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As government shutdown nears end, Durbin face backlash for vote to reopen
As members of Congress make progress on ending the longest federal government shutdown in history, Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin faced criticism for his vote with Republicans to end the standoff.
WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin, of Illinois, defended his vote to proceed with a measure that is likely to end the longest government shutdown in U.S. history.
What we know:
Durbin was one of eight Democrats who agreed to end the shutdown in exchange for a promise from Republicans for a vote on extending subsidies for health insurance plans through the Affordable Care Act, often referred to as "Obamacare."
The ending of subsidies was the main reason why Democrats initially refused to go along with keeping the government open at the beginning of last month.
"Donald Trump and the Senate Republican leadership were willing to do anything to reduce skyrocketing health insurance premiums—a terrible problem facing some 24 million American families," Durbin said on the Senate floor on Monday.
Durbin also cited the lack of paychecks for federal workers, flight delays at airports across the country, and the Trump administration’s refusal to fully fund SNAP benefits as reasons why the shutdown needed to end.
But many progressives and others in the party criticized Durbin and his colleagues who voted "yes" for caving on a key point of leverage. He addressed the criticisms in his speech on Monday.
"Many of my friends are unhappy, they think we should have kept our government closed indefinitely to protest the policies of the Trump Administration," Durbin said. "I share their opinions of this Administration but cannot accept a strategy [that] wages political battles at the expense of my neighbors’ paychecks or food for [their] children."
The other side:
Durbin’s own colleague from Illinois, fellow Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth, voted against the measure.
"I simply cannot vote to do nothing to help protect them from Trump’s vindictive efforts in exchange for a vague promise from the least trustworthy Republican party in our nation’s history," Duckworth said in a statement. "This is the time to keep fighting to bring costs down and protect the American people."
Durbin, 80, won’t run for reelection next year and will retire at the end of this term.
Illinois Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, who is running for Durbin’s seat next year, criticized Democrats who voted to end the shutdown for letting Republicans "off the hook."
"Republicans do not negotiate in good faith," she said in a statement. "Today’s vote plays directly into Donald Trump’s hands and serves as another example of the failures of business as usual. We need fighters in D.C. – not folders."
U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, who is also running for Durbin’s seat, said he would vote against ending the shutdown. Rep. Robin Kelly, another Senate hopeful, said the Senate "abandoned" those who rely on the subsidies and that House Democrats "will keep fighting."