After 40 days of political gridlock and mounting economic strain, the United States Senate has voted to advance a stopgap funding package that could end the longest government shutdown in the nation’s history.
In a Sunday procedural vote, 60 senators — including eight Democrats who broke party ranks — approved moving forward with the Republican-led measure. The bill would reopen key sectors of the government until January 30, while providing year-long funding for areas such as food aid, veterans’ programmes, and the legislative branch.
However, the package notably omits a guarantee for the continuation of Affordable Care Act (ACA) healthcare subsidies, a key Democratic priority. Instead, the deal promises a separate vote on the issue by December — a compromise that has stirred deep division within the party.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said he could not “in good faith” support the bill, warning that Democrats must not “give up the fight” for affordable healthcare. Independent Senator Bernie Sanders echoed that sentiment, calling the move “a horrific mistake.”
But centrist Democrats — including Dick Durbin, Jeanne Shaheen, Tim Kaine, and Maggie Hassan — argued that ending the shutdown was essential to restore government services and protect federal workers. The deal would reinstate furloughed employees, guarantee back pay, and reimburse states that had spent their own money to keep federal programmes running.
The measure’s approval marks a turning point after six weeks of federal paralysis that saw air travel chaos, unpaid workers, and disrupted social services. On Sunday alone, U.S. airlines cancelled over 2,000 flights, with thousands more delayed due to staff shortages. Treasury Secretary Sean Duffy warned that air travel could be “reduced to a trickle” ahead of Thanksgiving if the stalemate continued.
If the bill passes the Senate’s final vote, it will move to the House of Representatives before reaching President Donald Trump’s desk for signing. Still, uncertainty looms — particularly over whether the promised healthcare vote will happen before year’s end.
As both parties claim partial victory, the Senate’s action signals hope that the U.S. government could finally reopen — but the deeper ideological rift over healthcare remains far from resolved.
