After more than forty days of gridlock, the federal government shutdown appears close to ending as the U.S. Senate passed a major funding package late Monday night. The bill, approved by a 60–40 vote, represents the most significant step yet toward reopening the government after weeks of stalled negotiations and mounting public pressure.
The legislation now heads to the House of Representatives, where leaders have pledged to bring it to a vote within days. If passed, the measure will temporarily fund the government through January 30, 2026, allowing agencies to resume normal operations while lawmakers continue to negotiate a longer-term budget deal.
The package includes full-year funding for veterans’ programs and military construction, along with provisions guaranteeing back pay for the more than one million federal workers who were furloughed or working without pay. It also prohibits layoffs related to the shutdown’s financial disruptions, ensuring job protection for federal employees who have endured weeks of uncertainty.
However, the compromise leaves several contentious issues unresolved. The measure does not extend certain healthcare subsidies, such as tax credits under the Affordable Care Act, which some Democrats had pushed to include. Progressive lawmakers have also criticized the bill for failing to restore funding to key social programs cut in earlier spending rounds.
Economists estimate the shutdown has cost the U.S. economy billions of dollars in lost productivity and wages. Approximately 1.25 million federal employees missed at least two paychecks, while industries tied to government operations—such as air travel, tourism, and hospitality—have faced widespread disruptions. Thousands of flights were canceled due to limited staffing and reduced airport security, while federal contractors reported major revenue losses.
Public frustration has been rising as essential services slowed or stopped altogether. From food assistance delays to national park closures, the shutdown’s effects were felt across nearly every state. Lawmakers on both sides have acknowledged that the political standoff has damaged public trust in Washington’s ability to govern effectively.
If the House passes the Senate’s bill and the President signs it into law, government operations could resume as early as midweek. While the agreement would mark an end to the immediate crisis, it also sets up another fiscal battle early next year—one that could again test the limits of bipartisan cooperation in a sharply divided Congress.
