Senate passes deal to end historic government shutdown as House travels back to Washington
The US Senate has approved a funding bill that could end the longest government shutdown in American history. The vote, held late Monday, passed by a margin of 60 to 40. Almost all Republicans and eight Democrats supported the measure, which extends government funding through January.
The bill now moves to the House of Representatives. If passed, it will go to President Donald Trump, who said earlier Monday that he is ready to sign it.
The deal was reached over the weekend after talks between a small group of Democrats and Republicans. Their goal was to restart essential services and bring 1.4 million federal employees back to paid work.
Republicans hold a 53–47 majority in the Senate and needed at least 60 votes to pass the measure. Democratic Senators Dick Durbin, John Fetterman, Catherine Cortez Masto, Maggie Hassan, Tim Kaine, Jackie Rosen, and Jeanne Shaheen voted with the GOP. Independent Senator Angus King, who aligns with Democrats, also supported the bill.
Only Kentucky Republican Rand Paul voted against it. After the vote, Senator Susan Collins, a key Republican negotiator, said, “We are reopening government and ensuring that employees receive the pay they earned.”
The shutdown began in October and has halted many public services. Air travel and food aid have been hit hard. Flight tracking site FlightAware reported more than 2,400 flight cancellations and 9,000 delays on Monday. About 41 million Americans receiving food benefits through SNAP have also been affected.
The funding bill now heads to the House, which returns to Washington this week after a long recess. House Speaker Mike Johnson recalled members to begin discussions Wednesday. With a six-seat Republican majority, every vote will matter.
The agreement funds the federal government through 30 January. It also includes full-year budgets for the Department of Agriculture, military construction, and legislative agencies. Federal employees will receive back pay for time lost during the shutdown. Funding for SNAP will continue through September next year.
The bill also sets up a December vote on extending healthcare subsidies that help millions of Americans afford insurance. Some Democrats wanted firm guarantees on this issue before ending the shutdown. California Governor Gavin Newsom criticized colleagues who supported the deal, calling their move “pathetic.”
Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said the bill “does little to fix the healthcare crisis.” But Senator Tim Kaine defended his vote, saying federal workers in his state were “grateful to return to work.”
Senate Majority Leader John Thune has pledged to take up the healthcare issue by mid-December. However, Speaker Johnson has indicated that the House will not schedule a vote on that measure.
President Trump told reporters, “We’ll be opening up our country very quickly. The deal is very good.”
If the House approves the bill, federal offices and agencies could reopen within days, ending a shutdown that disrupted millions of lives and strained the economy.
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