The United States Senate has approved a key funding bill that could end the nation’s longest government shutdown within days. The measure passed late on Monday with a 60-40 vote, backed by nearly all Republicans and eight Democrats. The deal ensures government funding through the end of January.
The bill now moves to the House of Representatives, where lawmakers must approve it before President Donald Trump can sign it into law. Trump said earlier on Monday that he was ready to support the measure. The breakthrough followed weekend negotiations between both parties to restart government operations and bring federal employees back to work.
Cross-Party Votes Secure Passage
Republicans, who hold a 53-47 Senate majority, needed at least 60 votes for approval. Democratic Senators Dick Durbin, John Fetterman, Catherine Cortez Masto, Maggie Hassan, Tim Kaine, Jackie Rosen and Jeanne Shaheen joined Republicans in backing the bill. Maine’s independent senator Angus King, who aligns with Democrats, also voted in favour.
Only one Republican, Rand Paul of Kentucky, opposed the measure. When the final vote was announced, the few senators remaining in the chamber cheered. “We are reopening government and ensuring that federal workers receive the pay they earned,” said Senator Susan Collins, a Republican who co-authored the bill.
Millions Affected by Shutdown Impacts
Since October, about 1.4 million federal employees have been forced to work without pay or take unpaid leave. The shutdown has disrupted major services, including air travel, food assistance and federal programs nationwide.
FlightAware reported over 2,400 flight cancellations and 9,000 delays on Monday alone. Food benefits for 41 million low-income Americans have been halted. The effects have rippled across the country, closing offices and slowing vital operations that millions rely on daily.
House Faces Tight Vote Margin
The Republican-controlled House of Representatives now faces intense pressure to pass the funding bill. Lawmakers have been absent from Washington since mid-September, but Speaker Mike Johnson has recalled them for debate starting Wednesday.
With only a two-seat Republican majority, every vote will be crucial. The timeline for passage remains uncertain, but both parties agree that ending the shutdown is now a national priority.
Inside the Weekend Agreement
The deal funds government operations until 30 January. It includes full-year budgets for the Department of Agriculture, military construction and legislative agencies. It also ensures back pay for federal workers and extends funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) through next September.
Another provision schedules a December vote on extending healthcare subsidies that expire this year. These subsidies help millions of Americans pay for insurance through government marketplaces. Democratic leaders had demanded this guarantee before agreeing to new funding.
Democrats Divided Over Concessions
Senate Majority Leader John Thune led negotiations alongside the White House and Democratic Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan, with Angus King also participating. The compromise, however, exposed deep divisions within the Democratic Party.
California Governor Gavin Newsom denounced the deal as “pathetic.” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said it “fails to fix the nation’s healthcare crisis.”
Virginia Senator Tim Kaine, who voted for the measure, defended the compromise. He said federal workers in his state were “thankful” that an agreement had been reached. Thune promised to revisit the healthcare issue in December, though Speaker Johnson has said he will not bring that vote to the House floor.
Trump Promises Swift Reopening
President Trump said earlier on Monday that he would sign the bill if it reached his desk. “We’ll be opening up our country very quickly,” he told reporters in the Oval Office. “The deal is very good.”
If the House passes the bill, the shutdown could end within days, restoring pay to federal employees and reviving essential services. The vote would mark the conclusion of a record-breaking political standoff that has paralysed Washington and strained millions of American families.
