US Senate moves to end record shutdown after bipartisan deal
Shafaq News – Washington
The US Senate voted 60–40 on Monday to advance a bipartisan deal to end the longest government shutdown in American history, now in its sixth week, after moderate Democrats agreed to drop demands for an immediate extension of health care subsidies.
The agreement would reopen federal agencies through January 31 and fully fund food assistance programs through September, while postponing a vote on extending Affordable Care Act tax credits until mid-December. The measure would also reverse mass layoffs of federal workers ordered since the shutdown began on October 1 and guarantee back pay.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, who backed the compromise, urged swift action, saying, “The time to act is now.”
The vote drew support from five key Democrats — including Senators Jeanne Shaheen, Maggie Hassan, Tim Kaine, Dick Durbin, and John Fetterman — along with Independent Senator Angus King of Maine.
However, Democratic leader Chuck Schumer and most of his caucus voted against the deal, calling it “a missed opportunity to protect affordable health care.” Senator Bernie Sanders condemned the move as “a horrific mistake,” while progressive House Democrats labeled it “a betrayal” of voters who expected the party to hold firm.
President Donald Trump told reporters the US was “getting close to the shutdown ending,” but did not explicitly endorse the deal.
The compromise followed weeks of stalled negotiations over health care funding and government spending. The shutdown — now in its 40th day — has disrupted flights nationwide, delayed food aid for millions of Americans, and left tens of thousands of federal employees unpaid.
Treasury Secretary Sean Duffy warned that air travel could “slow to a trickle” if the shutdown continues into the Thanksgiving period, while food banks in Washington, DC, reported a 20% surge in demand as the crisis deepened.
The bipartisan deal must still pass the full Senate and the Republican-controlled House before reaching Trump’s desk. If approved, it would end a standoff that has paralyzed the federal government and tested both parties’ political resolve.
