The U.S. Senate has passed a bipartisan deal aimed at ending the longest government shutdown in American history, signaling the first major breakthrough after 40 days of political deadlock.
Following a weekend of intense negotiations in Washington, a small group of Democrats joined Republicans to advance the agreement, marking a procedural first step toward restoring government funding, which expired on October 1.
The measure now heads to the House of Representatives, where further approval is needed before federal operations can resume and roughly 1.4 million affected employees can return to paid work.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune led the negotiations alongside the White House, with key Democratic input from Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire, and Angus King of Maine, an independent who caucuses with Democrats.
Republicans, who hold a 53–47 majority, required 60 votes to advance the bill. They secured eight Democratic votes, while only one Republican—Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky—opposed the measure, citing concerns about rising national debt.
The deal also includes a commitment to hold a December vote on extending healthcare subsidies set to expire this year—an important concession to Democrats.
The shutdown has halted numerous government services and disrupted air travel, food assistance, and other essential programs. More than 41 million low-income Americans have seen their food benefits jeopardized, while the U.S. Transportation Secretary has warned that prolonged funding gaps could reduce flights “to a trickle.”
If approved by the House, the agreement would finally bring an end to the record-breaking impasse that has strained federal operations and millions of American households.
