Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) took aim at the Senate Democrats who voted Sunday night for what he characterized as a “horses—” deal to begin the process of reopening the government after a record-long shutdown.
In a post on the social platform X, Pocan called for the public and House Democrats to respond with “outrage” after eight members of the Senate Democratic caucus took a key vote to advance funding legislation, in exchange for what they said was a GOP pledge to hold a vote on extending health care subsidies.
“What Senate Dems who voted for this horses— deal did was f— over all the hard work people put in to Tuesday’s elections,” the progressive lawmaker wrote overnight on X.
“Healthcare matters. Not platitudes,” he continued.
All but three Senate Democrats had remained united in their position against voting for a GOP proposal to fund the government until they could negotiate an extension of the enhanced Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits, which are set to expire at the end of the year and expected to raise premiums for millions of Americans.
But on Sunday, five more Democrats joined three of their colleagues from the caucus in voting for a House-passed bill to reopen federal departments and agencies.
Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) and Tim Kaine (D-Va.) joined Sens. John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and Angus King (I-Maine), an independent who caucuses with Democrats, in support of the House bill.
The Democratic senators argued after their vote that it became clear Republicans were not going to agree to add language to a government funding bill, even if the standoff lasted for weeks longer.
But the move set off fierce backlash within the Democratic Party, which largely felt emboldened in its position in the shutdown standoff after winning big in the elections last week.
Pocan also took a shot at Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) Sunday night, nodding to the leader’s lack of an endorsement for his party’s nominee for mayor of his hometown, New York City Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani, a self-described democratic socialist.
“Don’t endorse or say who you voted for in NYC despite there being a Dem candidate. Get Dem Senators to negotiate a terrible “deal” that does nothing real about healthcare. Screw over a national political party. Profile of scourge? Next,” Pocan posted on X.
Rep. Ro Khanna (D-Calif.), who represents Silicon Valley, also cast blame on Schumer for failing to keep his caucus united against the GOP funding bill.
“Senator Schumer is no longer effective and should be replaced. If you can’t lead the fight to stop healthcare premiums from skyrocketing for Americans, what will you fight for?” Khanna wrote on X.
