The longest shutdown in US history could be finally be coming to an end after Senate Democrats joined Republican rivals to strike a late-night deal to end the chaos.
Republicans, seven Democrats and one Democrat-leaning Independent came together on Sunday night in a tense two-hour Senate vote to introduce a stopgap measure which would allow government funding to resume until late January.
The breakthrough deal for the 40-day government impasse overcome its first major hurdle 60-40 votes but must now return to the House and eventually to President Donald Trump‘s desk for his signature before the shutdown can be lifted.
The shutdown has left 42 million Americans with no access to their SNAP benefits, forced airlines to cancel thousands of flights and left more than a million federal workers without an income.
Even before the tally had concluded, enough Democrats had voted in line with Republicans to ensure the measure passed.
The final vote came from Republican John Cornyn, who arrived in the chamber about 10.45pm and handed his party the win.
In all, seven Democrats and one Independent who caucuses with the Democrats sided with Republicans: Dick Durbin of Illinois, Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada, Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire, Tim Kaine of Virginia, Jacky Rosen of Nevada and Independent Angus King of Maine.
Trump weighed in on the progress when he returned to the White House on Sunday prior to the vote, telling reporters: ‘It looks like we’re getting close to the shutdown ending.’
Immediately after the vote, Independent Senator Angus King held a press conference alongside the Democrats who, with him, voted with the Republicans to push the bill through
The shutdown left 42 million Americans with no access to their SNAP benefits, forced airlines to cancel thousands of flights and left more than a million federal workers without an income
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) revealed earlier on Sunday that progress was being made toward a deal
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (pictured) has been locked in tense negotiations to get a deal through. He revealed on Sunday he would oppose the Republican plan
‘We’ll never agree to give any substantial money, or any money, to illegals that come into this country, and I think the Democrats understand that.’
The deal includes a clause guaranteeing federal employees who were fired during the shutdown would have their jobs reinstated, as well as an assurance that such measures would not take place in the future.
It also ensures food stamp funding through the end of the 2026 fiscal year.
Democrats had previously voted 14 times against Republican continuing resolutions to reopen the government while negotiations were ongoing.
Party leaders had up until this point refused to work with the GOP to reopen government unless they agreed to an extension of subsidies for health plans offered under the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
As part of the newly agreed upon deal, the ACA will be put to a vote by mid-December.
Despite holding a majority in Congress, Republicans only have 53 seats in the Senate, falling short of the 60 votes needed to pass a funding bill.
Both parties have been uneasy about the shutdown’s escalating consequences. They are eager to get the government running again before the situation worsens.
Bernie Sanders (pictured leaving a Senate caucus meeting on Sunday) slammed the deal
The measure was put to a vote in the Senate on Sunday night (pictured)
Concerns range from delayed flights and unpaid federal workers to economic strain and suspension of food assistance for vulnerable families.
The crisis reached boiling point last week as 42 million Americans who rely on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits were informed the money had run dry due to the shutdown for the first time in history.
Already, upwards of 730,000 government employees are working without pay and a further 600,000 have been furloughed as a result of the crisis.
Then, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned that staffing shortages as a result of the shutdown are worsening, potentially reducing air travel to a trickle right in time for the holiday season.
On Sunday alone, more than 2,000 flights were canceled into, out of, or within the United States and a further 7,000 delayed.
The travel chaos will only get worse as airlines are mandated to gradually reduce their schedules further over the next week.
But the bulk of the Senate Democrats were not on board with the decision to work with Republicans to end the shutdown, and could still introduce procedural hurdles that could delay final passage of the bill.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer emerged from a closed door meeting on Sunday evening after news broke that Republicans had secured the numbers they needed.
On Sunday alone, more than 2,000 flights were canceled into, out of, or within the United States and a further 7,000 delayed
‘I’m voting no,’ he said, adding that everyday Americans ‘need healthcare.’
Senator Elissa Slotkin said: ‘I always said, like, it’s got to do something concrete on health care, and it’s hard to see how that happened.’
And Senator Bernie Sanders warned it ‘would be a policy and political disaster’ to cave to the Republican demands after such a resounding win during state elections last week.
‘My own thought is that it would be a horrific mistake to cave in to Trump right now,’ he said.
‘Essentially, if Democrats cave on this issue, what it will say to Donald Trump is that he has a green light to go forward toward authoritarianism, and I think that would be a tragedy for this country.’
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said he and other House members are committed to ‘fight’ the deal.
