US Senate passes bill to end longest ever government shutdown

"The Senate on Monday night approved a spending package in a vote of 60 to 40 to fund the US government through January 30, 2026, and reinstate pay for hundreds of thousands of federal workers. The spending bill next moves to the House of Representatives for approval and then on to President Donald Trump for a sign-off before the shutdown can finally end."

"Also included in the deal are three-year funding appropriations for the Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration, military construction projects, veterans affairs and congressional operations. The bill does not, however, resolve one of the most central issues in the shutdown extending healthcare subsidies. Senate Republicans have agreed to vote on the issue as a separate measure in December."

"US legislators have been under growing pressure to end the government shutdown, which enters its forty-second day on Tuesday, as their constituents feel the impact of funding lapses for programmes like food stamps. Hundreds of thousands of federal employees have been furloughed or required to work without pay since the shutdown began on October 1, while Trump has separately threatened to use the shutdown as a pretext to slash the federal workforce."

The Senate approved a spending package by a 60-40 vote to fund the US government through January 30, 2026, and to reinstate pay for hundreds of thousands of federal workers. The spending bill moves to the House of Representatives and then to President Donald Trump for signature before the shutdown can end. Seven Democrats and one Independent backed the updated package after weekend negotiations. The deal includes three-year appropriations for the Department of Agriculture, the Food and Drug Administration, military construction, veterans affairs and congressional operations. The package does not extend healthcare subsidies; Senate Republicans agreed to a separate vote on that issue in December. Growing public pressure stems from food-stamp lapses, furloughed employees, and FAA air-traffic cuts creating chaos for travel.

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