesn't mean [a] primary [challenge is] not coming," a senior House Democrat said.

Rep. Becca Balint (D-VT) told reporters, “It's complete BS. A concept of a possible vote. People need healthcare, damn it. Not some lame promise about a mythical future vote."

One progressive House member in Congress said that “people are pissed” and that Democrats “got almost nothing” from keeping the government shutdown going by voting against Republicans.

Those that voted with the Republicans in the Senate included Democratic Sens. John Fetterman (PA), Catherine Cortez Masto (NV), Jeanne Shaheen (NH), Maggie Hassan (NH), Jacky Rosen (NV), Tim Kaine (VA), and Dick Durbin (IL), as well as Democrat-leaning independent Sen. Angus King (ME), bringing the vote to a tally of 40 nays to 60 yeas.

Since there were some adjustments to the Senate version of the bill, the House will have to vote on the package again after it cleared a clean continuing resolution before. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY), however, vowed to oppose the new version of the bill, because he claimed it fails to "decisively address the Republican healthcare crisis."

The healthcare subsidies that the Democrats have been pushing to extend were expiring next year—a date that was set by Democrats.