The Senate took a major step Sunday toward ending the longest government shutdown in United States history, voting 60-40 to advance a stopgap funding measure.
The agreement, negotiated over weeks by Senate Majority Leader John Thune, top appropriators, and Democratic senators including Angus King, Jeanne Shaheen, and Maggie Hassan, would reopen the government as soon as later this week.
The framework ensures federal employees laid off during the shutdown are rehired and receive back pay.
Agencies must notify Congress about withdrawn layoff notices and back pay amounts, while a blanket freeze prevents additional firings through Jan. 30, 2026.
“After 40 long days, I’m hopeful we can bring this shutdown to an end,” Thune said before the vote.
Democrats secured a commitment from the Trump administration for a December Senate vote on extending Affordable Care Act subsidies set to expire at year-end.
King noted, “There was zero chance of dealing with the ACA issue as long as the shutdown continued. Now, I don’t know, 50-50? But there’s a lot better chance now than there was this morning…” Shaheen added, “We have a guaranteed vote by a guaranteed date on a bill that we will write.”
Progressives and House Democrats, however, criticized the deal for not guaranteeing the extension. Sen. Elizabeth Warren said she’d vote no, calling it “a terrible mistake.”
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries added, “We will not support spending legislation advanced by Senate Republicans that fails to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits…”
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer also withheld support, saying, “We asked President Trump to step in and meet with us to deliver lower health care for Americans, and, instead, Donald Trump has taken the American people hostage. …I must vote no.”
Despite dissent, the vote cleared a key procedural hurdle, signaling Senate GOP leaders have enough support to pass the funding package.
The House could approve the deal later this week if the Senate acts swiftly. Trump appeared optimistic after the vote, “It looks like we’re getting very close to the shutdown ending,” he told reporters at a Sunday night football game.
