WASHINGTON—U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) released the following statement after voting against a continuing resolution that fails to prevent millions of people from losing access to health care and does nothing to rein in Trump’s lawlessness:

“Donald Trump and his Republican enablers caused the shutdown. And even more egregiously, Trump has gone out of his way to make it worse, most recently by illegally trying to use hungry kids as leverage to compel Democrats into submission. He is hurting people in order to enrich himself, destroy our democracy, and stay in power forever. His actions over the past month confirm this. Bullies gain power when their misconduct succeeds in causing righteous people to yield in the face of their wrongdoing. That’s why voting for Trump's continuing resolution - without any protection against his health care cuts or his growing illegality - is a mistake.

“Last Tuesday, people poured out of their homes and to the polls to reject Donald Trump, but also to urge Democrats to hold firm in our refusal to vote for a short term budget that throws millions of their health care and allows Trump’s corruption to continue, fully funded and unabated. People know the government shutdown hurts. But people also know that Americans will die when millions cannot afford health insurance next year because of Trump’s massive premium hikes. They wanted us to continue that fight, even knowing that victory was not certain. And 7 million people rushed to the streets last month because they did not want allies of democracy to vote for a budget that puts no significant checks on Trump’s increasing authoritarian behavior. They did not want this outcome.

“I understand my colleagues' desire to fund the government. What Trump has put people through these last few weeks is abhorrent. Of course I want to end the shutdown too. But not at any cost. Standing up to a tyrant who is willing to impose pain in order to compel loyalty or capitulation is hard. Especially for people of good heart who never want to see people suffer. But there is no path to saving our democracy that doesn’t involve hard choices - some that involve enduring pain in the service of proving the demagogue's bullying tactics do not work. Republicans have said they will discuss putting off the premium increases they set in motion once the government opens. If it does open, I hope they are true to their word. If they are not, and millions suffer as their health care costs double - all to finance a giant tax cut for billionaires and corporations - voters will know who to blame.

“Despite my deep disappointment at this deal, make no mistake - the evil that is about to be done on families with sick kids and high medical bills lays solely at the feet of Donald Trump and his Republican enablers. This will not be the last test put to the defenders of democracy. There is no way to sugarcoat this moment. It will have a cost. But it is up to us to keep the fight going. There will likely be even bigger, more consequential moments ahead of us - more chances to stand together against this growing totalitarian inhumanity. The fight isn’t over - by any stretch.”