The U.S. Senate appeared set on Sunday to advance a measure aimed at reopening the federal government and ending a 40-day shutdown that has left federal workers idle, delayed food aid, and disrupted air travel.
Senators planned to vote Sunday night on a House-passed bill that would be amended to combine a short-term funding measure funding the government through January 2026 with a package of three full-year appropriations bills. At least eight Democrats were expected to support the measure, enough to secure passage in the Republican-controlled Senate, according to a person familiar with the negotiations.
The amended legislation would still need to pass the House of Representatives and be signed by President Donald Trump, a process that could take several days. Under the agreement, Republicans have pledged to hold a vote in December on extending Affordable Care Act subsidies, a priority for Democrats.
The resolution would also reverse some of the Trump administration’s mass layoffs of federal workers during the shutdown and fund Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for a year. The deal was brokered by New Hampshire Senators Maggie Hassan and Jeanne Shaheen, along with independent Senator Angus King of Maine. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said he would vote against the measure.
Sunday marked the 40th day of the shutdown, which has impacted food aid, national parks, air travel, and sidelined federal employees. Senator Thom Tillis, a Republican from North Carolina, said the escalating consequences of the shutdown had pushed the chamber toward a deal.
“Temperatures cool, the atmospheric pressure increases outside and all of a sudden it looks like things will come together,” Tillis told reporters.
White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett warned that if the government remained closed much longer, economic growth could turn negative in the fourth quarter, particularly if air travel does not return to normal by Thanksgiving on November 27.
Meanwhile, President Trump renewed his criticism of ACA subsidies, proposing direct payments to individuals instead. Trump called the existing subsidies a “windfall for Health Insurance Companies, and a DISASTER for the American people” on his Truth Social platform. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Senator Lindsey Graham said Trump’s proposal would not be considered until lawmakers pass a funding bill.
Republicans had rejected a plan by Schumer last week to reopen the government in exchange for a one-year extension of ACA tax credits. Democratic Senator Adam Schiff criticized Trump’s healthcare plan, saying it could undermine coverage for people with pre-existing conditions.
As Congress worked toward a deal, Americans faced rising premiums for 2026 Obamacare plans, with pandemic-era subsidies set to expire at the end of the year.
