Senate takes first step toward ending the government shutdown
[November 10, 2025]
By MARY CLARE JALONICK and LISA MASCARO
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate took the first step to end the government
shutdown on Sunday after a group of moderate Democrats agreed to proceed
without a guaranteed extension of health care subsidies, angering many
in their caucus who say Americans want them to continue the fight.
In a test vote that is the first in a series of required procedural
maneuvers, the Senate voted 60-40 to move toward passing compromise
legislation to fund the government and hold a later vote on extending
Affordable Care Act tax credits that expire Jan. 1. Final passage could
be several days away if Democrats object and delay the process.
The agreement does not guarantee the health care subsidies will be
extended, as Democrats have demanded for almost six weeks. Senate
Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York voted against moving ahead
with the package, along with all but eight of his Democratic colleagues.
A group of three former governors — New Hampshire Sen. Jeanne Shaheen,
New Hampshire Sen. Maggie Hassan and Independent Sen. Angus King of
Maine — broke the six-week stalemate on Sunday when they agreed to vote
to advance three bipartisan annual spending bills and extend the rest of
government funding until late January in exchange for a mid-December
vote on extending the health care tax credits.
The agreement also includes a reversal of the mass firings of federal
workers by the Trump administration since the shutdown began on Oct. 1
and would ensure that federal workers receive back pay.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune quickly endorsed the deal and called
an immediate vote to begin the process of approving it as the shutdown
continued to disrupt flights nationwide, threaten food assistance for
millions of Americans and leave federal workers without pay.
“The time to act is now,” Thune said.
Returning to the White House on Sunday evening after attending a
football game, President Donald Trump did not say whether he endorsed
the deal. But he said, “It looks like we’re getting close to the
shutdown ending.”
Five Democrats switch votes
In addition to Shaheen, King and Hassan, Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine of
Virginia, home to tens of thousands of federal workers, also voted in
favor of moving forward on the agreement. Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin, the
No. 2 Democrat, Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman and Nevada Sens.
Catherine Cortez Masto and Jacky Rosen also voted yes.
The moderates had expected a larger number of Democrats to vote with
them as 10-12 Democratic senators had been part of the negotiations. But
in the end, only five Democrats switched their votes — the exact number
that Republicans needed. King, Cortez Masto and Fetterman had already
been voting to open the government since Oct. 1.
The vote was temporarily delayed on Sunday evening as three
conservatives who often criticize spending bills, Republican Sens. Mike
Lee of Utah, Rick Scott of Florida and Ron Johnson of Wisconsin,
withheld their votes and huddled with Thune at the back of the chamber.
They eventually voted yes after speaking to Trump, Lee said.
Another Republican, Sen John Cornyn of Texas, had to fly back from Texas
to deliver the crucial 60th vote.
Schumer votes no
After Democrats met for over two hours to discuss the proposal, Schumer
said he could not “in good faith” support it.
Schumer, who received blowback from his party in March when he voted to
keep the government open, said that Democrats have now “sounded the alarm” on health care.
“We will not give up the fight,” he said.
Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, who caucuses with the
Democrats, said giving up the fight was a “horrific mistake.”
Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., agreed, saying that in last week's elections
people voted overwhelmingly Democratic “to urge Democrats to hold firm.”
A bipartisan agreement
Democrats had voted 14 times not to reopen the government as they
demanded the extension of tax credits that make coverage more affordable
under the Affordable Care Act. Republicans said they would not negotiate
on health care, but GOP leaders have been quietly working with the group
of moderates as the contours of an agreement began to emerge.
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Speaking to reporters, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D.,
responds to Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer to reopen the
government if Republicans extend expiring health care subsidies for
one year, at the Capitol in Washington, Friday, Nov. 7, 2025, day 38
of the government shutdown. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
The agreement includes bipartisan bills worked out by the Senate
Appropriations Committee to fund parts of government — food aid,
veterans programs and the legislative branch, among other things.
All other funding would be extended until the end of January, giving
lawmakers more than two months to finish additional spending bills.
The deal would reinstate federal workers who had received reduction
in force, or layoff, notices and reimburse states that spent their
own funds to keep federal programs running during the shutdown. It
would also protect against future reductions in force through
January and guarantee federal workers would be paid once the
shutdown is over.
House Democrats push back
House Democrats swiftly criticized the Senate.
Texas Rep. Greg Casar, the chairman of the Congressional Progressive
Caucus, said a deal that doesn't reduce health care costs is a
“betrayal” of millions of Americans who are counting on Democrats to
fight.
“Accepting nothing but a pinky promise from Republicans isn’t a
compromise — it’s capitulation,” Casar said in a post on X.
"Millions of families would pay the price.”
Rep. Angie Craig of Minnesota posted that “if people believe this is
a ‘deal,’ I have a bridge to sell you.”
House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries blamed Republicans and said
Democrats will continue to fight.
“Donald Trump and the Republican Party own the toxic mess they have
created in our country and the American people know it,” Jeffries
said.
Health care debate ahead
It's unclear whether the two parties would be able to find any
common ground on the health care subsidies before a promised
December vote in the Senate. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has
said he will not commit to bring it up in his chamber.
Some Republicans have said they are open to extending the
COVID-19-era tax credits as premiums could skyrocket for millions of
people, but they also want new limits on who can receive the
subsidies and argue that the tax dollars for the plans should be
routed through individuals.
Other Republicans, including Trump, have used the debate to renew
their yearslong criticism of the law and called for it to be
scrapped or overhauled.
Shutdown effects worsen
Meanwhile, the consequences of the shutdown have been compounding.
U.S. airlines canceled more than 2,000 flights on Sunday for the
first time since the shutdown began, and there were more than 7,000
flight delays, according to FlightAware, a website that tracks air
travel disruptions.
Treasury Secretary Sean Duffy said on CNN’s “State of the Union"
that air travel ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday will be “reduced
to a trickle” if the government doesn't reopen.
At the same time, food aid was delayed for tens of millions of
people as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits were
caught up in legal battles related to the shutdown.
And in Washington, home to tens of thousands of federal workers who
have gone unpaid, the Capital Area Food Bank said it is providing 8
million more meals ahead of the holidays than it had prepared for
this budget year — a nearly 20% increase.
___
Associated Press writers Stephen Groves and Kevin Freking
contributed to this report.
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