WASHINGTON, United States —The United States Senate on Sunday inched closer to ending the longest government shutdown in the nation’s history, narrowly advancing a bipartisan compromise bill to restore funding and reverse recent federal employee layoffs.
After 40 days of political stalemate, senators from both parties agreed on a temporary funding measure that would reopen government operations until January 30, 2026.
The bill passed a key procedural hurdle, surpassing the 60-vote threshold required to move forward.
“After 40 long days, I’m hopeful we can bring this shutdown to an end,” said Senate Majority Leader John Thune, noting that the shutdown had grounded air travel, halted services, and left federal staff unpaid. “Republicans and Democrats who support this bill know that the time to act is now.”
The legislation seeks to reinstate federal employees dismissed since the shutdown began on October 1 and guarantees back pay for furloughed workers. It also prevents further layoffs through January while setting out long-term funding for selected departments.
However, the bill excludes Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credit extensions — a key Democratic demand — raising the risk of resistance in the House of Representatives. The credits, enacted under former President Joe Biden, are set to expire at year-end, a move expected to increase premiums for millions of Americans.
Senate Republicans refused to attach the health subsidies to the funding bill, but Thune pledged a separate vote on the issue once the government reopens. “We will continue that conversation,” he told reporters, though it remains unclear whether the proposal would have sufficient bipartisan backing.
The measure now heads to the House, where Democrats led by Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries have already announced their opposition. “America is far too expensive,” Jeffries said in a statement.
“We will not support spending legislation advanced by Senate Republicans that fails to extend Affordable Care Act tax credits. We will fight the GOP bill in the House.”
House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican, has kept the chamber in recess since mid-September in a bid to pressure Democrats into accepting the Senate’s terms.
If the House passes the compromise, the bill will proceed to President Donald Trump for his signature — a process that could take several days amid growing political tension over the future of federal spending and healthcare policy.
The deadlock, now the longest shutdown in U.S. history, has crippled vital services and placed nearly a million federal workers in financial distress. Economists warn that continued gridlock could undermine public confidence and weigh heavily on the U.S. economy as 2025 draws to a close.
