Many Democrats are up in arms that seven Democratic senators voted alongside Republicans on a deal to end the shutdown that does not include an extension of the health care subsidies they have been fighting for.

LGBTQ+ members of the party are no exception, with many of them publicly expressing their disgust that any Democrats would cave.

Related

Mark Takano blasts Republicans for cruelly blaming shutdown on trans people

Without the subsidies, some people’s health care premiums are set to increase by thousands of dollars per person, according to a KFF analysis, with older Americans who are nearing retirement being disproportionately affected. This will likely result in people dropping insurance coverage, increasing health care costs for everyone as the pool of people paying into health care shrinks. Others will face severe hardship if they have a health issue without insurance to cover it.

The Senate ultimately voted for a continuing resolution to reopen the federal government without extending the ACA subsidies. Almost all Republicans voted for it – Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) did not – and they were joined by seven Democrats who crossed party lines, as well as one independent.

Insights for the LGBTQ+ community

Subscribe to our briefing for insights into how politics impacts the LGBTQ+ community and more.
Subscribe to our Newsletter today

Part of the deal was a promise to hold a vote on the ACA subsidies at a later date, without any guarantee that the House of Representatives would do the same. 

Here are some LGBTQ+ Democrats across the country who have expressed vehement opposition to the deal.

LGBTQ+ House Members

LGBTQ+ Reps. Sarah McBride (D-DE), Angie Craig (D-MN), Robert Garcia (D-CA), Becca Balint (D-VT), Mark Takano (D-CA), Angie Craig (D-MN), Julie Johnson (D-TX), Chris Pappas (D-NH), Emily Randall (D-WA), Ritchie Torres (D-NY) have all condemned the deal and indicated they will not vote for it in the House.

“If people believe this is a ‘deal,’ I have a bridge to sell you,” said Craig, who is running for the U.S. Senate. “I’m not going to put 24 million Americans at risk of losing their health care.”

Garcia called it “a surrender” and said he’ll be “a HELL NO in the House.”

Johnson said she’s a “hell no” and called Republicans “disgusting” for wanting “to inflict maximum pain on the American people to suck up to a deranged President.”

Balint said there is no reason to trust Republicans will actually be willing to negotiate on healthcare subsidies when the government is reopened since “they don’t act in good faith.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Representative Becca Balint (@repbeccab)

McBride emphasized that the people of her state “deserve so much better.”

“We can reopen government and tackle the health care crisis all at the same time,” she said. “The only thing stopping us for months has been Republican cruelty.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Congresswoman Sarah McBride (@congresswomansarahmcbride)

Pappas, who is running for the U.S. Senate, released a statement saying the deal “fails to prevent a massive increase in health insurance costs for families and small businesses.”

“For that reason, I can’t support it,” he said. “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.”

Takano called out the Democratic defectors, who he said should not “reward Republicans for their cruelty or failure to govern.”

Randall said the deal “isn’t much of a deal at all” if it “ignores the avoidable health care crisis facing families.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Congresswoman Emily Randall (@repemilyrandall)

Torres agreed, calling it “an unconditional surrender that abandons 24 million Americans who are about to see their premiums more than double,” during an interview with NPR.

Two out House members – Sharice Davids (D-KS) and Eric Sorenson (D-IL) – do not seem to have released thoughts.

Sen. Tammy Baldwin

Sen. Tammy Baldwin not only condemned the deal, but she fought to save health care subsidies until the very end. In a last-ditch effort to fund health care for working-class Americans, Baldwin introduced an amendment Monday night that would have extended subsidies for one year.

The amendment ultimately failed. Fifty-three senators – all the Republicans – voted against it, while the 47 Senate Democrats and independents voted for it.

“My Republican colleagues sent a clear, unmistakable message that they are okay with jacking up health care costs on 22 million Americans,” Baldwin said in a statement after the vote. “I’m not, and I am going to keep fighting to stop these massive health care price increases that Wisconsin families are staring down.”

Pete Buttigieg

Out former Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg flat-out called the Senate agreement “a bad deal.”

“Everyday life – making it better and more affordable – must always be our bottom line,” he wrote on social media. “For months, I’ve been hearing from people bracing for their health insurance bills to skyrocket – so much that some will lose coverage altogether. Some say they simply haven’t even opened their letter yet, dreading the bad news. Any deal that fails to address this directly is a bad deal.”

Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey

Out Gov. Maura Healey slammed the fact that the government has been closed for over a month, and despite the many sacrifices the American people have been forced to make (like losing SNAP benefits, enduring layoffs, missing paychecks, and having flights cancelled), nothing has actually been accomplished.

“Now we have a situation where nothing has been done to prevent people’s healthcare costs from skyrocketing,” Healey said. “It’s total dysfunction down in Washington D.C., and we need Republicans in Congress to come back to work and make sure that there is a vote to extend those healthcare subsidies for at least another year.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Maura Healey (@maura_healey)

California state Sen. Scott Wiener

California state Sen. Scott Wiener, who is currently running for Congress, slammed the Democrats who “bent the knee” to the president.

“This is a bad deal and Democrats need to be willing to fight and stand up to this authoritarian regime, no matter how painful that may be,” Wiener wrote on social media.

He explained in an accompanying video that “when you are fighting an authoritarian regime, it is painful to win.”

“There are costs and consequences to try to take them down and stop their agenda,” he said, begging House Democrats to reject the bill. “When you actually have the leverage, you have to use it.”

Pennsylvania state Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta

State Rep. and DNC Vice Chair Malcolm Kenyatta, a rising star in the Democratic Party, wrote on social media that “healthcare is worth fighting for.”

“Our neighbors need Democrats to win this fight,” he said. “Giving in right now for a ‘pinky promise’ from a Republican Party committed to making healthcare unaffordable makes no sense. This should not happen.”

Editor’s Note: This article originally misidentified Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta as a former state Representative and former DNC Vice Chair. He currently holds both roles. We regret the error.

Subscribe to the LGBTQ Nation newsletter and be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.