The U.S. Senate is taking dramatic steps to prevent this, potentially the longest government shutdown in history. This shutdown has currently over 700,000 federal workers furloughed and hundreds of thousands more working without pay. The compromise legislation, with just the 60 votes needed to move it, authorizes federal spending through January 30, 2026. This significant advance follows over a year of grappling and stalemate. As a consequence, Americans from coast to coast are experiencing greater vulnerability, including longer lines at food banks and social services.
This bipartisan agreement is a big win for both parties, and it’s an important moment of bipartisan cooperation. Beyond just replenishing funds, it undoes the lay-offs of federal employees that the White House has enacted since the shutdown started. The Senate’s Republican leader, John Thune, emphasized the urgency of passing the bill, noting the impact on air travel and the financial strain on workers who have gone unpaid for over a month.
“After 40 long days, I’m hopeful we can bring this shutdown to the end,” – John Thune
The compromise legislation ensures that furloughed federal workers and those who remained on duty during the shutdown will receive retroactive pay. It avoids any additional layoffs through January, while offering reassurance to workers in impacted industries. The bill is composed of three appropriations minibus. These appropriations will set the spending levels through the fiscal year 2026 for the Departments of Treasury, Agriculture, Veterans Affairs and several others.
The plan fails to tackle healthcare subsidies that a growing number of Democrats have been calling for over the past few weeks. Many in the party are scathing about this latest omission. They claim that failing to extend Affordable Care Act tax credits is a major blow.
“America is far too expensive. We will not support spending legislation advanced by Senate Republicans that fails to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits,” – Hakeem Jeffries
Perhaps most strikingly of all, the bill passed with 60 out of 61 Republicans joining eight Democrats in support. This bipartisan support could not be more different than the last legislative environment. Since September 19, House Speaker Mike Johnson has left the House out of session, making negotiations difficult and extending the duration of the harmful shutdown.
No Medicare expansion, no deal Democratic leaders reacted quickly to the compromise’s shortcomings on healthcare. Senator Chuck Schumer Responding to Real Immigrant Women’s Voice Declaration of the urgency and desperation of this healthcare crisis is reflected in every family across the country.
“This healthcare crisis is so severe, so urgent, so devastating for families back home, that I cannot in good faith support this resolution that fails to address the healthcare crisis,” – Chuck Schumer
Rep. Greg Casar went the hardest in condemning the deal, labeling it a sellout. He noted that millions of Americans are counting on Democrats to be the party that stands up for their healthcare.
“A deal that doesn’t reduce health care costs is a betrayal of millions of Americans counting on Democrats to fight for them,” – Greg Casar
Supporters of the bill stressed its critical role in getting the federal government back to working order. They hope it will ensure some of that money goes to reducing immediate distress by federal employees. The shutdown cut deeply enough that it threatened to push some food aid programs over the brink too. In early November, the Trump administration announced that payments would be halted from the federal government’s biggest food assistance program. This decision made food insecurity an immediate reality for thousands of Americans.
Jeanne Shaheen, a key figure in these negotiations and a member of the group set to retire next year, acknowledged the challenges faced by both parties during this process.
“Republicans control the White House, the Senate and the House, and they made clear over a period of weeks, including just this week, that this was as far as they would go as part of the shutdown talks,” – Jeanne Shaheen
Lawmakers are still pushing this compromise legislation forward. They need to address short-term necessities while thinking about the long-term implications for federal workers and Americans who depend on government services. Now with the passage of this bill, things can begin to get back to a more normal state after an unprecedented standstill.