Washington, 10, 2025 – A new 31-page bill to end the government shutdown was released Sunday evening and then quickly advanced by the Senate in the most direct sign yet that the record-setting stoppage could soon come to an end.
The tally of 60-40 saw eight members of the Democratic caucus join with Republicans and was just enough to overcome the Senate’s filibuster threshold.
The key vote is now expected to enable the chamber to pass the bill soon, after which it will move to the House of Representatives.
“It looks like we’re getting very close to the shutdown ending,” President Trump said Sunday evening.
The bill will keep the government open until Jan. 30 of next year, fund some federal programs like the Agriculture Department for the entire year, and put limits on Trump’s ability to fire federal workers for the next few months, among other provisions, if it is eventually signed into law.
It’s part of a larger agreement that also includes a promise from Thune to Democrats to hold a separate vote on the issue of healthcare before the end of the year.
Democratic negotiators say the deal will give their party “control” of what’s in the bill.
Yet the contours of a deal drew immediate condemnation from many on the left — especially over the lack of any immediate healthcare vote.
Senator Bernie Sanders called it a “horrific mistake” and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries vowed to “fight on.”
The fraught political path ahead could also take days to play out as economic pain continues to be felt.
Food benefits continue not to be paid as the Trump administration also directed states that began issuing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits this weekend to “undo” their efforts, or risk financial penalties.
The USDA issued the new guidance late Saturday, following the US Supreme Court’s order on Friday allowing the Trump administration to continue withholding $4 billion to fully fund SNAP benefits for November.
For travelers, the impact of a Friday order from the Federal Aviation Administration to cut domestic operations took a toll over the weekend.
On Saturday, airlines canceled more than 1,000 flights, the Associated Press reported. Sunday travelers fared even worse, as airline flight cancellations topped 2,000. (Yahoo Finance)
