A group of Democrats and one Democratic-aligned independent has helped clinch an agreement to end the government shutdown, saying they had secured a vote on the Affordable Care Act subsidies at the center of the standoff.The negotiators argued that Republicans' "flat refusal" to move on Democrats' earlier proposals made clear that "this is the best possible offer we could secure."Here's a look at some of those members and their rationale for ending the shutdown.Four of them are former governors of their home states, and none are up for reelection in next year's midterms.Sen. Dick Durbin of IllinoisDurbin, a veteran member of Democratic leadership retiring at the end of his term, broke with Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who opposes the deal.In a statement, Durbin said that "this bill is not perfect, but it takes important steps to reduce their shutdown's hurt."He underscored the cost of the disruptions caused by the shutdown."For 40 days—the longest shutdown in U.S. history – federal workers went without paychecks. This includes our air traffic controllers, whose towers were already understaffed. They continued to work 10-hour days, six days per week, to keep our airspace safe, with this additional stress at a life-saving job," he said.Sen. Angus King of MaineKing, an independent, was just elected to a third term in 2024. While he caucuses with the Democrats, King has a penchant for bipartisan dealmaking and was also among the key negotiators expressing alarm about the consequences of the ongoing shutdown.Video above: Sen. Angus King speaks on deal to end shutdown"The question was, is, as the shutdown progresses, is a solution on the ACA becoming any more likely? It appears not," King said Sunday. "I think people are saying we’re not going to get what we want, although we still have a chance – because part of the deal is a vote on the ACA subsidies – but in the meantime, a lot of people are being hurt."Sen. Tim Kaine of VirginiaKaine was also elected to a third term in 2024. The former governor pointed to both ACA subsidies and efforts to defend the federal workforce, a key pressure point in his state, home to roughly 300,000 employees."I have long said that to earn my vote, we need to be on a path toward fixing Republicans' health care mess and to protect the federal workforce," Kaine said in a statement about the vote.Kaine said the deal "guarantees a vote to extend Affordable Care Act premium tax credits," and also that it "will protect federal workers from baseless firings, reinstate those who have been wrongfully terminated during the shutdown, and ensure federal workers receive back pay."Sen. John Fetterman of PennsylvaniaFetterman, elected to the Senate in 2022, has been breaking with Democrats and voting for the House-passed short-term funding resolution. He said that the shutdown "has more than run its course.""If we have the votes, it's probably going to be the minimum if it does," he warned."Our party could be overplaying its hand," he added. "I don't think much anything has been accomplished for the last 40 days except a lot of chaos and a lot of upheaval."Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New HampshireShaheen has announced she would not seek reelection this fall.In a statement Sunday, Shaheen said that "waiting longer will only prolong the pain Americans are feeling because of the shutdown.""Let's be clear: This is a major step that was not predetermined. I have spent years as the lead sponsor of this legislation. There is no one in the Senate who wants to see these tax credits extended more than me. But weeks of negotiations with Republicans have made clear that they will not address health care as part of shutdown talks," Shaheen said.Sen. Maggie Hassan of New HampshireHassan, another former governor, won reelection in 2022 to her swing-state seat. She told reporters that she had been hearing from residents both affected by looming spikes in health care costs and by people affected by the government shutdown."Our work to deliver relief for families now enters an important phase," she said. "Congress has one month to engage in serious bipartisan negotiations to extend the Affordable Care Act’s expiring tax cuts that help people afford their health insurance."Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto of NevadaCortez Masto also voted to end the shutdown. Her term expires in 2028."Too many Americans, hardworking individuals, seniors, children were suffering," she said at a press conference, adding that she was seeing lines at food banks that rivaled the need during the COVID-19 pandemic."We can open the government, and we can still fight to address this looming health care crisis," she added.Sen. Jacky Rosen of NevadaRosen, the other Democrat from Nevada, joined her colleague in voting to end the shutdown. She was reelected last year.What opponents are sayingMany prominent members of the Democratic caucus opposed the deal and voiced ongoing concerns.Video above: Sen. Bernie Sanders calls health care vote compromise a 'meaningless gesture'"I'm voting no on the continuing resolution that would double healthcare premiums for 20 million Americans, kick 15 million people off Medicaid & allow 50,000 Americans to die unnecessarily every year. All to give $1 trillion in tax breaks for billionaires," Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders wrote on social media, live-streaming a speech opposing the deal.Arizona Sen. Ruben Gallego, who is eying a 2028 presidential bid, also said he was a firm "no.""There's a phrase in Spanish, 'Con salud, lo hay todo; sin salud, no hay nada.' It means 'With good health, you have it all; without your health, you have nothing.' It's with that phrase in mind that I stand firm in my decision to vote no so that families across the country can get the health care they need," Gallego said in a statement.PHNjcmlwdCB0eXBlPSJ0ZXh0L2phdmFzY3JpcHQiPiFmdW5jdGlvbigpeyJ1c2Ugc3RyaWN0Ijt3aW5kb3cuYWRkRXZlbnRMaXN0ZW5lcigibWVzc2FnZSIsKGZ1bmN0aW9uKGUpe2lmKHZvaWQgMCE9PWUuZGF0YVsiZGF0YXdyYXBwZXItaGVpZ2h0Il0pe3ZhciB0PWRvY3VtZW50LnF1ZXJ5U2VsZWN0b3JBbGwoImlmcmFtZSIpO2Zvcih2YXIgYSBpbiBlLmRhdGFbImRhdGF3cmFwcGVyLWhlaWdodCJdKWZvcih2YXIgcj0wO3I8dC5sZW5ndGg7cisrKXtpZih0W3JdLmNvbnRlbnRXaW5kb3c9PT1lLnNvdXJjZSl0W3JdLnN0eWxlLmhlaWdodD1lLmRhdGFbImRhdGF3cmFwcGVyLWhlaWdodCJdW2FdKyJweCJ9fX0pKX0oKTs8L3NjcmlwdD4=
A group of Democrats and one Democratic-aligned independent has helped clinch an agreement to end the government shutdown, saying they had secured a vote on the Affordable Care Act subsidies at the center of the standoff.
