FROM NY POST: The government shutdown has stretched into one of the longest in U.S. history, with Democrats and Republicans deadlocked over healthcare funding.
On Thursday, the Senate failed in a 54-46 vote to advance a Republican bill to pay certain federal workers during the shutdown, falling short of the 60 votes needed to pass the measure. Only three Democrats, including Fetterman, voted with Republicans.
Among the few lawmakers breaking ranks is Democratic Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa, who voted with Republicans to reopen the government. Now, he’s urging his colleagues to do the same.
“It’s an easy, easy choice to pick my country over the party, especially in circumstances like this,” Fetterman said on “Saturday in America.”
With Republicans asking for the government to reopen before negotiations can commence, Fetterman explained, “I do believe that there’s a critical mass of my fellow Democrats that are dug in until there’s an absolute ironclad kind of a deal.”
But Fetterman said Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D. is an “honorable guy,” and that he believes they will be able to negotiate on healthcare when the government is reopened.
“Let’s just open it up,” he declared.“Then we can have that conversation to see if we can extend those tax credit deals, because I do believe there are enough Republicans that would like to see that too.”
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