‘We will not support spending legislation advanced by Senate Republicans that fails to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits,’ Jeffries said.
‘We will fight the GOP bill in the House of Representatives, where Mike Johnson will be compelled to end the seven week Republican taxpayer-funded vacation.’
The travel chaos will only get worse as airlines are mandated to gradually reduce their schedules further over the next week
As many as 42 million Americans have been struggling with food insecurity since SNAP benefits ran dry
But Virginia Democrat Tim Kaine revealed he would vote in favor of the proposal after securing a promise to give laid-off federal workers their jobs back, with back pay.
‘This legislation will protect federal workers from baseless firings, reinstate those who have been wrongfully terminated during the shutdown, and ensure federal workers receive back pay, as required by a law I got passed in 2019,’ Kaine said.
‘That’s a critical step that will help federal employees and all Americans who rely on government services.’
And Independent Maine Senator Angus King was also won over, noting the unprecedented length of the shutdown had forced some to reconsider the initial subsidies they were demanding.
‘I think people were saying, ”We’re not going to get what we want”,’ he said.
Democrat Senator John Fetterman, who has repeatedly voted in favor of ending the shutdown, told his colleagues to do what it takes to get the deal passed and consider the American public.
‘It’s like, take the win. You know, we had an election, and it went well on Tuesday,’ he said.
‘You want to overplay your hand. America, people are not leverage, and it’s not about a political game.’
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (pictured) slammed the deal on Sunday night
New Hampshire Democrat Jeanne Shaheen acknowledged that in voting with the Republicans, she had upset some of her colleagues, but she argued there was no better solution.
‘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.
‘There was no vote that we were going to get on the Affordable Care Act premium tax credits.’
Texas Representative Greg Casar, the chairman of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, said a deal that doesn’t reduce health care costs is a ‘betrayal’ of millions of Americans who are counting on Democrats to fight for them.
‘Accepting nothing but a pinky promise from Republicans isn´t a compromise – it´s capitulation,’ Casar said in a post on X. ‘Millions of families would pay the price.’
Earlier on Sunday reports emerged from Washington that a deal to end the stalemate was ‘within reach.’
At least 10 Democrats were reportedly ready to vote for the package of bills, which would have given the Republicans the numbers they needed.
The deal reportedly would include a vote on extending Obamacare tax credits in December.
In addition to keeping the government funded through January, the stopgap measure reportedly would provide full-year funding for Congress, the Department of Agriculture, and the Department of Veterans Affairs, including military construction projects, through the next fiscal year.
Public frustration with the prolonged shutdown is intensifying, increasing pressure on both parties to reach an agreement.
But amid negotiations, a high-ranking Democrat acknowledged the political leverage hardships caused by the shutdown create for her party.
Massachusetts Congresswoman Katherine Clark, Minority Whip of the United States House of Representatives, admitted families struggling during the shutdown could be used as ‘leverage’ for her party.
‘Shutdowns are terrible. And of course, there will be families that are going to suffer. We take that responsibility very seriously, but it is one of the few leverage times we have,’ Clark said.
The House of Representatives has been in recess since Republicans passed their funding bill, leaving the resolution of the shutdown in the hands of their Senate colleagues.
The Trump administration was ordered to address food insecurity which had come as a result of the shutdown by fully funding SNAP benefits by tapping agriculture reserves.
Monica Lopez Gonzales of Feeding America called the situation ‘catastrophic’
SNAP typically costs about $9 billion a month. The Trump administration planned to cover only 65 per cent of November benefits using contingency funds until the order by District Judge Jack McConnell in Rhode Island.
The administration appealed, arguing courts cannot appropriate funds, and on Friday the Supreme Court temporarily blocked McConnell’s order, giving the White House more time to fight the mandate.
As a result, full benefits remain uncertain, and partial payments promised by the USDA have yet to reach most households.
The fallout has been immediate. Feeding America, the nation’s largest hunger-relief network, reported a sixfold spike in traffic to its food-bank locator, with more than 28,000 daily visitors seeking help.
‘This situation is catastrophic,’ said Monica Lopez Gonzales, the group’s chief marketing and communications officer, told Fortune. ‘Right now, 42 million people are having a hard time affording groceries, and their lives are being disrupted because their benefits have been disrupted.’
Food banks across the country are seeing longer lines and empty shelves. ‘The lines are getting longer, and the food is running out early,’ Gonzales said. ‘We see veterans, older adults, moms, and kids – everyone is stressed.’
