Washington's congressional delegation voted mostly along party lines Wednesday, with the state's Democrats — except for one — voting against reopening the federal government because the legislation did not address health care premiums, which are set to soar.
The deal, which ends the longest government shutdown in American history, passed both houses of Congress after eight Senate Democrats broke rank Monday to vote with Republicans.
It passed the House on Wednesday with six Democrats, including Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Washougal, joining all but two Republicans to approve the stopgap funding measure.
Washington's two Democratic senators, Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, voted against the bill Monday.
Democrats had demanded that any funding deal include an extension of tax credits that significantly reduce the cost of health insurance under the Affordable Care Act. Republicans, who control both houses of Congress, have not budged in their opposition, although they have pledged to hold a vote on the tax credits in December. President Donald Trump has tried to withhold SNAP benefits — that Democrats argue should still be paid — as the shutdown has dragged on.
Gluesenkamp Perez, who represents a Republican-leaning district and faces one of the toughest reelection campaigns of any incumbent Democrat, said she voted to end this partisan car crash of a shutdown.
"The fight to stop runaway health insurance premiums won’t be won by holding hungry Americans hostage," Gluesenkamp Perez said in a prepared statement. "The last several weeks have been a case study in why most Americans can’t stand Congress. None of my friends who rely on SNAP would want to trade their dinner for an ambiguous D.C. beltway ‘messaging victory,’ and I’m glad this ugly scene is in the rearview mirror."
Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Seattle, in a floor speech, said that the legislation, in allowing health insurance credits to expire, sends premiums soaring for 22 million people.
Republicans "refused to negotiate with Democrats to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits so that 22 million Americans wouldn't have to choose between health care and rent," Jayapal said. "When we refused to go along with that, they caused this 45-day Republican shutdown, illegally refused to pay SNAP benefits for the hungry and illegally canceled flights, throwing the country into chaos."
"I'm a hell no on this bill."
Washington's insurance commissioner estimates that 80,000 people in the state will drop their health insurance if the tax credits are not extended before the end of the year.
Rep. Michael Baumgartner, R-Spokane, on Wednesday morning said the shutdown "never should have happened."
"Really unfortunate what the Democrats put the country through, they achieved nothing with the shutdown but really did cause a lot of strife for folks," Baumgartner said in a video posted to social media. "We need a government that works for everybody not a bunch of political games and nonsense."
Rep. Rick Larsen, D-Everett, voted no, saying that "rising costs under the Trump administration are forcing people in Northwest Washington state to choose between going to the doctor, paying rent and feeding their kids.
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