Screengrab - PBS Newshour

The Senate on Monday voted 81 to 18 to reopen the federal government, bringing a three-day shutdown to an end.




The Democrats voted with Republicans because they have decided to believe Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s super-serious promise that he’ll take up debate on protecting DACA recipients after February 8 in exchange for their votes.

“While this procedure will not satisfy everyone on both sides, it’s a way forward,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said ahead of Monday’s vote.


Presuming McConnell follows through—something that is definitely not guaranteed—will the House, which is even more crammed full with hard-right immigration extremists than the Senate, vote for DACA? Schumer didn’t get around to that part.



As the senators prepared to vote, Illinois Senator Dick Durbin praised his colleagues for their renewed spirit of bipartisanship and their willingness to protect the “institution” of the Senate. Moments later, he voted for a stop-gap funding plan that leaves hundreds of thousands of DACA recipients in limbo, once again. But at least the institution is safe, right?

The federal government will now be open for another three weeks, presuming the House doesn’t screw things up.

These are the 33 Democrats who probably think Lucy will let Charlie Brown finally kick that football too.


Tammy Baldwin (WI)

Michael Bennet (CO)

Sherrod Brown (OH)

Maria Cantwell (WA)

Ben Cardin (MD)

Tom Carper (DE)

Bob Casey (PA)

Chris Coons (DE)

Joe Donnelly (IN)

Tammy Duckworth (IL)

Dick Durbin (IL)

Maggie Hassan (NH)

Martin Heinrich (NM)

Heidi Heitkamp (ND)

Doug Jones (AL)

Tim Kaine (VA)

Angus King (I-ME)

Amy Klobuchar (MN)

Joe Manchin (WV)

Claire McCaskill (MO)

Patty Murray (WA)

Bill Nelson (FL)

Gary Peters (MI)

Jack Reed (RI)

Brian Schatz (HI)

Chuck Schumer (NY)

Jeanne Shaheen (NH)

Tina Smith (MN)

Debbie Stabenow (MI)

Tom Udall (NM)

Chris Van Hollen (MD)

Mark Warner (VA)

Sheldon Whitehouse (RI)