US senators have approved a bill that could potentially bring an end to the longest government shutdown in history. The 41-day shutdown led to the temporary suspension of government services, affecting about 1.4 million federal employees who were either on unpaid leave or working without pay.
Following a weekend of negotiations in Washington, a 60-40 vote was cast with a minority of Democrats aligning with Republicans to support the agreement. The bill now moves to the US House of Representatives for a vote scheduled on Wednesday, November 12.
Since running out of money on October 1, the government has halted various services, causing disruptions across sectors like US air travel. Staffing shortages resulted in the delay of 7,000 flights and the cancellation of 2,000 flights.
President Trump took to social media to urge unpaid air traffic controllers to return to work immediately. The bill safeguards federal workers from further layoffs until January and ensures they receive back pay once the shutdown concludes. Additionally, it reverses the mass terminations of federal employees by the Trump administration since the start of the shutdown.
President Donald Trump expressed his approval of the bill, stating that the nation would soon reopen. Despite this progress, the shutdown may linger for a few more days as House members, who have been on recess since mid-September, reconvene to vote on the legislation.
Republicans have committed to a vote to extend health care subsidies by mid-December, although success is not guaranteed. Senator Shaheen emphasized that the current deal was the only viable option after Republicans remained steadfast.
House Speaker Mike Johnson urged lawmakers to return to Washington promptly due to shutdown-related travel disruptions. Independent senator Bernie Sanders criticized the deal as a “horrific mistake,” as it was sealed with the support of five Democrats who switched their votes, aligning perfectly with the Republican count.
The US House of Representatives is expected to take its first votes on the funding bill on Wednesday, reinstating government funding for federal agencies that lapsed last month. The compromise deal saw several Democratic senators breaking party lines to join Republicans in the 60-40 vote.
Majority Leader of the US Senate, John Thune, expressed relief, calling the shutdown the longest in US history and welcoming the imminent resolution.