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The US Senate voted 60-40 on Sunday night to break the weeks-long government shutdown, marking the first major step toward reopening federal agencies as early as later this week, Politico reported.
The breakthrough came after eight Senate Democrats agreed to support a bipartisan funding package that would fully fund several key agencies for the rest of the fiscal year and extend all others through January 30, 2026. The deal followed tense negotiations between Senate leaders, the White House, and centrist lawmakers. In exchange, Democrats secured two key concessions from the Trump administration: a commitment to rehire thousands of federal workers who were dismissed at the start of the shutdown and a promise of a Senate floor vote in December on extending expiring Obamacare tax credits. Sunday's vote ended a six-week standoff that had left millions of Americans without key government services, delayed paychecks for federal employees, and closed programs such as food assistance and childcare support. Senate Majority Leader John Thune said the vote marked "a path forward to get America working again." "I am optimistic that after almost six weeks of this shutdown, we'll finally be able to end it," Thune said from the Senate floor, as per CNN. The vote came hours after a small group of moderate Democrats struck a deal with Republicans to use a House-passed stopgap bill as the vehicle for a broader funding package. While the deal signalled a breakthrough, it exposed deep divisions within the Democratic Party. Many liberal lawmakers opposed the plan for not guaranteeing the continuation of Affordable Care Act subsidies, arguing it was a "half-step" that left healthcare protections uncertain. Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut said he would vote "no deal without health care," reflecting widespread frustration among progressives. However, centrist Democrats defended the compromise, calling it a necessary step to end the financial and social fallout of the shutdown. "There's no good solution," said Sen. John Hickenlooper of Colorado. "Some of my colleagues believe Trump will stop at nothing to prevent that subsidy from being restored. We tried it and now we're going to use every other tool. We're not going to quit, " CNN quoted. The funding deal was the product of five weeks of talks led by Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire, Angus King of Maine, Senate Majority Leader Thune, and White House negotiators.Shaheen said Republicans made it clear there would be no better deal if Democrats waited longer. "Now I understand that not all of my Democratic colleagues are satisfied with this agreement, but waiting another week or another month wouldn't deliver a better outcome," she said. Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia said the agreement ensures back pay for all federal employees and prevents mass layoffs for the rest of the fiscal year. "Lawmakers know their constituents expect them to vote for it, and if they don't, they could very well be replaced at the ballot box," he added. (ANI)
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