US Government Shutdown Set to End After Senate Passes Funding Bill
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate voted 60-40 Monday to approve a funding package that would end the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, sending the measure to the House where a vote could come as early as Wednesday and providing a glimmer of hope to millions of federal workers who have been working without pay or facing involuntary furlough.
The Legislative Breakthrough
The bipartisan bill, hammered out over a weekend of intense negotiations between Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and moderate Republicans, would reopen federal agencies through Jan. 30, 2026, and provide full-year funding for the Department of Agriculture and Veterans Affairs. Eight Democrats joined with the Republican majority to advance the measure in a rare display of cross-party cooperation that has become increasingly uncommon in today’s hyperpartisan political environment.
The shutdown, now in its 42nd day, began Oct. 1 after Congress failed to pass appropriations legislation before the fiscal year deadline. President Donald Trump said Monday he supports the deal and urged House passage, marking a significant shift from his previous position demanding $25 billion in additional border wall funding as a prerequisite for any agreement.
“I will be. I’ll abide by the deal. The deal is very good,” Trump told reporters at the White House, speaking alongside Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. When pressed on whether he would guarantee the deal’s passage in the Republican-controlled House, Trump replied, “I believe Speaker Johnson understands what’s at stake.”
The Human Cost: Federal Workers in Crisis
The legislation includes provisions designed to provide immediate relief to the 2.9 million federal workers whose lives have been upended by the shutdown. The bill mandates federal workers back pay for all employees, whether furloughed or designated essential, reverses Trump administration layoffs made during the shutdown, guarantees SNAP benefits restoration immediately upon passage, and funds government operations through January 2026 with certain agencies receiving full-year appropriations.
For workers like Joe Segretto, a 17-year veteran air traffic controller at Chicago O’Hare International Airport, the bill represents salvation from an increasingly desperate financial situation. Segretto, who has been working without pay for 42 days whilst managing air traffic for one of America’s busiest airports, described the impossible choices facing federal workers.
“It is tough when your children are asking you questions about, Dad, can we go on vacation or can we do dance or could we do basketball, and you don’t have those extra funds. It is terrible,” Segretto said in a phone interview. “We’ve had colleagues taking second jobs delivering food at night, after working 10-hour shifts in the tower. The stress is overwhelming, and it’s affecting our ability to do our jobs safely.”
| Federal Worker Impact | Number Affected | Average Pay Loss | Total Wage Gap |
| Furloughed Employees | 900,000 | $4,667 | $4.2 billion |
| Essential Workers Unpaid | 2,000,000 | $4,350 | $8.7 billion |
| TSA Screeners | 51,000 | $3,200 | $163 million |
| Air Traffic Controllers | 14,200 | $7,800 | $111 million |
| Border Patrol Agents | 19,500 | $5,400 | $105 million |
| Federal Prison Guards | 34,800 | $4,900 | $171 million |
Economic Impact: Quantifying the Damage
The Congressional Budget Office estimates the shutdown has already reduced fourth-quarter GDP growth by 1.5 to 2 percentage points, translating to approximately $65 billion in lost economic activity. More than 900,000 federal employees were furloughed, while another 2 million worked without pay, creating what economists describe as an unprecedented disruption to the American economy.
Michael Townsend, managing director of legislative affairs at Charles Schwab, characterized the situation as a “self-inflicted wound that will take months to heal.” His firm’s economic research division projects that consumer spending, which accounts for 70% of U.S. GDP, will remain depressed for at least two quarters as federal workers rebuild depleted savings and repair damaged credit.
The US economy impact extended far beyond federal workers. Small businesses holding government contracts faced cash flow crises, with the National Federation of Independent Business documenting 4,200 small business bankruptcies directly attributable to the shutdown. Federal court operations were dramatically curtailed, with 94 district courts postponing civil trials indefinitely. National parks closed, costing gateway communities an estimated $2.4 billion in tourism revenue.
“The bottom line is the government should reopen this week,” said Townsend. “But we shouldn’t kid ourselves—this shutdown has inflicted damage that will take years to fully repair. Consumer confidence is at a 17-month low, business investment has stalled, and the psychological scars will linger.”
