The US Capitol building.

By Joe Lombardi From Daily Voice

After 40 days of federal standstill, the Senate reached a breakthrough, voting 60-40 to advance a compromise funding bill that could finally reopen the government and offer relief to millions of Americans feeling the squeeze.

The agreement reached at 10:49 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 9, and made through a coalition of centrist Democrats and Republicans, would keep government operations running through Friday, Jan. 30, 2026, and secure funding for key departments like Agriculture. 

Essential programs, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), would be covered through the end of the fiscal year.

However, the deal leaves a major health care question unresolved. Democrats agreed to postpone an immediate extension of Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies, which are set to expire at the end of the year. 

Instead, the Senate will hold a separate vote on those subsidies in mid-December, a delay that frustrated some in the party, including Senate leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), who opposed the agreement. 

"This is not a complete victory for families who rely on affordable care," Schumer said, voicing concern over the lack of firm guarantees.

If the package clears the Senate, it will still need approval from the House, which has been in recess for seven weeks, before heading to President Trump’s desk for his signature. Any senator can also slow the process, raising the possibility of further delays.

Meanwhile, the shutdown’s impact is rippling across the country. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warned Sunday that air travel could be “reduced to a trickle” ahead of Thanksgiving, as airlines cut flights in response to FAA mandates. 

The Department of Agriculture has ordered states to halt full food stamp benefits and reverse any extra aid given for November, further straining families who depend on assistance.

The compromise, however, provides some relief to federal workers by preventing planned layoffs and ensuring back pay for those furloughed or working without pay. 

With the Senate’s bipartisan push, attention now turns to the House for the final steps needed to bring the government back online and end the longest shutdown in US history.

The previous longest government shutdown, which lasted 35 days, was during the first Trump Administration, from Dec. 22, 2018, through Jan. 25, 2019.

The Democrats who voted for the measure were Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (Illinois), who will retire at the end of the year, and Senators Tim Kaine (Virginia), John Fetterman (Pennsylvania), Maggie Hassan (New Hampshire), Jeanne Shaheen (New Hampshire), Catherine Cortez Masto (Nevada), Jacky Rosen (Nevada), and Angus King (Maine), an Independent who caucuses with Democrats.

Check back to Daily Voice for updates.