After 43 days of a government shutdown, the Senate has voted to reopen the federal government. Senator Jon Husted (R-Ohio) issued a statement expressing relief at the end of the impasse and criticizing Democrats for what he described as an unnecessary delay.
“After 43 days, it’s finally over. We got a vote to reopen the government. It was completely unnecessary that this happened,” Husted said. He added, “I voted 16 times to reopen the government before, finally, eight Democrats joined us, fighting back against Chuck Schumer and the radical left to say, ‘Enough is enough.’”
Husted emphasized bipartisan cooperation in passing the measure: “And so together, those moderate Democrats and all of us Republicans joined together to reopen government—to end the suffering the American people were facing.”
He pointed to specific hardships caused by the shutdown, stating: “Traffic delays from flights, SNAP benefits, paychecks going unmet, families not able to make ends meet—all so unnecessary after a 43-day temper tantrum by the Democrats.”
Highlighting Republican legislative priorities following the reopening, Husted said: “But I’m proud that as Republicans, we pulled together. We are fighting for middle-class Ohioans and Americans. We’ve passed some of the most amazing tax reform plans in this country’s history.”
He detailed recent tax policy changes: “We cut taxes for middle-income earners, eliminating taxes on tips, eliminating taxes on overtime, cutting taxes on Social Security, child tax credits to help working families. So, we have an agenda to help people earn more, keep more of what they earn, and cut prices by reducing fuel prices, by trying to attack the wasteful, wasteful, wasteful Obamacare plan that’s driven up health care costs. And we know that millions and millions are being siphoned off in fraud.”
Looking ahead but marking progress made with this vote Husted concluded: “So there’s still work to do. But today we can finally claim victory over the radical left who shut down the government for 43 days. I’m happy that we got over this.
“And God bless America. Let’s keep the momentum going.”
As part of the appropriations package ending the shutdown, President Donald Trump signed into law Husted’s bipartisan Streamlined Market Access and Reform for Therapeutics Over-the-Counter (SMART OTC) Act. This legislation is intended to remove certain FDA barriers and increase access to affordable over-the-counter medicines for taxpayers. The SMART OTC Act is Husted’s second bill enacted since joining the Senate ten months ago.
The appropriations package also includes provisions supporting veterans’ services and military infrastructure as well as measures affecting agriculture and legislative branch operations.
The full text of the law is available here.
