Democrat caucus members voting with Senate Republicans to end the longest government shutdown in U.S. history could have done so more than six weeks ago, Rep. John Rose, R-Tenn., told Newsmax on Monday.
The Senate took the first step toward ending the government shutdown on Sunday after a group of moderate Democrats agreed to proceed without a guaranteed extension of healthcare subsidies, angering many in their caucus who say Americans want them to continue the fight.
Appearing on Newsmax's "Wake Up America Early," Rose said the 41-day shutdown — now the longest ever — was "completely unnecessary" and caused "pain and anxiety for almost nothing."
"Sixty days ago, essentially two months ago, Republicans in the House voted to fully fund the government," Rose told host Alex Kraemer. "We've put the American people through a lot of suffering only to end up where we could have been back on Sept. 20, if senators had just done what they should have done at that time."
Rose praised the seven Democrats and one independent who finally joined Republicans to advance the funding package, calling it "long overdue."
He urged Senate Democrats not to "drag this out unnecessarily" and instead to "move quickly so that we can get the government reopened, get federal workers paid, and get benefits flowing to American citizens."
The Tennessee Republican pointed to a rare admission from CNN acknowledging that "the Democratic filibuster has been broken," calling it evidence that the public now recognizes who prolonged the standoff.
"I think that those who want to get it do get it," Rose said. "The American people broadly, if they're being honest, understand what CNN just admitted — that it was Democrats who caused this shutdown. They said many times, out loud, that the suffering was leverage. That's disgraceful."
Rose cited House Minority Leader Katherine Clark's past comments that Democrats viewed the shutdown as a "leverage point," calling them proof that "the left was willing to hurt American families for political gain."
Sunday's test vote broke a six-week stalemate after moderate Democrats, including Sens. Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire, and independent Sen. Angus King of Maine, joined Republicans to move the process forward.
While Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., hailed the deal as "the time to act," progressive Democrats erupted in anger.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., blasted his colleagues' votes as "a very, very bad decision," saying Democrats should have continued to "stand up to Trumpism."
Rose dismissed Sanders' remarks as another example of "Trump Derangement Syndrome."
"People like Bernie Sanders have lost all connection with the average American," Rose said. "They don't feel the pain that they're causing. For them, it's all about defeating Trump — even if that means federal workers go without paychecks and families can't buy food."
With the Senate now advancing the deal, Rose said he hopes Democrats have "finally come to their senses" after 41 days of unnecessary suffering.
"It's time to put the American people first," he said. "This should have been done six weeks ago."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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