Sen. Shaheen Collaborates with Republicans to End Government Shutdown

New Hampshire Senator Jeanne Shaheen has opted to break away from party leadership, aligning with Republicans and several other Democrats to push for an end to the prolonged government shutdown, which is now the longest in U.S. history. This action has sparked significant backlash from prominent progressive figures.

On “Fox & Friends,” Shaheen stated, “We’re ensuring that Americans have access to food, air traffic controllers receive their pay, federal employees can return to work, laid-off individuals can be compensated, contractors can get their payments, and aviation operations can resume…” She also mentioned an upcoming vote in December, suggesting they could continue addressing health care concerns then.

Amidst opposition from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and other senators like Bernie Sanders, Shaheen emphasized that the primary goal was to revive government operations and stimulate the economy.

The New Hampshire Democratic Party rebutted claims that it acted independently, asserting its leadership was kept in the loop throughout the discussions.

During her remarks, Shaheen noted, “It’s crucial to remember who is accountable for the current shutdown.” She elaborated on rising health care costs and expressed disappointment that Republicans had shown little willingness to tackle the issue before the shutdown began. With the new agreement, she mentioned both parties would have a chance to collaborate on reducing health care expenses, pointing out that even some Republicans, including Trump supporters, are seeking relief.

In a relevant note, eight Senate Democrats, including Shaheen, diverged from their party to support a revised proposal aimed at ending the shutdown.

Chuck Schumer criticized this alliance, indicating that the health crisis is pressing and that he couldn’t support a continuing resolution that ignores the severity of the situation. Sanders labeled the previous day’s decision a “very bad night.” Meanwhile, Representative Ro Khanna argued that Schumer’s effectiveness was waning and called for a leadership change.

Schumer and other Senate Democrats have historically maintained that they would only agree to reopen the government in return for a reliable plan to extend expired Obamacare subsidies. When asked about the possibility of Schumer being replaced, Shaheen did not provide a response.