Two House Democrats defied party leadership on Tuesday to support a procedural vote advancing a Russia sanctions bill, marking the second time this month they have broken ranks on a party-line issue.
Reps. Jared Golden (D-ME) and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-WA) joined Republicans in a procedural vote to allow the House to consider a package of bills, including the Russia sanctions legislation. The sanctions bill previously passed the Senate with bipartisan support in August.
The procedural vote, known as a "rule vote," is typically a party-line matter where the minority party does not assist the majority. However, Golden and Gluesenkamp Perez’s support ensured the bill’s advancement, preventing it from being blocked in the House.
Golden’s office stated his vote was intended to prevent the Russia sanctions bill from failing after its Senate passage. "Congressman Golden has been a consistent supporter of America’s allies in Ukraine. He didn’t want to see the Russia sanctions bill die in a rule vote after passing with overwhelming bipartisan support in the Senate," a spokesman said.
Gluesenkamp Perez, who represents a district with a large Ukrainian-American community, echoed this sentiment in a post on X. "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," she wrote. "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."
The two Democrats have previously broken ranks with their party on similar procedural votes, including a prior instance this month where they crossed the aisle to support the sanctions bill. Their actions have drawn attention amid the lead-up to the November midterms, where party unity is often emphasized.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) has not publicly commented on the defiance beyond the procedural outcome. The Russia sanctions bill remains pending further House consideration, with no scheduled vote as of the latest reporting.