The US Senate took a critical step toward ending the historic 40-day federal government shutdown on Sunday, advancing a compromise bill designed to reopen operations and provide back pay for furloughed federal workers.
The vote passed by the bare minimum needed to The bill, which was advanced with support from moderate Democrats, amends a House-passed measure to fund the government until January 30 and includes a package of three full-year appropriations bills (for Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, and the Legislative Branch).
The key concession by Republicans was the agreement to hold a separate vote in December on extending the Affordable Care Act (ACA) enhanced premium tax credits. These subsidies, which have helped increase ACA enrollment to over 24 million, are set to expire at the end of the year, threatening to double monthly premiums for many Americans in 2026.
The measure is a major win for federal employees, as it would provide back pay for all federal workers (including the military, Border Patrol, and air traffic controllers) and prohibit federal agencies from firing employees until January 30, stalling the administration’s downsizing campaign. At the start of the second term, the civilian federal workforce was 2.2 million.
The deal was brokered by Democratic Senators Maggie Hassan and Jeanne Shaheen (NH) and Independent Senator Angus King (ME).
The compromise was met with significant backlash from top Democrats. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer voted against the measure, calling the situation a "Republican-made health care crisis."
US Representative Ro Khanna publicly demanded Schumer be replaced, posting on X that the Minority Leader was "no longer effective" for failing to secure a definite extension of the ACA subsidies.
The shutdown, which began on October 1, has now lasted 40 days, sidelining federal workers and disrupting essential services like food aid, parks, and air travel.
Air travel staffing shortages have become critical, threatening to derail travel during the busy Thanksgiving holiday season.
White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett warned that if the shutdown, especially the air travel disruptions, persists much longer, economic growth could turn negative in the fourth quarter.
The Senate is scheduled to reconvene on Monday, with Republican leaders attempting to secure a bipartisan agreement to circumvent Senate rules and move quickly to a final passage vote. Without such cooperation, the final vote could be delayed until the end of the week, potentially extending the shutdown into the next weekend.
President Trump expressed optimism prior to the vote, stating, "It looks like we’re getting very close to the shutdown ending." He continues to demand that ACA funding be redirected from health insurance companies directly to individuals.
