The Senate passed a government funding package Monday night that ends the longest shutdown in U.S. history, clearing the way for the House and President Donald Trump to approve it by Wednesday. The 60-40 vote ended a weeks-long partisan stalemate after bipartisan negotiations between Senate leaders and rank-and-file senators. The deal now awaits House approval and the President’s signature. Senate passage marks the first step toward restoring federal operations, with the shutdown ending by the end of the week.
The bipartisan bill was the product of months of negotiations between top appropriators, resulting in a three-bill “minibus” that funds the Department of Agriculture and the FDA, the Department of Veterans Affairs and military construction projects, and Congress for the current fiscal year. All other agencies would be funded through January 30. The shutdown-ending agreement also guarantees rehiring of federal employees laid off during the shutdown and reinstates back pay, while requiring agencies to give written notice to Congress about the withdrawal of layoff notices and details on the amount of back pay owed.
Additionally, the bill includes a measure preventing future layoffs in any department at least until January 30. Democrats will also get a vote by mid-December on a bill to extend the enhanced ACA subsidies set to sunset at the end of the year. The Senate Democratic Caucus, led by Sens. Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire and Angus King of Maine, emphasized that the ability to vote on the subsidies constituted a major win.
However, Democratic leaders questioned why they supported the agreement when Republicans did not come to the table on their one key demand — negotiating on the Obamacare credits. Some House progressives and outside groups were seething and called on Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to resign, even though he too voted against the deal. Schumer criticized the funding package, saying it failed to do anything of substance to fix America’s health care crisis and that the shutdown exposed Donald Trump’s cruelty.
Despite opposition from most Democrats and Kentucky Republican Sen. Rand Paul, lawmakers chose to vote on the bill early Monday evening to allow for a weeklong recess the next day. Senate Majority Leader John Thune urged his colleagues not to delay the shutdown pain, which has caused thousands of flight delays and cancellations and an ongoing legal battle over vital federal food aid. Thune said, “Let’s not pointlessly drag this bill out.” In exchange for accelerating the passage, Republican leaders gave Paul a vote on an amendment to preserve the status quo on hemp regulations, which failed 76-24.