On Monday, the US Senate approved a compromise to end the longest government shutdown in US history. This resolution breaks a weeks-long deadlock that disrupted food aid for millions, left countless federal employees unpaid, and caused chaos in air travel. The measure passed with a 60-40 vote, gaining support from nearly all Republican Senators and eight Democrats, who had unsuccessfully attempted to link government funding to health subsidies set to expire at year’s end. Although the agreement sets a December vote on these subsidies, which benefit 24 million Americans, their continuation is not assured.
The agreement will restore funding for federal agencies that expired on October 1 and delay President Donald Trump’s initiative to reduce the federal workforce, avoiding layoffs until January 30.
The bill now moves to the Republican-led House of Representatives, where Speaker Mike Johnson aims to pass it by Wednesday and forward it to Trump for signing. Trump has praised the agreement as “very good.” The deal extends funding through January 30, allowing the federal government to continue adding approximately $1.8 trillion annually to its $38 trillion debt. Following recent Democratic victories in New Jersey, Virginia, and the election of a democratic socialist as New York City’s next mayor, the agreement has stirred discontent among Democrats. They highlight the absence of assurances that the Republican-controlled Congress will extend the health insurance subsidies.
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Senator Dick Durbin of Illinois, the chamber’s second-ranking Democrat, expressed frustration, “We wish we could do more. The government shutdown seemed like an opportunity for better policy. It didn’t work.”
An October Reuters/Ipsos poll indicated that 50% of Americans blamed Republicans for the shutdown, while 43% blamed Democrats.
US stocks climbed on Monday, encouraged by the progress on reopening the government.
Trump has independently canceled billions in spending and reduced federal payrolls by hundreds of thousands, encroaching on Congress’s fiscal authority. These actions have breached past spending laws, leading some Democrats to question the support of future spending agreements.
The agreement lacks specific measures to prevent Trump from implementing further spending cuts.
However, it will fund the SNAP food-subsidy program through September 30 of the next year, averting potential disruptions if Congress faces another shutdown.
