Party prepared to risk government shutdown and will not support GOP bill unless cuts to healthcare are reversed

It has been nine brutal months for congressional Democrats.

Relegated by voters to the minority in last year’s election, they have been powerless to stop Republicans from acting on Donald Trump’s demands to fund an immigration crackdown, strip money for foreign aid and public media, and downsize Medicaid, which provides healthcare to poor and disabled Americans.

That is set to change next week. Funding for the government expires on Tuesday, but Democrats have refused the GOP’s demands to support legislation keeping it open unless the majority agrees to reverse the Medicaid cuts, restore funding to public media and extend subsidies for Affordable Care Act (ACA) plans.