The United States’ longest-ever government shutdown appears close to resolution after a 60–40 Senate vote on Monday approved a compromise deal supported by several Democratic senators, a move that has sparked backlash within the party.
The shutdown, which began on October 1, left over one million federal workers without pay and caused widespread disruptions to government services and air travel, with more than 1,000 flights canceled daily.
President Donald Trump praised the Senate breakthrough, telling reporters in the Oval Office, “We’ll be opening up our country very quickly—the deal is very good.”
Senate Republican Leader John Thune also celebrated the outcome, saying the bill offers “a clear path to ending this unnecessary shutdown in a responsible way that quickly pays federal workers and reopens the federal government.”
Among the eight Democrats who crossed party lines was Senator John Fetterman, who defended his vote on X, writing, “Feed everyone. Pay our military, government workers, and Capitol Police. End the chaos in airports. Country over party.”
The stopgap funding bill, which reopens the government through January and restores funding for critical programs such as SNAP food aid, now heads to the Republican-controlled House of Representatives for a vote expected later this week.
House Speaker Mike Johnson said the chamber would reconvene soon, adding, “It appears to us this morning that our long national nightmare is finally coming to an end.”
The deal emerged after weeks of deadlock over Democrats’ push to extend health insurance subsidies under Obamacare, which are set to expire at the end of the year. Republicans insisted that negotiations over health care should only resume once the government reopens.
While the agreement allows for a future Senate vote on health care, it does not guarantee the subsidies will be extended—a point of contention that continues to divide Democrats.
Senator Jeanne Shaheen, who voted in favor of the measure, called it “a big step forward towards protecting the health care of tens of millions of Americans,” while top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer opposed the bill, saying he “could not in good faith” support a plan that “fails to address the health care crisis.”
“This fight will and must continue,” Schumer vowed.
California Governor Gavin Newsom denounced the compromise as “pathetic,” while other Democrats, including Representative Seth Moulton, criticized Schumer for failing to maintain party unity.
What you should know
After 40 days of shutdown, the US Senate passed a bipartisan deal to reopen the government, with several Democrats breaking ranks to join Republicans and President Trump in ending the stalemate.
The agreement restores essential funding but leaves unresolved the contentious issue of health insurance subsidies under Obamacare, deepening divisions within the Democratic Party.
