The U.S. Senate on Monday approved a compromise aimed at ending the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, finally breaking a weeks-long stalemate that left millions without food benefits, hundreds of thousands of federal workers unpaid, and air travel in chaos, according to Reuters.
The measure passed 60-40, with nearly all Republicans and eight Democrats voting in favor. The eight Democrats had tried to tie government funding to expiring health subsidies, but their efforts were unsuccessful. While the agreement sets up a December vote on those subsidies, which affect some 24 million Americans, it does not guarantee they will continue.
The deal restores funding for federal agencies whose appropriations expired on October 1 and halts President Donald Trump’s planned downsizing of the federal workforce, preventing layoffs until January 30. It now heads to the Republican-controlled House of Representatives, where Speaker Mike Johnson said he hopes to pass it as soon as Wednesday and send it to Trump for signature. Trump called the deal “very good.”
Under this agreement, federal funding will continue through January 30, keeping the government on track to add roughly $1.8 trillion annually to the nation’s $38 trillion debt.
The timing comes just after Democratic victories in New Jersey and Virginia, and the election of a democratic socialist as New York City’s next mayor, prompting criticism from some Democrats who worry that Congress might not extend the health insurance subsidies.
“We wish we could do more,” said Senator Dick Durbin, the Senate’s No. 2 Democrat. “The government shutting down seemed to be an opportunity to lead us to better policy. It didn’t work.”
A late October Reuters/Ipsos poll found that 50% of Americans blamed Republicans for the shutdown, while 43% blamed Democrats. Reuters reported that U.S. stocks rose on Monday, lifted by news of progress toward reopening the government.
Trump has previously canceled billions in spending and cut federal payrolls by hundreds of thousands, raising concerns among Democrats about Congress’s ability to enforce its constitutional control over federal spending. The agreement does not include measures to prevent additional spending cuts by the president.
The measure also ensures that the SNAP food-subsidy program will be funded through September 30, 2026, protecting millions from potential disruptions if another shutdown occurs before then.
