Senate passes bill to end government shutdown, leaving some Democrats fuming; House vote next

The Senate passed a bill to reopen the government late Monday night, sending it to the House after a record-long shutdown.

In a 60-40 vote, eight Democrats broke ranks to join Republicans in passing a funding measure that would end the 42-day shutdown without the health insurance subsidies the Democratic Party has been demanding. However, the measure that passed included a promise from Republican Senate Majority Leader John Thune to hold a vote on the subsidies in December.

The eight defectors, including several members who are set to retire, have enraged many other Democrats, who view the deal as losing the healthcare fight less than a week after Democrats’ election wins. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries promised he would “fight” the bill in the House, as others have even called on Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to be replaced.  

“Senator Schumer is no longer effective and should be replaced. If you can’t lead the fight to stop healthcare premiums from skyrocketing for Americans, what will you fight for?” Rep. Ro Khanna, D-California, wrote on X.  

The eight Democrats who backed the deal said it was the best they could get: government reopened, food assistance restored, healthcare subsidies up for a vote and a reversal of recent federal worker layoffs, as the Associated Press reported. 

The Senate-approved deal, which the House could vote on as early as Wednesday, has the backing of President Donald Trump, who has been eager to end the shutdown. Speaker Mike Johnson on Monday urged his congressional colleagues to return to Washington, D.C., “right now” so the House can vote “as quickly as possible.” 

In addition to more than 1 million federal workers being furloughed or working without pay, the shutdown has wreaked havoc on airports across the country. The Federal Aviation Administration ordered a 10% cut in flights at 40 high-traffic hubs by the end of this week, and there have been thousands of flight delays and cancellations across the country as air traffic controllers have gone without pay.  

“All Air Traffic Controllers must get back to work, NOW!!!,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Monday amid the flight delays, threatening that anyone who doesn’t show up to work will be “substantially ‘docked’” while he will recommend $10,000 bonuses for air traffic controllers who did not take time off during the shutdown. 

“For those that did nothing but complain, and took time off, even though everyone knew they would be paid, IN FULL, shortly into the future, I am NOT HAPPY WITH YOU,” Trump added. “You didn’t step up to help the U.S.A. against the FAKE DEMOCRAT ATTACK that was only meant to hurt our Country. You will have a negative mark, at least in my mind, against your record.” 

Air traffic controllers, who have been without pay for a month, have urged the government to reopen as quickly as possible. 

“No one should be under the illusion that it’s business as usual for aviation safety during the shutdown,” the National Air Traffic Controllers Association said in a statement. “Air traffic controllers and other aviation safety professionals currently are working without pay, often under grueling schedules of six days a week, 10 hours a day. Some are taking second jobs to feed their families and pay their bills—leading to stress and fatigue.”