On Sunday, the US Senate took significant steps toward resolving the ongoing federal government shutdown, which has now entered its 40th day. This move signifies that a resolution may soon be at hand. Senators are scheduled to vote on advancing a House-passed stopgap funding bill as early as Sunday night. Senate Republican Majority Leader, John Thune, indicated that the bill would be amended to combine short-term funding with a package that includes three full-year appropriations bills.
The amended funding package will need to be approved by the House of Representatives and subsequently sent to Donald Trump for his signature. This legislative process may take several days, as both parties navigate the complexities involved. Currently, Senate Democrats are resisting efforts to pass this funding measure, aiming instead to pressure Republicans into agreeing on critical healthcare reforms that would extend expiring subsidies under the Affordable Care Act (ACA).
Under the proposed deal, the Senate would commit to holding a separate vote on the healthcare subsidies at a later date. Richard Blumenthal, a Democratic senator from Connecticut, expressed his opposition to the funding measure while also suggesting that there could be sufficient Democratic support to pass it. “I am unwilling to accept a vague promise of a vote at some indeterminate time on some undefined measure that extends the healthcare tax credits,” Blumenthal stated, underscoring the tensions surrounding the negotiations.
Ben Ray Luján, a New Mexico Democrat, echoed the uncertainty, emphasizing that while there might be a vote on health insurance credits, it remains unclear whether House Speaker Mike Johnson or President Trump would take action. Johnson has previously indicated he would not facilitate a vote on plans to extend ACA tax credits, which make health insurance affordable for millions of Americans.
Two prominent progressive voices within the Senate Democratic caucus, Elizabeth Warren from Massachusetts and Bernie Sanders from Vermont, expressed their discontent with the emerging compromise. Warren referred to the proposal as a “mistake,” while Sanders warned it would be a “policy and political disaster” for Democrats to concede on this issue.
In the House, Democratic leaders voiced their dismay as well. Hakeem Jeffries, the House minority leader, vowed to oppose any spending legislation that does not include extensions for ACA tax credits. “We will not support spending legislation advanced by Senate Republicans that fails to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits,” Jeffries asserted in a statement.
Greg Casar, a Texas Democrat leading the House progressive caucus, criticized the proposal as a betrayal, stating, “Republicans want healthcare cuts. Accepting nothing but a pinky promise from Republicans isn’t a compromise — it’s capitulation.” Other members, such as Florida congressman Maxwell Frost, also expressed their disappointment, citing the negative impact the deal would have on constituents in their districts. “I’m a NO on this ‘deal,’” he declared.
Outside of Washington, the compromise faced backlash as well. California Governor Gavin Newsom took to social media, calling the proposed agreement “pathetic” and a “surrender.”
The ongoing shutdown has had far-reaching effects, sidelining federal workers and disrupting essential services such as food aid, national parks, and travel. As the busy Thanksgiving holiday season approaches, concerns regarding air traffic control staffing shortages have intensified. Thom Tillis, a Republican senator from North Carolina, noted that the mounting impacts of the shutdown are pushing lawmakers toward a resolution. He mentioned a new funding resolution intended to support government operations into late January, which would also aim to reverse some of the layoffs implemented during the Trump administration.
Should the government remain closed for an extended period, economic growth could potentially decline in the fourth quarter. White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett warned that the ongoing disruptions could negatively affect air travel and retail during the critical holiday shopping season, which begins around Thanksgiving.
As Americans begin to shop for 2026 Obamacare health insurance plans, they face the reality of significantly increased monthly premiums, with health experts estimating a more than doubling of costs on average. This rise comes as pandemic-era subsidies are set to expire at the end of the year. On Friday, Republicans rejected a proposal from Chuck Schumer, the Democratic Senate minority leader, which would have reopened the government in exchange for a one-year extension of ACA tax credits.
In a recent statement, Adam Schiff, a Democratic senator from California, expressed concerns that Trump’s healthcare proposal could undermine the ACA and allow insurance companies to deny coverage for individuals with pre-existing conditions. “He’s saying: ‘I’m going to give you more power to cancel people’s policies,’” Schiff remarked during an appearance on ABC’s This Week.