The United States Senate has approved a crucial funding bill that could end the nation’s longest government shutdown within days. The measure passed late on Monday with a 60-40 vote. Nearly all Republicans joined eight Democrats who broke ranks to support it. The deal will keep the government funded until the end of January.
The House of Representatives must now approve the bill before President Donald Trump can sign it. Trump signalled earlier on Monday that he was ready to do so. The agreement emerged over the weekend after bipartisan talks aimed to get federal workers back on the job and restart essential services.
Democrats Cross Party Lines
Republicans, who control the Senate with a 53-47 majority, needed at least 60 votes for the bill to pass. Democratic Senators Dick Durbin, John Fetterman, Catherine Cortez Masto, Maggie Hassan, Tim Kaine, Jackie Rosen and Jeanne Shaheen joined Republicans in voting yes. They were joined by Maine’s Angus King, an independent who works with Democrats, who also supported reopening the government.
Only one Republican, Kentucky’s Rand Paul, voted against the measure, aligning with most Democrats who opposed it. The announcement came in a nearly empty chamber, yet those present applauded as the bill passed. “We are going to reopen government, and we are going to ensure that federal employees receive the pay they earned,” said Senator Susan Collins, one of the bill’s architects.
Impact of the Shutdown
The government has been partially closed since October. Around 1.4 million federal workers have gone unpaid or worked without compensation. The shutdown has disrupted travel, delayed services, and affected millions of Americans. Air travel suffered heavily on Monday, with over 2,400 flights cancelled and 9,000 delayed across the country, according to FlightAware.
The shutdown also interrupted food benefits for 41 million low-income citizens, putting extra pressure on households already struggling with inflation. Many public agencies have slowed operations or stopped entirely, leaving communities without crucial support.
House Faces Tight Vote
The funding bill now moves to the Republican-controlled House of Representatives. Lawmakers have been away from Washington since mid-September. With the Senate deal now in place, House Speaker Mike Johnson called members back to the capital.
The House will begin debate on Wednesday. Every vote will matter because Republicans hold only a two-seat majority. It remains uncertain how long the process will take or whether Johnson can secure enough support to move the measure forward.
Inside the Funding Deal
The weekend agreement extends government funding until 30 January. It also secures full-year funding for the Department of Agriculture, military construction projects, and legislative agencies. The bill guarantees back pay for all federal workers affected by the shutdown. It further provides funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which aids one in eight Americans, until September next year.
The package includes a December vote on renewing healthcare subsidies set to expire this year. Those subsidies help millions afford insurance through federal exchanges. Democratic leaders had refused to approve any new funding without action on healthcare assistance.
Divisions Among Democrats
The final compromise was negotiated between Senate Majority Leader John Thune, the White House, and several key Democratic senators, including Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire and Angus King of Maine. However, not all Democrats supported the decision.
California Governor Gavin Newsom criticised the deal, calling it “pathetic.” Senator Chuck Schumer, the Democratic leader in the chamber, said it “fails to do anything meaningful to address America’s healthcare crisis.”
Virginia Senator Tim Kaine, who voted in favour, rejected that criticism. He said federal workers in his state thanked him for helping end the shutdown. Thune pledged to revisit the healthcare subsidy issue by mid-December, though Speaker Johnson has already said he will not bring it to a House vote.
Trump Signals Support
President Trump expressed support for the compromise earlier on Monday. “We’ll be opening up our country very quickly,” he said from the Oval Office, adding that “the deal is very good.” His approval would mark the final step in ending a historic shutdown that left millions of Americans without pay or services for weeks.
If the House approves the bill, government operations could resume within days, bringing relief to workers and restoring confidence in Washington’s ability to govern.
