Why most LGBTQ+ Congress members oppose deal to end government shutdown

Most LGBTQ+ members of Congress oppose the proposed deal to reopen the federal government.

The proposal would fund most government operations through January 30, but it would fund certain ones through the end of the fiscal year, September 30, including agricultural programs, military construction, and veterans’ affairs. It would also reimburse states for what they’ve spent on the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program and some others, while guaranteeing back pay to furloughed federal employees and those who have been working without compensation.

Related: 'It makes you angry:' LGBTQ+ food pantries prepare for end of SNAP benefits

However, it lacks what has been the sticking point for Democrats — a promise to extend the subsidies for Americans who have health insurance policies under the Affordable Care Act. Without the subsidies, premiums would rise sharply. The package merely promises a vote on the subsidies in December.

Because of that, only eight Senate Democrats joined in a procedural vote Sunday to advance the legislation. It could receive a final Senate vote as early as Monday, then go to the House.

Related: How the government shutdown is affecting LGBTQ+ people — and what bad legislation is upcoming

Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin voted against advancing it. “A wink and a nod to deal with this health care crisis later — with no actual guarantees — is just not enough for me or the Wisconsin families I work for,” she wrote on X, formerly Twitter, Sunday night. “I refuse to sign off on a deal that doesn’t lower working families’ health care costs.” Baldwin, a lesbian, is the only out LGBTQ+ senator.

In the House, LGBTQ+ members Becca Balint, Angie Craig, Robert Garcia, Julie Johnson, Sarah McBride, Chris Pappas, Mark Pocan, Emily Randall, Mark Takano, and Ritchie Torres have all expressed their opposition.

“The bad deal in the Senate jeopardizes everything we’ve been fighting for,” Pocan, of Wisconsin, said in a statement to The Advocate. “The American people stood with us through this shutdown as we have fought to extend ACA tax credits and keep healthcare affordable for millions of families. To not include it is a disgrace. I will not support any deal that fails to address this looming healthcare crisis, and will continue fighting for an extension of the critical ACA tax credits.”

“I cannot support this budget bill because Delawareans deserve so much better,” McBride wrote on Instagram. “We can reopen government and tackle the health care crisis all at the same time. The only thing stopping us for months has been Republican cruelty. … A bill that ignores families paying double for insurance isn’t a solution. Today and every day, I will fight to defend your health care. It’s why I ran for office and it’s why I’ll be voting no."

“This is not a deal, it’s a surrender to Trump,” Garcia, of California, wrote on X. “Senate Democrats should reject this plan that does nothing to prevent healthcare premiums from skyrocketing for millions of Americans. I’ll be a HELL NO in the House.”

“This ‘deal’ is a bad deal for Americans,” Balint, of Vermont, wrote on Instagram. “These pinky promises from Republicans won’t save anyone’s healthcare. We can’t just surrender and leave working people worse off. It’ll be a no from me.”

Californian Takano wrote on X, “I will vote NO on the Senate’s so-called ‘deal.’ It does nothing to fix the GOP’s healthcare crisis that’s sending costs skyrocketing. Democrats should not reward Republicans for their cruelty or their failure to govern.”

Craig, of Minnesota, also posted on X, saying, “If people believe this is a ‘deal,’ I have a bridge to sell you. I’m not going to put 24 million Americans at risk of losing their health care. I’m a no.” In another post, she said, “This so-called deal coming out of the Senate is nothing but a bunch of empty promises. Hear me loud and clear: it’s time to walk the walk. I will not be bullied into backing down.”

Johnson, of Texas, wrote on X, "I am a hell no on a bill that takes away health care from millions of Texans. All I have heard from my constituents is to please protect their health care. It is disgusting that Republicans are determined to inflict maximum pain on the American people to suck up to a deranged President."

“The deal reached in the Senate on government funding fails to prevent a massive increase in health insurance costs for families and small businesses, and for that reason I can’t support it,” New Hampshire’s Pappas said in a press release. “I’ll keep fighting to get legislation to the House floor that will extend premium tax credits, but just hoping Speaker Johnson will do the right thing isn’t good enough for New Hampshire.”

On Instagram, Randall, of Washington State, wrote, “I want a deal to reopen the government, to pay the federal employees in my district and across the country, to ensure the President doesn’t keep trying to withhold food assistance — but a deal that ignores the avoidable health care crisis facing families in Washington isn’t much of a deal at all. Washington families deserve a government that works as hard as they do, and not at the expense of their ability to afford health care.”

And Torres, of New York, told NPR’s Morning Edition Monday, “I’m going to vote no because it’s not a deal. It’s an unconditional surrender that abandons 24 million Americans who are about to see their premiums more than double. My understanding is that we as Democrats were not fighting for a procedural vote. We were fighting for a substantive result, which was the extension of the Affordable Care Act tax credits. And the so-called deal does not guarantee that Republicans will vote for the tax credits. Quite the opposite — it guarantees that they will vote against them. So as far as I’m concerned, the promise of a future vote is a concession that concedes nothing.”

The Advocate has reached out for further comment from these members, and for comment from two LGBTQ+ members who do not appear to have weighed in, Sharice Davids of Kansas and Eric Sorensen of Illinois.

All the LGBTQ+ members of Congress are Democrats.