The Senate has voted to pass a short-term funding bill that would reopen the government and end a shutdown that has now run for more than 40 days.
Under the Senate's current rules, the measure needed only a simple majority to pass, and did so Monday evening with a final vote of 60-40.
The bipartisan compromise between centrist Democrats and Republicans funds much of the government through January 30, 2026, ensures backpay for federal employees and reverses recent mass layoffs. The measure also secures funding for certain programs, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as SNAP or food stamps.
With its passage in the Senate, the legislation now moves to the House of Representatives, where Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) has said the chamber could reconvene as soon as Wednesday of this week to vote. He has said he is confident there are enough votes in the chamber to pass the bill.
"To all my colleagues, Republicans and Democrats in the House, you need to begin right now returning to the Hill. We have to do this as quickly as possible," Speaker Johnson said.
The White House, meanwhile, says it supports the current agreement working its way through Congress. President Trump has suggested he will sign legislation passed by both chambers for the new funding to become law.
"We have support from enough Democrats and we're going to be opening up our country," President Donald Trump told reporters on Monday afternoon, before the bill passed. "I'll abide by the deal. The deal is very good."
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For millions of Americans facing uncertainty over groceries, travel or paychecks, the Senate’s action is a welcome sign after weeks of political deadlock. Still, experts say it will take time for paychecks to resume, funding to be distributed and air travel operations to stabilize.
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On Monday, the Trump administration urged the Supreme Court again to keep SNAP payments frozen until the government reopens.
Also notably absent from the Senate's proposal is any guarantee to fund expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies — a goal that has long been the focus of Democrats' shutdown fight.
The proposal would only guarantee a Senate vote on that issue by mid-December, which is not good enough for many Democrats.
"They're going to have to explain themselves to their constituents and to the American people," said House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY).
"There's no relief in that bill for the incredible pressures people are feeling," said Sen. John Hickenlooper (D-CO).
Without those subsidies, Americans face higher premiums when the subsidies expire at the end of the year.
