WASHINGTON—The Senate passed a bipartisan agreement Monday night to reopen the federal government, which, if it passes the House as expected, will bring an end to the longest government shutdown in the nation’s history.
As the shutdown reached day 41, lawmakers passed a final package including a continuing resolution until January 30 and three bipartisan full-year appropriations bills — also known as a “minibus.”
A big hurdle was cleared late Sunday night when the Senate voted 60-40 on the House-passed continuing resolution, officially reaching the 60-vote threshold needed to pass.
Lawmakers extended the resolutions expiration date — originally set for November 21 — so the regular appropriations process could continue after the prolonged shutdown.
On Sunday, after 14 failed votes to reopen the government, Democratic Sens. Dick Durbin (IL), Jeanne Shaheen (NH), Maggie Hassan (NH), Jacky Rosen (NV), and Tim Kaine (VA) flipped their votes to side with Republicans.
The group that previously sided with Republicans voted with them again: Sens. Catherine Cortez-Masto (D-NV), Angus King (I-ME), and John Fetterman (D-PA).
For nearly 40 days, both parties held firm. Democrats said they wanted to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits — which expire at the end of the year — among other demands. Republicans said they’d discuss health care, but demanded the Democrats vote to open the government first.
While Republicans did not give Democrats an extension of the tax credits, Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) said on the floor Sunday night that he guaranteed Democrats a vote no later than the second week in December on their health care proposal.
The deal also reinstates reductions in force (RIFs) that occurred during the shutdown.
The “minibus” includes full-year funding for agriculture appropriations, military construction-VA appropriations, and legislative branch appropriations.
On November 7, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) proposed a one-year ACA extension in exchange for immediately ending the shutdown.
The proposal was swiftly rejected as a “non-starter” from Republicans.
Thune said on Sunday that he was “thankful to be able to say that we have senators, both Democrat and Republican, who are eager to get to work to address that crisis in a bipartisan way.”
“These senators are not interested in political games – they’re interested in finding real ways to address health care costs for American families. We also have a president who is willing to sit down and get to work on this issue,” Thune said.
Thune said he is looking forward to seeing “what solutions might be brought forward.”
Schumer, in a post on X Sunday night, vowed to “keep fighting” and said Dems “have been fighting for months to address America’s healthcare crisis. For the millions who will lose coverage…”
Meanwhile, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) and several House Democrats took to X to oppose the Senate’s proposal.
Jeffries said he will not support spending legislation advanced by Senate Republicans that “fails to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits.”
The House is expected to vote on the resolution as early as Wednesday.