Senate Democrats and Republicans agree to end shutdown
There’s finally a glimmer of hope in Washington D.C. More than 40 days into the government shutdown, the Senate appears poised to make a major move in finding a way to reopen the federal government.
The revised plan would garner enough Senate Democrats to support, according to a new report by Fox News Digital. This new plan is set to be put up for a crucial vote on Sunday night – an important moment in the monthslong shutdown fight.
A source familiar with the matter said that the new proposal has drawn enough support to ensure Senate passage, as Democrats and Republicans combine for a bipartisan compromise.
A Rare Bipartisan Campaign Led by Key Lawmakers
The latest plan is the handiwork of Senate Appropriations Chair Susan Collins (R-Maine), who shepherded bipartisan talks. But the votes of a handful of Democrats also made a difference.
Sen. Angus King, I-Maine, and two Democrats Sens. Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan the neighboring state of New Hampshire moved to bridge the political gap that brought both parties closer to a potential agreement.
Their joint effort helped mold a revised continuing resolution that would fund the government through Jan. 30, 2026. The plan also contains several significant provisions — such as reversing the firings of furloughed employees that occurred under the Trump administration and providing retroactive pay to all furloughed workers.
The measure could finally provide some relief for thousands of federal workers and contractors who have gone more than a month without pay because of the shutdown.
The Sunday Night Vote
Senators are being readied for potentially a trio of crucial votes to begin on Sunday evening. Those votes will set the government on course to reopen.
But even if the Senate approves the measure, it won’t be all over yet. The House of Representatives will also have to vote before the government can actually reopen.
Still, optimism in Congress is growing. After weeks of tensions and political paralysis, lawmakers from both parties are showing greater readiness to compromise.
Republicans Reveal New Spending Plan
Earlier in the day, Senate Republicans unveiled a second major piece of legislation intended to move the process along. This new face also comes with a three-bill spending package, called a minibus, which would fund major parts of the government.
The minibus would provide funding for military construction, veterans’ affairs (VA), the legislative branch, agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Republicans are casting this plan as a “sweetener” — something for more Democrats to vote for and join Republicans in fixing the larger continuing resolution. Because the spending package is relatively bipartisan, it has a good chance of going through, many believe.
The Obamacare Subsidy Disagreement
Despite strides, a huge problem remains — Obamacare subsidies.
Neither the White House nor Congress has agreed to advance funding for the expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies. This disagreement has helped lead to another factor for why the government shutdown 2025 update has stretched on.
While Democrats are eager to preserve the subsidies to ensure that healthcare remains affordable for millions of Americans, some Republicans do not want to continue them without broader changes.
Over all, many lawmakers argue that it is time for debating to end. The fight over health care can come later, they say; first let’s reopen the government.
What the New Plan Includes
The new continuing resolution (CR) is likely to fund the government through the end of January 2026. It would temporarily keep agencies operating while Congress negotiates a longer-term budget.
It’s to also provide retroactive pay covering all workers who were furloughed — a major issue that has been felt by families ever since the shutdown began across the land.
If enacted, the resolution would:
- All federal employees go back to work.
- Furloughed workers receive missed paychecks.
- Government services and programs get back to business as usual.
- Military and veterans’ programs are operating as normal.
That would be a relief to communities across the country that rely on federal operations, which range from small businesses near military bases to families waiting for benefits.
Growing Optimism in the Senate
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, Republican of South Dakota, had made it clear in recent days that he would bring a bill to the floor only if it had the votes to pass.
After weeks of party-line feuding and failed votes, Thune’s shift in approach means that the logjam over police reform legislation could finally be breaking.
Could Susan Collins’s bipartisan package, which received the tacit endorsement of centrist Democrats, be just what it takes to end government shutdown 2025 update and help the millions who have been hurt?
The Road Ahead
And even if the Senate were to approve the bill on Sunday night, that would not conclude the process. The measure still needs to win the approval of the House of Representatives before it can make its way to President Trump’s desk.
Yet there is optimism that the long, increasingly painful shutdown was nearing an end. The Senate’s bipartisan package demonstrates that the two parties can still find areas of agreement when the stakes are high.
Millions of Americans, for now, are looking on intently, waiting to see if signs will emerge that their government is about the reopen.
As one Senate staffer told reporters, “People are exhausted. Federal workers are tired. Lawmakers are tired. All they’re trying to do is just get back to work.”
And that feeling is well summed up — finally, after 40 long days of political gridlock, it’s maybe time for the United States government to reopen its doors.
