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Rep. Adam Gray, who represents California’s 13th Congressional District, was one of six Democrats who voted in favor of the bill.
WASHINGTON D.C., DC — The House passed a bill Wednesday to end the nation’s longest government shutdown, sending the measure to President Donald Trump’s desk for final signature.
The bill passed with a vote of 222 to 209 to reopen the government after a historic 43 days. The Senate already passed the bill on Monday night.
Democrats wanted to extend an enhanced tax credit that lowers the cost of health coverage obtained through the Affordable Care Act marketplaces. The party refused to go along with a spending bill that did not include that priority.
ABC News reported that six Democrats voted in favor of the bill, including Adam Gray, who represents California’s 13th Congressional District. Gray’s district is located in the San Joaquin Valley, comprising all of Merced County, most of Madera County, and parts of Stanislaus, Fresno, and San Joaquin Counties.
Gray was elected to the House after narrowly beating Republican John Duarte in November 2024.
ABC10 reached out to Gray’s office and received this statement that was part of an opinion editorial in the Turlock Journal:
“This shutdown has made one thing very clear: President Trump and his allies are far too comfortable using vulnerable Americans as political leverage. One of the first things they did during the shutdown was refuse to authorize emergency funds to cover food stamps, delaying SNAP benefits nationwide. In my district alone, more than 47,000 households — 21.1% of all families — rely on SNAP to put food on the table.
“No parent should have to choose between feeding their children and keeping the lights on because someone in Washington thinks chaos is a negotiating tactic.
“That’s why I voted for a bipartisan agreement that takes food assistance off the table for an entire year. So when the next shutdown happens (and in this divided Washington, there is always a next shutdown) the president cannot use hungry kids as bargaining chips again. This agreement also protects veterans, small business owners, and federal workers from being turned into political weapons.”
Congressman Kevin Kiley, R-Roseville, released the following statement after the bill was passed:
“With today’s vote, we have thankfully closed one of the most regrettable chapters in the history of the U.S. Congress. The longest-ever government shutdown, lasting 43 days, has caused hardship and chaos throughout the country. And the baffling decision by House Leadership to cancel six straight weeks of session has left Americans without representation at a time when it was most needed. The gridlock and excessive partisanship in Washington has never been more clearly on display; neither party is emerging from this mess in a positive light.
“I voted to avoid this shutdown from the beginning, and even with the House recessed I’ve been in D.C. working in every way I can to get the government open. I am grateful that has finally happened. It couldn’t come a moment too soon.
“I’ll now be working harder than ever to advance the priorities for our district and for California that have been on hold the last two months: lowering the cost of living, securing education funding, managing our forests, preventing a rise in healthcare premiums, and much more.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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