Same 2 Democrats Come To Rescue Republicans’ Agenda

Democratic Reps. Jared Golden of Maine and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington defied their own party again Tuesday by voting to advance House Republicans’ agenda.

The two Democrats voted with Republicans to open debate on the late Republican South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham’s Russian sanctions bill and on measures to roll back Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations. They previously voted with House leadership to debate several bills after five Republicans voted to shut down the floor to protest the continuing resolution (CR) that passed the House on Sept. 1.

Perez and Golden expressed their support for the Russia sanctions bill, which passed the Senate in August.

“I’m proud to represent one of the largest Ukrainian communities in America-people who have lost fathers, mothers, sons and daughters in the fight to defeat fascism,” Perez said. “I’ll always stand with my community’s values, and am grateful for the 86 senators who voted to send this bill to the house. My vote today gets us one step closer to enacting these sanctions into law and I look forward to voting tomorrow to cut off the flow of Russian oil money fueling this war.”

Perez’s and Golden’s offices did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s requests for comment.

Republican Reps. Andy Harris of Maryland and Ralph Norman of South Carolina voted against debating the bills. Republican Reps. Tim Burchett of Tennessee, Andrew Clyde of Georgia and Scott Perry of Pennsylvania voted “yes” after extended talks with House leaders.

Perez and Golden angered Democratic leadership when they first rescued House Republicans earlier in the month. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Minority Whip Katherine Clark and Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar warned their votes warranted a “serious response.”

“The decision by two of our colleagues to blindside the entire House Democratic Caucus and join with the Republican majority to pass a procedural rule on the brink of failing represents a significant breach of trust,” the leaders said in a Sept. 1 statement. “It is an action that necessitates a serious response, and we have asked the Committee on Caucus Rules to take this up in short order.”

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she was “disappointed” in their vote.