After over a month of historic gridlock, the U.S. Senate voted 60-40 on Sunday night to advance a bipartisan deal expected to end the record-setting government shutdown. The agreement, backed by all Senate Republicans and eight Democrats, would fund federal agencies through January and provide full-year appropriations for essential programs like military construction, veterans’ benefits, and agriculture—including the resumption of SNAP food aid.
Key Provisions of the Senate Shutdown Deal
The Senate framework, if passed by the House and signed by President Trump, would put 4,000 laid-off federal employees back to work with back pay, shield about 150,000 jobs from mass layoffs until at least January 30, and secure funding for the U.S. Capitol Police and congressional security. SNAP benefits would be guaranteed through September 2026, ending weeks of partial and delayed payments that had left food banks struggling to keep up with overwhelming demand.
The stopgap bill would also block the Trump administration from firing large numbers of federal workers over the next several months. While the agreement doesn’t include some of the spending cuts Trump originally sought, it does ensure a future Senate vote on extending ACA health insurance subsidies, an issue that had divided Democrats during negotiations.
Lasting Impacts and Next Steps
In recent days, the shutdown had paralyzed air travel, forced thousands of flight cancellations, and caused severe economic hardship for federal workers, businesses, and low-income families. Lawmakers and travelers alike hope the deal comes in time to salvage Thanksgiving travel and avert lasting damage to the economy, while advocates warn that lingering aftershocks could persist even after the government reopens.
As the Senate deal moves to the House, some progressive Democrats remain wary about its lack of immediate health care guarantees, but both parties are under mounting pressure to end the political standoff and ease the pain felt by millions of Americans. The White House indicated support for the bill’s core elements, signaling that the most disruptive government shutdown in U.S. history may soon comecome to a close.