WASHINGTON — The U.S. federal government shutdown is nearing an end after a standoff of over a month. The shutdown went into effect at the start of October after lawmakers could not agree on a Continuing Resolution, or CR, which serves as a temporary funding bill to keep government operations running. Democrats used a filibuster in the Senate to block progress, requiring 60 votes to overcome the procedural hurdle—a threshold not met until Sunday, November 9.
On Sunday, the Senate ended the ongoing filibuster with a 60-40 vote, allowing a final vote to be held on the CR with a simple majority, which Republicans hold. The CR is being finalized for the vote, which will likely take place on Monday or early Tuesday, November 11. The CR will then need approval from the U.S. House before heading to the President’s desk. House Speaker Mike Johnson has urged representatives to return to the Hill within 36 hours for a final vote. Once the President signs the CR, agencies will reopen, back pay will be issued, and benefits, including SNAP assistance, will resume. The CR provides only a temporary measure, however, and a full budget bill will be required next year.
The eight senators who broke from the Senate Democratic caucus were Catherine Cortez Masto (Nevada), Dick Durbin (Illinois), John Fetterman (Pennsylvania), Maggie Hassan (New Hampshire), Tim Kaine (Virginia), Angus King (Maine), Jacky Rosen (Nevada), and Jeanne Shaheen (New Hampshire). Several senators emphasized how the agreed-upon CR includes concessions, such as fully funding SNAP benefits for the upcoming year, reversing all permanent layoffs made during the shutdown, and prohibiting further layoffs through January 2026. Others, including Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman, have remained steadfast against the closure since it began, citing the lack of pay and benefits as causes of unnecessary suffering.
The filibuster-ending vote followed the rejection of 14 “clean” Continuing Resolutions by Democrats. Those resolutions would have extended temporary funding at Fiscal Year 2024 levels without any policy changes, riders, or new spending commitments. Democrats demanded linking the resolution to extensions of Affordable Care Act (ACA) Premium Tax Credits—which are notably not guaranteed in the current CR—along with other commitments. The shutdown has now lasted more than 40 days, making it the longest in U.S. history. The previous record was 35 days, from December 2018 to January 2019, caused by disputes over funding for the U.S.-Mexico border wall.
Many Democratic leaders remain against reopening, citing the lack of protections for ACA tax credits. “This health care crisis is so severe, so urgent, so devastating for families back home that I cannot in good faith support this CR that fails to address the health care crisis,” said New York Senator Chuck Schumer. “Tonight, 8 Democrats voted with the Republicans to allow them to go forward on this continuing resolution. And to my mind, this was a very, very bad vote,” said Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders.