Senate Agreement Begins Process to End Government Shutdown

Senate negotiators agreed Sunday night by a 60-40 vote to move forward with ending the now 41-day long government shutdown. Eight Senators joined with 52 Republicans to end debate on a three-bill spending package and short-term Continuing Resolution (aka the CR/Minibus).

The Military Construction-Veterans Affairs, Agriculture and FDA, and Legislative Branch Appropriations Bills are the center of the deal, and those agencies would be funded thru FY26. The rest of the government would be funded thru January 30, 2026, under a CR that will be brought to the Senate floor later this week.

The timing of the final vote in the Senate could come as early as today or it could take a few days to jump through procedural hurdles.  It will take a unanimous consent agreement of all 100 Senators to expedite consideration, which means one Senator can drag the process out if they so choose. Once the Senate passes the CR/Minibus, Senators will adjourn for the week.

The deal would also reverse the layoffs of thousands of federal employees since Oct 1 and prevent layoffs through January 30. Senate Democrats pushed for a ban on future firings, but the White House rejected that proposal.

Most interesting is that it seems the deal does not include extension of ACA subsidies -- the Democrats main reason for forcing the shutdown. There is, however, a guarantee of a vote in Senate on ACA on a bill of Democrats' choosing, set to occur by the end of the second week in December. The decision by the eight moderate senators to cut the deal without concrete action on the subsidies beyond the promised vote prompted blowback from other Democrats, particularly in the House of Representatives where a vote on ACA subsidies is not guaranteed under the deal.