- the bill did not resolve the ongoing dispute over healthcare subsidies
- It also restores salaries for affected federal employees
- some Democrats criticized it for failing to protect healthcare priorities
The United States Senate has approved a spending bill to end the country’s longest-ever federal government shutdown after weeks of political deadlock that left hundreds of thousands of workers unpaid.
Eko Hot Blog gathered that the bill, which passed with a 60–40 vote on Monday night, will fund government operations until January 30, 2026.
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The bill also restores salaries for affected federal employees and provides full-year funding for key sectors such as agriculture, veterans’ affairs, and military construction.
However, the bill did not resolve the ongoing dispute over healthcare subsidies under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), a major sticking point for Democrats. Lawmakers agreed to postpone discussions on that issue until December.
Eight Democrats and one independent joined Senate Republicans to secure the required votes for passage. The bill now heads to the House of Representatives, where it is expected to receive swift approval before being sent to President Donald Trump for assent.
The shutdown, which began in early October, disrupted essential services across the country, grounded several public agencies, and delayed payments for over 1.3 million government workers.
While the deal was welcomed as a step toward restoring normalcy, some Democrats criticized it for failing to protect healthcare priorities, calling it a “temporary fix” rather than a lasting solution.
Markets and business groups, however, reacted positively to the development, expressing relief that the prolonged standoff might finally be coming to an end.
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