The negotiators argued that Republicans' "flat refusal" to move on Democrats' earlier proposals made clear that "this is the best possible offer we could secure."
Here's a look at some of those members and their rationale for ending the shutdown.
Four of them are former governors of their home states, and none are up for reelection in next year's midterms.
Sen. Dick Durbin of Illinois
Durbin, a veteran member of Democratic leadership retiring at the end of his term, broke with Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who opposes the deal.
In a statement, Durbin said that "this bill is not perfect, but it takes important steps to reduce their shutdown's hurt."
He underscored the cost of the disruptions caused by the shutdown.
"For 40 days—the longest shutdown in U.S. history – federal workers went without paychecks. This includes our air traffic controllers, whose towers were already understaffed. They continued to work 10-hour days, six days per week, to keep our airspace safe, with this additional stress at a life-saving job," he said.
Sen. Angus King of Maine
King, an independent, was just elected to a third term in 2024. While he caucuses with the Democrats, King has a penchant for bipartisan dealmaking and was also among the key negotiators expressing alarm about the consequences of the ongoing shutdown.
Video above: Sen. Angus King speaks on deal to end shutdown
"The question was, is, as the shutdown progresses, is a solution on the ACA becoming any more likely? It appears not," King said Sunday. "I think people are saying we’re not going to get what we want, although we still have a chance – because part of the deal is a vote on the ACA subsidies – but in the meantime, a lot of people are being hurt."
Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia
Kaine was also elected to a third term in 2024. The former governor pointed to both ACA subsidies and efforts to defend the federal workforce, a key pressure point in his state, home to roughly 300,000 employees.
"I have long said that to earn my vote, we need to be on a path toward fixing Republicans' health care mess and to protect the federal workforce," Kaine said in a statement about the vote.
Kaine said the deal "guarantees a vote to extend Affordable Care Act premium tax credits," and also that it "will protect federal workers from baseless firings, reinstate those who have been wrongfully terminated during the shutdown, and ensure federal workers receive back pay."
Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania
Fetterman, elected to the Senate in 2022, has been breaking with Democrats and voting for the House-passed short-term funding resolution. He said that the shutdown "has more than run its course."
"If we have the votes, it's probably going to be the minimum if it does," he warned.
"Our party could be overplaying its hand," he added. "I don't think much anything has been accomplished for the last 40 days except a lot of chaos and a lot of upheaval."
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire
Shaheen has announced she would not seek reelection this fall.
In a statement Sunday, Shaheen said that "waiting longer will only prolong the pain Americans are feeling because of the shutdown."
Anna Rose Layden/Getty Images
Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) speaks during a press conference following a vote on Capitol Hill on Nov. 9, 2025, in Washington, DC. The Senate convened for a rare Sunday session in an attempt to end the government shutdown.
"Let's be clear: This is a major step that was not predetermined. I have spent years as the lead sponsor of this legislation. There is no one in the Senate who wants to see these tax credits extended more than me. But weeks of negotiations with Republicans have made clear that they will not address health care as part of shutdown talks," .
Sen. Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire
Hassan, another former governor, won reelection in 2022 to her swing-state seat. She told reporters that she had been hearing from residents both affected by looming spikes in health care costs and by people affected by the government shutdown.
"Our work to deliver relief for families now enters an important phase," she said. "Congress has one month to engage in serious bipartisan negotiations to extend the Affordable Care Act’s expiring tax cuts that help people afford their health insurance."
Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada
Cortez Masto also voted to end the shutdown. Her term expires in 2028.
"Too many Americans, hardworking individuals, seniors, children were suffering," she said at a press conference, adding that she was seeing lines at food banks that rivaled the need during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"We can open the government, and we can still fight to address this looming health care crisis," she added.
Sen. Jacky Rosen of Nevada
Rosen, the other Democrat from Nevada, joined her colleague in voting to end the shutdown. She was reelected last year.
What opponents are saying
Many prominent members of the Democratic caucus opposed the deal and voiced ongoing concerns.
Video above: Sen. Bernie Sanders calls health care vote compromise a 'meaningless gesture'
"I'm voting no on the continuing resolution that would double healthcare premiums for 20 million Americans, kick 15 million people off Medicaid & allow 50,000 Americans to die unnecessarily every year. All to give $1 trillion in tax breaks for billionaires," Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders wrote on social media, live-streaming a speech opposing the deal.
Arizona Sen. Ruben Gallego, who is eying a 2028 presidential bid, also said he was a firm "no."
"There's a phrase in Spanish, 'Con salud, lo hay todo; sin salud, no hay nada.' It means 'With good health, you have it all; without your health, you have nothing.' It's with that phrase in mind that I stand firm in my decision to vote no so that families across the country can get the health care they need," Gallego said in a statement.
