Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) said she understands why Democrats are hesitant to trust Republicans to negotiate in good faith over the ongoing shutdown, pointing to the Trump administration’s past use of “pocket rescissions” to claw back billions in government funding that had already been approved by Congress.
Murkowski — a moderate Republican who previously criticized the rescissions as “unlawful” — told reporters Tuesday that Democrats are justified in fearing a “backdoor move” from Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Director Russell Vought.
“If you’re a Democrat, you’re looking at it, and you’re saying, ‘Why am I going to try to be helpful, if Mr. Vought and OMB is just going to do a backdoor move and rescind what we’ve been working on?’” Murkowski told reporters outside the Capitol.
“So, yeah, there’s a lack of trust,” she continued. “Does it make it harder to come to terms on hard things like a government shutdown? Absolutely, it makes it harder.”
Democrats have insisted on extending the enhanced Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies — which are set to expire at the end of the year, raising premiums for millions of Americans — before they agree to back Republicans’ proposal to reopen the government.
Republicans, meanwhile, say any negotiation over health care subsidies must wait until after the shutdown ends.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) has said he is willing to guarantee a vote on extending the ObamaCare subsidies, though he said reforms to the program were needed and he could not assure the outcome of the vote.
Democratic leaders, however, say the offer of a vote is not firm enough to move them to end the government shutdown. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) told MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” on Thursday that GOP leaders “can’t be trusted on a wing and a prayer.”
“We need a real path forward to address the crisis that Republicans have visited upon the American people in terms of health care, the cost of living and affordability,” he added.
Jeffries pointed to a pattern of Republicans attempting to repeal ACA subsidies “more than 70 different times since 2010.”
When asked if she understands why Democrats are hesitant, Murkowski said, “Oh, sure, I do.”
And she noted her vocal criticism of the pocket rescission effort in the past.
“The appropriations process is being run over, and that, to me, is absolutely unacceptable,” she said.