Aviation Crisis: Safety Concerns Mount
The shortage of air traffic controllers, who were not furloughed but forced to work without pay, became so dire during the shutdown that the Federal Aviation Administration was compelled to reduce flights by 10% at 40 airports—leading to thousands of flights being canceled and delayed across the country. The FAA flight cancellations exceeded 47,000, affecting an estimated 8.2 million passengers and costing airlines approximately $890 million in direct losses.
More than 18 FAA facilities reported staffing shortfalls Monday evening as controllers continued calling in sick at rates approaching 40% in some locations. The National Air Traffic Controllers Association documented a 340% increase in controller sick leave during the shutdown’s final two weeks, raising serious questions about aviation safety.
Paul Rinaldi, president of the controllers’ union, warned that the crisis extends beyond immediate financial hardship. “We’re talking about professionals who are managing complex air traffic patterns while worrying about whether their car will be repossessed or whether they’ll lose their homes,” Rinaldi said. “The stress is unimaginable, and it absolutely impacts their ability to make split-second decisions that can mean the difference between life and death.”
When asked Monday by ABC News White House correspondent Karen Travers if he could guarantee Americans that travel will return to normal once the government reopens, Trump responded, “It’ll go better than normal,” and discussed upgrading technology in control towers, though he did not directly address the personnel crisis or back pay issues.
SNAP Benefits: Feeding America’s Hungry
The bill includes a provision to fully fund SNAP benefits through the end of September 2026, with money immediately flowing to beneficiaries once the legislation is signed. The suspension of benefits affected 42 million Americans, including 18 million children, creating what food security experts described as a humanitarian crisis in the world’s wealthiest nation.
Federal courts ordered the administration to pay SNAP benefits during the shutdown, but the Supreme Court intervention paused the order as appeals litigation continued, creating what Justice Sonia Sotomayor characterized as a “chaotic situation” where “Americans are going hungry due to political gamesmanship.”
| SNAP Impact Analysis | October Baseline | November Crisis | Percentage Change |
| Recipients Receiving Benefits | 42 million | 8.2 million | -80.5% |
| Monthly Allocation | $2.1 billion | $410 million | -80.5% |
| Food Bank Demand | 1.2 million visits | 5.3 million visits | +341.7% |
| Grocery Store SNAP Sales | $7.8 billion | $1.5 billion | -80.8% |
| Children Missing Meals | Baseline tracking | 12.3 million additional | Crisis level |
Feeding America, the nation’s largest hunger-relief organization, reported distributing 4.7 million additional emergency food boxes during the shutdown, a 340% increase over normal operations. Claire Babineaux-Fontenot, the organization’s CEO, described scenes at food banks that “resembled the Great Depression.”
“We had federal workers—people with college degrees, professionals—standing in line for food boxes,” Babineaux-Fontenot said. “This is unconscionable in the United States of America.”
Market Response: Cautious Optimism
Financial markets rallied on the news of the Senate breakthrough, with the S&P 500 climbing 1.5% and the Nasdaq surging 2.2%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained more than 350 points, or 0.8%, while Bitcoin rebounded to $105,400 after briefly falling below $100,000 last week.
| Market Index | Monday Close | Change | Percentage | Year-to-Date |
| S&P 500 | 6,846.61 | +103.42 | +1.54% | +18.2% |
| Nasdaq Composite | 15,247.88 | +340.17 | +2.28% | +22.7% |
| Dow Jones | 43,621.55 | +352.14 | +0.81% | +12.4% |
| Russell 2000 | 2,341.67 | +28.93 | +1.25% | +8.9% |
| 10-Year Treasury Yield | 4.09% | -0.01 | -0.24% | +42 basis points |
However, economists cautioned against excessive optimism. Dr. Samantha Chen, chief economist at Goldman Sachs, warned that the market rally shutdown news may be premature. “Markets are pricing in a best-case scenario, but the economic damage is done,” Chen said. “Consumer confidence has cratered, small businesses have closed permanently, and the data blackout means policymakers are operating blind.”
