WASHINGTON — A bipartisan group of senators late Sunday moved forward a stopgap measure intended to reopen the federal government and fund it temporarily through Jan. 30, after a shutdown that began Oct. 1.
In a 60-40 procedural vote, seven Senate Democrats and one independent joined most Republicans to advance the continuing resolution. Democrats who voted with Republicans were Dick Durbin (Ill.), John Fetterman (Pa.), Maggie Hassan (N.H.), Jeanne Shaheen (N.H.), Tim Kaine (Va.), Catherine Cortez Masto (Nev.) and Jacky Rosen (Nev.). Independent Angus King (Maine), who caucuses with Democrats, also supported advancing the bill. GOP Sen. Rand Paul (Ky.) again voted no.
Fetterman, King and Cortez Masto had previously sided with Republicans on roll calls to reopen the government; prior attempts fell short of the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster. The package would restore full-year funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), fund other child and senior nutrition programs, and reinstate federal employees removed during the shutdown — restoring jobs with back pay and barring further separations until the stopgap funding expires.
The continuing resolution does not include an extension of Affordable Care Act premium subsidies, a central demand from many Democrats. Senate Republican leader John Thune (S.D.) said he would schedule a separate vote on health insurance subsidies by the second week of December.
New text released Sunday night would keep the government open through Jan. 30 and attach three fiscal 2026 appropriations bills: agriculture programs, veterans benefits and military construction, along with funding for Congress. It directs $8.2 billion to the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), roughly $600 million more than last year, and replenishes a USDA contingency fund after the administration tapped funds during the shutdown to keep WIC operating.
Democrats emphasized that the bill fully funds SNAP and school meal programs and includes money they say the Trump administration had sought to cut. SNAP serves about 42 million Americans; during the shutdown, benefits stopped flowing in many states. A federal court ordered states to release November SNAP benefits, the USDA briefly resumed distribution, then appealed to the Supreme Court and later asked states to recoup part of benefits already distributed.
The agreement prompted division within the Democratic caucus. Several senators left a closed-door meeting Sunday upset that the bill omits health care subsidies. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (Conn.) and Sens. Chris Van Hollen (Md.) and Tammy Baldwin (Wis.) announced they would oppose the measure, and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said he opposed the deal. Representative Andy Kim (N.J.) also said he would vote no, citing the need to address rising health care costs.
Supporters defended the approach. Sen. Tim Kaine said the deal guarantees a vote on renewing ACA premium tax credits, something he said Republicans had resisted previously. Sen. Jacky Rosen called on Republicans to join Democrats in lowering costs for working families.
The procedural vote does not immediately reopen the government. The bill must pass additional Senate steps and then go to the House, which has not been in session since Sept. 19. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) was at a Washington Commanders game Sunday night with former President Donald Trump; Trump told reporters afterward, ‘It looks like we’re getting very close to the shutdown ending.’
The shutdown’s effects have been wide-ranging: nearly a million federal workers missed paychecks, SNAP benefits for many low-income Americans halted in November, and the Federal Aviation Administration began cutting flights at roughly 40 major airports amid staffing strains. Those reductions are set to increase to about a 10% drop in air traffic.
The bill also contains provisions Democrats say protect nutrition programs the administration sought to reduce. Besides the WIC increase, the package funds SNAP and school meals and directs money to the SNAP emergency contingency fund. Senate Appropriations Committee Democrats framed these elements as protections for families while litigation continues over the administration’s actions during the shutdown.
The hemp industry warned the bill includes language that would ‘effectively eliminate the legal hemp industry built under the 2018 farm bill,’ predicting job losses and a resurgence of illicit markets. Industry groups said they were willing to negotiate regulations but accused lawmakers of enacting a de facto prohibition through appropriations text.
House Democrats criticized the Senate proposal. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said the measure would likely send a spending bill to the House that fails to extend ACA tax credits and cautioned that tens of millions of Americans could face higher costs. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, the top House Democratic appropriator, said she did not agree to the release of the attached veterans and military construction bill. Rep. Angie Craig (Minn.) called the negotiations a bad deal and said she would vote no rather than risk health care for millions.
Sunday’s Senate vote is a key procedural step toward ending the record-long shutdown, but significant hurdles remain. The legislation still needs final Senate approval and action in the House. The absence of immediate ACA subsidy relief has left deep partisan and intra-party disagreement even as the package seeks to restore pay for federal workers and funding for food programs critical to millions of Americans.
