Top House Democrats are pushing fellow Senate members to kill Republican spending bills.
“I don't expect the senator to vote for this,” said Rep. Pete Aguilar, California, head of the House Democrat. “This is a bad bill. We didn't negotiate this bill. They didn't negotiate this bill. …For our national security, for the benefit of American families, they need to vote no and defeat this bill.”
This push happens because Senate Democrat leaders are slippery in their approach to the Republican bill, and some moderates suggest they are open to supporting it.
House Democrats effectively united Tuesday evening by opposing the GOP spending package. It was created by House Republicans without democratic opinions. They have lost only the asylum of Assemblyman Jared Golden (D-Maine) who said he didn't want to risk government shutdowns.
Golden's support was not a determinant of approving the bill. The bill passed 217-213 and is now heading to the Senate. Procedural gambits that require 60 votes in the Senate as Filibuster is playing – eight Democrats will have to cross the aisle to pass through the upper room.
House Democrat leaders are urging them to resist. They said party unity, which will be displayed at home on Tuesday evening, should lend both momentum and inspiration to Senate Democrats to oppose the bill.
“It's my understanding that Senate Democrats will meet as the Caucus tomorrow,” said Hakeem Jeffries (DN.Y.), a minority leader. “The strong House Democrats' vote against this reckless Republican spending bill speaks for itself.”
Rep. Katherine Clark (Massachusetts), a democratic whip stacked up. She characterized the GOP bill as a threat to federal programs that benefit children, seniors, veterans and other vulnerable groups.
“This is one of these votes. Who are you on? Are you fighting for the people of the house? Are you fighting for something like public schools for our VA Bureau? Clark said. “So, I don't know why Democrats look at this and decide they want to be on that side of the ledger. I think we've sent a very strong message as House Democrats.
“You don't chase people's health care. You don't go after research. You can't say there's anything else other than a conspiracy to chase our public schools and veterans and cut expenditures to give it to the wealthiest people,” she continued. “So we look forward to seeing a no-vote from the US Senate.”
