Breaking News: Senate Reaches Bipartisan Deal to End Longest Government Shutdown
The deal, negotiated by a group of Democrats and GOP leaders, funds the government through Jan. 30. If it passes, it will still need to clear the House, which will likely take days.
A coalition of Senate Democratic centrists has struck a tentative deal with Republican leaders and the White House to reopen the federal government, marking a major step toward ending the longest shutdown in U.S. history, according to two people familiar with the negotiations.
The agreement would fund the government through January via a stopgap measure while paving the way for a broader funding package to cover several key federal agencies. In return, the White House and Republican leaders have agreed to hold future talks on extending enhanced Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies — a central sticking point in the monthslong standoff.
While the deal includes no binding guarantee on the health care subsidies, Democrats involved in the talks say they’ve received assurances that GOP leaders in both chambers will engage in good-faith negotiations to reach a compromise in the coming weeks. Whether such legislation could pass the Senate, or even make it to the House floor, remains uncertain.
A vote on the Senate proposal is expected to begin between 8:30 and 9 p.m. ET Sunday, a GOP aide confirmed.
Bipartisan Group Leads Breakthrough
At least eight Senate Democrats have agreed to support the deal, which was brokered late Sunday by Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D–N.H.), Maggie Hassan (D–N.H.), and Angus King (I–Maine) — all former governors — alongside Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R–S.D.) and White House representatives.
Among those backing the compromise is Sen. Tim Kaine (D–Va.), who represents thousands of federal employees affected by the shutdown. Kaine said the promise of a future vote on ACA subsidies was enough to move forward.
“Lawmakers know their constituents expect them to vote for it, and if they don’t, they could very well be replaced at the ballot box by someone who will,” Kaine said, signaling pressure on Republican senators to act.
The White House also agreed to reinstate federal workers dismissed during the shutdown and to bar additional mass firings for the remainder of the fiscal year. All affected employees will receive back pay for missed time, according to Democratic negotiators.
Liberal Opposition Emerges
Despite the progress, the deal faces resistance within the Democratic caucus. Senate Democratic leaders have not formally endorsed the plan and spent Sunday evening in a closed-door meeting weighing their options.
Several liberal senators voiced sharp opposition. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D–Conn.) declared he would vote “no,” insisting that any agreement must include concrete protections for health care.
“For me, it’s no deal without health care,” Blumenthal said. “So far as I’m concerned, health care isn’t included, and so I’ll be a no.”
Even some moderate Democrats expressed reservations. Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D–Mich.) said she was initially part of the talks but withdrew after the focus shifted away from healthcare measures. “It’s got to do something concrete on health care,” Slotkin said. “It’s hard to see how that happened.”
Pushback in the House
Across the Capitol, House Democrats swiftly denounced the Senate compromise. Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D–N.Y.) said his caucus “will not support spending legislation advanced by Senate Republicans that fails to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits,” pledging to fight the bill in the House.
House Democrats are expected to convene Monday to discuss next steps, according to a person familiar with the plans.
What’s in the Funding Package
The broader spending legislation includes three full-year appropriations bills covering military construction and veterans affairs, the legislative branch, and the Department of Agriculture. The package provides $203.5 million to enhance congressional security and $852 million for the U.S. Capitol Police, according to a summary from Sen. Patty Murray (D–Wash.), a top Democratic appropriator.
Under Senate rules, lawmakers will first vote on the House-passed stopgap measure. At least eight Democratic votes are needed to advance it before amending the bill with the new bipartisan funding package.
If the bill clears the Senate, it would return to the House for final approval before being sent to President Donald Trump’s desk. The process could take several days.
Uncertain Path Forward
The deal’s fate in the House remains unclear. Speaker Mike Johnson (R–La.) faces tight margins and an emboldened Democratic caucus united in opposition.
Still, some Democrats urged pragmatism. Sen. John Fetterman (D–Pa.), who has frequently broken with his party during the shutdown, urged colleagues to “take the win.”
“Vote yes,” Fetterman said. “And then we can find a way to lower our costs about health care.”
They never cease to disappoint
I would bet money they will never negotiate ACA. Sellouts. We will remember this at midterms.