The reopening of the federal government has not bridged the partisan divide among Wisconsin’s congressional delegation. Despite a bipartisan agreement, the shutdown’s rationale remains a point of contention between Republicans and Democrats.
President Donald Trump signed a temporary funding bill on Wednesday night, enabling federal agencies to resume operations. The legislation saw support from a few Democrats, though notably, none from Wisconsin. U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin, along with U.S. Reps. Mark Pocan and Gwen Moore, all voted against the measure.
Throughout the 43-day shutdown, Democrats insisted on incorporating an extension of Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits into the spending bill, warning of potential premium hikes without it. Republicans, however, resisted this demand, agreeing instead to a future vote on the matter in exchange for Democratic support.
In a social media statement on Thursday, Baldwin defended her decision, saying, “I’m not ok raising health care costs on 22 million Americans — it is as simple as that.”
Pocan also took to social media, explaining his vote against the bill due to the absence of the ACA tax credit extension. “That means millions will have to pay significantly more for their healthcare in the coming months or lose their insurance entirely,” he remarked. He warned of a “ripple effect” causing rate hikes for almost everyone nationwide.
Appearing on WPR’s “Wisconsin Today”, Moore expressed her reluctance to support the spending bill, citing a lack of dialogue on preventing an ACA premium surge and critiquing Trump’s actions as undermining Congress’ fiscal authority.
Moore highlighted the Republicans’ prior vote to cut $9 billion in federal funding for public media and foreign aid, suggesting similar actions could affect the current bill’s provisions. When asked about the shutdown’s efficacy, Moore noted, “it was what it was,” adding that her constituents viewed the vote as worthwhile despite the hardships.
Criticism also arose from Moore and Pocan towards a Senate bill provision allowing GOP senators to sue if their phone records were accessed during the FBI’s January 6th investigation, potentially claiming $500,000 or more in damages.
Conversely, Wisconsin’s Republican representatives saw the shutdown as futile. U.S. Rep. Derrick Van Orden argued that Democrats gained little beyond a new bill deadline. Meanwhile, U.S. Rep. Scott Fitzgerald expressed satisfaction that the bill excluded an extension of Obamacare subsidies, viewing it as beneficial for taxpayers and conducive to reform discussions.
U.S. Rep Tom Tiffany criticized Democrats for prioritizing politics over the public, asserting that Republicans ended a “hostage racket.” In an interview with Bloomberg, U.S. Rep. Bryan Steil remarked that the shutdown should never have occurred, stating, “No one benefits. A lot of people were hurt. And I think at the end of the day, Democrats will look back and recognize that this was a failure.”
Sen. Ron Johnson has yet to comment on the bill’s passage as of Thursday afternoon. However, he previously commented on the lawsuit provision, stating he has “no plans” to sue but might do so to reveal what he described as the “corrupt weaponization of federal law enforcement” under President Biden’s administration.
