Dec. 13, 2025, 5:00 AM ESTBy Sahil KapurWASHINGTON — For years, Democrats railed against Republicans who voted against government spending bills and then touted the money delivered home to their districts.But now, in the Republican-controlled Congress during President Donald Trump’s second term, numerous House Democrats are doing the same thing.That includes at least three Democrats in swing districts who voted no on last month’s government funding package, along with most of the party over its failure to extend expiring funds under the Affordable Care Act. That standoff led to a 43-day shutdown. But after the government reopened, largely with GOP votes, these Democrats claimed credit for some provisions in the bill, including funding they sought to include as it was developed.Kornacki: Polls don’t show ‘huge gap’ in favorability between Democrats & Republicans03:51First-term Rep. Josh Riley, D-N.Y., last month touted what he called “three urgently needed projects” in New York totaling $2.6 million under the November bill: a fire station project in Guilford and two health care centers in Margaretville and South Fallsburg.“It means Guilford’s volunteer firefighters will finally have a safe station to work from, families in Margaretville will have better access to care close to home, and South Fallsburg will get the permanent clinic it’s needed for years,” Riley said in a statement, vowing to “keep pushing to make sure rural communities in Upstate New York get the resources they deserve.”Riley voted against the funding package and later said he will “keep pushing to make sure rural communities in Upstate New York get the resources they deserve.”Multiple others welcomed money under the funding bill, which passed 222-209 last month with just six Democrats joining 216 Republicans to vote yes. While the appropriations measures were developed with input from both parties, and Democrats didn’t object to the spending provisions, a vast majority voted no due to the exclusion of ACA funding that would prevent insurance premiums from surging next year.Still, it’s a move that former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., derisively called “vote no and take the dough” when Republicans took credit for money brought home under bills they opposed, including Biden-era programs like the American Rescue Plan and the infrastructure package.Rep. Laura Gillen, D-N.Y., a first-term Long Island Democrat who arrived in Congress after Pelosi stepped down as party leader, stood outside a fire department in her district with a large check to celebrate a grant under the same bill.“In May, I urged the House Appropriations Committee to allocate new federal funding for a fire truck for the Bellerose Village Fire Department and successfully secured $938,000 during the FY2026 Appropriations process,” Gillen said. “I am delighted that this funding is now headed to Bellerose to help our first responders.”Rep. Gabe Vasquez, D-N.M., said he’s “proud” to have secured more than $1.8 million in funds for projects in his district, saying they’ll enhance rural economic opportunities and help farmers. “This is about delivering real results for southern New Mexico.”Asked about his vote, Vasquez told NBC News in a statement: “Unlike my predecessor, I have actually submitted and fought for federal funding for community projects here in my district.”Other Democrats in safer seats have similarly touted funds brought home after voting against the bill — including Reps. April McClain Delaney, D-Md., Ted Lieu, D-Calif., Donald Norcross, D-N.J., and Rick Larsen, D-Wash.Rep. Pete Aguilar, D-Calif., the No. 3 House Democrat, didn’t comment on specific examples, as he said he hadn’t seen members touting that bill’s funding projects at home.“Republicans did quite a bit of that previously, during the Biden administration,” Aguilar said in a brief hallway interview. “We don’t have quite the visibility on where the Trump administration is putting grant funds as we did previously.”“I think it’s important, always, to share information with your constituents on what’s happening in your district,” he said.Part of the reason for the reversal in attitudes is that House Republicans have been able to largely unify around spending bills this year, despite their narrow majority. That’s a shift from prior years, when Republicans routinely had to rely on Democratic votes in the House to fund the government, even when the GOP controlled Congress and the White House.“They’ve got nothing,” Rep. Richard Hudson, R-N.C., the chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee, told NBC News. “They’ve got no ideas to offer the American people, and they have no accomplishments to run on. So it doesn’t surprise me. But they’re not going to get away with it.”Hudson is now in the unusual position of taking ownership of the spending bill on behalf of the GOP. He said he doesn’t recall Pelosi mocking Republicans who “vote no and take the dough.”“That sounds smart enough to be her,” Hudson said.Sahil KapurSahil Kapur is a senior national political reporter for NBC News.