The United States Senate voted 60–40 late Monday night to approve a short-term funding bill aimed at ending the longest federal government shutdown in U.S. history.
The legislation, a bipartisan compromise, will fund most federal agencies through January 30, 2026, and combine three full-year spending bills with a stopgap extension.
The deal notably does not include an extension of the enhanced subsidies under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) health-insurance credits — a major sticking point for many Democrats — setting up further acrimony within the party.
After 41 days of a federal government shutdown that furloughed workers and snarled air travel, the Senate late Monday night sent to the House a funding package that, if approved by the House of Representatives and signed by President Trump, would reopen large swaths of the federal government.
The deal cleared the chamber with the minimum 60 votes required to overcome a filibuster, thanks to eight Democrats joining virtually all Republicans.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) declared: “The time to act is now,” underscoring the urgency of restoring operations, paying federal workers and halting further disruptions.
What the bill does
Funds most federal agencies and programs until Jan. 30, 2026, providing much-needed relief to furloughed or unpaid federal employees.
Includes full-year appropriations for certain key programs, including military construction and veterans’ health care.
Reverses mass firings of federal workers initiated during the shutdown and provides for back-pay.
The bill now faces a vote in the House, where Speaker Mike Johnson says a vote could come as soon as Wednesday. The measure must pass the House before heading to the President’s desk.
Officials say that even after funding is restored and federal employees – especially air traffic controllers – receive back-pay, the system won’t snap immediately back to full capacity. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy specifically said it could take “days, if not a week” for travel operations to stabilize after the shutdown ends.
Some commercial aviation experts caution that while major delays and cancellations may diminish within days, “normal” flight schedules, full staffing, and smooth airport operations may take longer, particularly given the backlog of adjustments.