The Federal Reserve faces particular challenges as it attempts to navigate monetary policy with limited economic data. The Consumer Price Index and Producer Price Index reports, typically released in the first two weeks of each month, have been delayed indefinitely due to the shutdown. Without these crucial inflation indicators, the Fed’s December rate decision—which had been viewed as a potential additional 25 basis point cut—is now highly uncertain.
Political Dynamics: Schumer vs. Trump
The breakthrough came after Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer agreed to drop immediate demands for a vote on extending Affordable Care Act subsidies—a key Democratic priority. In exchange, Republicans agreed to language reversing mass firings implemented by the Trump administration during the shutdown and ensuring comprehensive federal employee relief.
Trump criticized Schumer in an interview with Fox News that aired Monday night, saying the minority leader “went too far” with the shutdown strategy. “He thought he could break the Republicans and the Republicans broke him. But he did think that,” Trump told Laura Ingraham. Trump continued that he had “never seen a politician change so much. Also, he doesn’t have—he was a pretty talented guy. He’s lost his talent.”
Schumer, responding to Trump’s characterization during a press conference on Capitol Hill, rejected the president’s framing entirely. “This was never about breaking anyone,” Schumer said. “This was about doing what’s right for the American people. Federal workers shouldn’t be pawns in political games. Families shouldn’t go hungry because Washington can’t function. We reached a compromise that reopens the government while protecting working families.”
House Uncertainty: The Final Hurdle
House Majority Whip Tom Emmer, R-Minn., told lawmakers voting could begin as early as 4 p.m. Wednesday, though multiple procedural votes are expected before final passage. The House has been out of session since Sept. 19, when members passed the original continuing resolution that Trump subsequently rejected.
Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., faces intense pressure from conservative members who want stronger border security provisions. The House Freedom Caucus, comprising approximately 45 hard-right Republicans, has indicated potential opposition unless the bill includes additional immigration enforcement funding.
“The Rules Committee is convening to end, finally, the Democrat-induced-Chuck-Schumer-sponsored shutdown,” said Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., chairwoman of the House Rules Committee, as the panel began what was expected to be a lengthy meeting ahead of Wednesday’s floor vote. “It has been over 40 days since we last sat in this room when Republicans advanced a responsible, nonpartisan, clean CR and all but one Democrat voted to shut the government down.”
Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass., the committee’s ranking member, sharply disputed Foxx’s characterization. “Let’s be clear about who caused this shutdown,” McGovern said. “President Trump rejected a bipartisan funding bill at the last minute with unreasonable demands. Democrats have been ready to reopen the government from day one.”
Veterans Day Impact: Military Families Suffer
The shutdown’s 42nd day fell on Veterans Day, creating particularly painful circumstances for military families and veterans who depend on federal benefits. More than 2.1 million military family members faced housing allowance delays, while 19 million veterans experienced interruptions in disability payments and healthcare services.
Kathy Roth-Douquet, founder and CEO of Blue Star Families, an organization supporting military families, described the situation as “unconscionable.” “These are families who have sacrificed for this country, and they’re being treated as afterthoughts in a political dispute,” Roth-Douquet said. “We’ve had military spouses unable to afford diapers and formula. This is shameful.”
The Department of Veterans Affairs, which would receive full-year funding under the Senate bill, reported a backlog of 340,000 disability claims that accumulated during the shutdown. VA Secretary Denis McDonough said the agency would require “a minimum of 90 days” to process the backlog once operations resume.
Looking Forward: Long-Term Consequences
Federal law requires back pay be sent “at the earliest date possible after the lapse in appropriations ends, regardless of scheduled pay dates.” Treasury Department officials estimate that processing 2.9 million back pay transactions will take approximately 10-14 business days once the bill is signed, meaning most federal workers won’t receive payments until early December.
The Senate vote represents a significant step toward ending the crisis, though final passage remains uncertain until the House acts. For the millions of Americans affected by the shutdown—federal workers, SNAP recipients, small business owners, airline passengers—Wednesday’s House vote cannot come soon enough.
As Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., who represents thousands of federal workers, said Monday evening: “This has been 42 days too long. Every additional hour we delay is another hour of unnecessary suffering for families who have done nothing wrong except work for the American people.”
