Senate Advances Shutdown End Proposal
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Federal Government Shutdown Ends After 40 Days
Table of Contents
What Happened: The Road to Reopening
A group of shutdown-weary Democratic senators voted with Republicans Sunday night to advance a legislative vehicle to reopen the federal government and end the 40-day shutdown that had left tens of thousands of workers furloughed and caused chaos at the nation’s airports.
The Senate voted 60-40 to proceed to a House-passed continuing resolution to reopen the government,taking a significant first step toward ending the shutdown after a group of centrist Democrats negotiated a funding deal with Senate Republican colleagues and the White House.
Senate Democrats had previously blocked the same House-passed bill to fund the government on 14 prior occasions.
However, a group of centrist and retiring democrats faced increasing pressure to reopen the government as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) funding expired on november 1st and staff shortages among air traffic controllers led to major delays at airports.
Key Senators Who Broke the Impasse
Eight Democrats ultimately voted to take up the House bill. This group included:
- Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (Ill.), who is retiring at the end of the year.
- Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) and Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.).
- Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.), representing over 144,000 employees in his state.
- Sen. Angus King (I-Maine), an self-reliant who caucuses with democrats, played a crucial role in crafting the agreement.
- Sens. John Fetterman (D-Pa.) and Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.),who had consistently advocated for a resolution.
- Sen. Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) joined her colleague, Cortez Masto, in supporting the measure.
The Compromise Deal: Details and Timeline
Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) plans to amend the House-passed bill with the compromise deal negotiated by Shaheen,Hassan,King,and others.
Shaheen, a member of the Appropriations committee, collaborated with Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Susan Collins (R-Maine) on the funding bills included in the package.