The Senate approved a revised stopgap funding bill on Monday in a bid to end the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, sending the bill back to the House for review as representatives reconvened in Washington. The temporary bill will now head to the House, where lawmakers could return to Washington as early as Wednesday to vote on it and bring the government back into operation.
All Republican senators — except Rand Paul of Kentucky — joined eight Democrats and Democratic-aligned senators in backing the short-term funding bill. The measure, which would keep the government running through January 30, 2026, secured the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster in the Senate.
Big Breakthrough
The bill also extends funding through September 30, 2026, for key programs and services — including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which supports 42 million Americans.
It also covers veterans' health care and benefits, military construction projects, and funding for legislative branch operations.
House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) on Monday called on lawmakers to return to Washington right away, with a vote expected about 36 hours after the Senate approved the so-called "clean" continuing resolution.
The bill had previously passed the House by a slim margin on September 19 before moving to the Senate.
Forty Democrats — including Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) — voted against the measure, even though they had initially helped trigger the shutdown on October 1. Five of those Democrats later crossed party lines to back the GOP and end the stalemate.
Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire, Tim Kaine of Virginia, Jacky Rosen of Nevada, and Minority Whip Dick Durbin of Illinois joined Republicans in supporting the plan, bringing an end to the 40-day shutdown — the longest in U.S. history.
In exchange, Senate Democrats secured one of their few wins: an agreement to hold a future vote on extending Affordable Care Act tax credits, an offer that Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) had floated weeks earlier.
Reaching a Solution
President Trump also announced Monday that he would comply with a provision requiring the rehiring of federal employees who were let go during the shutdown. Senators John Fetterman (D-Pa.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), and Angus King (I-Maine) had already voted for the funding bill 14 times before five more Democrats joined them on Sunday to finally break the filibuster.
In an interview, King admitted that "standing up to Trump didn't work," acknowledging the political reality that led to the compromise.
On Monday, the Senate reconvened to discuss several amendments to the bill — including full-year spending measures and a proposal from Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) aimed at lifting the federal ban on "intoxicating" hemp products.
Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) also introduced an amendment seeking to extend the expanded Obamacare subsidies, originally broadened under President Joe Biden, for another year. Those tax credits are currently set to expire at the end of 2025.
However, Johnson has not committed to allowing votes on those amendments in the House, even if they make it through the Senate.
If the House ultimately approves the bill in its current form, it will reimburse contingency reserves for both SNAP and WIC programs, ensuring families who depend on them continue to receive aid.
Senate Republicans have also highlighted several national security and infrastructure wins in the package. These include new funding for the FDA to crack down on illegal sales of Chinese-made e-cigarettes, a ban on the U.S. Capitol Police purchasing drones from Chinese companies such as Huawei or ZTE, and $4.1 billion dedicated to rural infrastructure, housing, and business development.
