In a landmark move, the United States Senate on Monday approved a bipartisan funding bill aimed at ending the 41‑day government shutdown, the longest in U.S. history. The 60‑40 vote saw eight Democrats join Republicans to back the measure, which restores funding for federal agencies and prevents further layoffs until January 30, 2026.
The legislation — now headed to the United States House of Representatives — extends government funding at current levels while bundling three full‑year appropriations bills for veterans affairs, agriculture, and the legislative branch. It also reverses recent mass firings of federal workers, guarantees back pay for furloughed employees, and prohibits additional workforce reductions through January.
While the Senate deal does not include an immediate extension of the expiring health‑insurance subsidies under the Affordable Care Act (a key Democratic demand), senators were promised a later vote on that matter.
House status: The House of Representatives, controlled by Republicans, has been on recess since September. House Speaker Mike Johnson has indicated the chamber may reconvene as soon as Wednesday to consider the Senate bill, but no date is yet formally scheduled. With the shutdown still officially ongoing, passage by the House would trigger full reopening of federal operations, and the measure would then go to President Donald Trump for his signature.
The agreement marks a major breakthrough in the budget impasse that shut down large portions of the federal government, delayed food‑and‑aid benefits, and left hundreds of thousands of federal employees unpaid. Still, the lack of a guaranteed path forward for health care subsidies means negotiations may flare again once government operations resume.
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