Democrats Join Republicans to End Historic US Government Shutdown
After weeks of political deadlock, a breakthrough was finally achieved in the US Senate to bring an end to the longest government shutdown in American history. On Sunday, a group of seven Senate Democrats and one independent crossed party lines to vote in favor of a Republican-backed deal aimed at reopening the government, breaking the standoff that had left hundreds of thousands of federal workers without pay and critical services delayed.
Among those who supported the deal was Virginia Senator Tim Kaine, best known as Hillary Clinton’s running mate in the 2016 election. Kaine, who is not facing re-election in 2026, explained that he backed the measure to protect federal workers and address what he described as “Republicans’ healthcare mess.” His state alone is home to roughly 300,000 federal employees, many of whom had been furloughed or working without pay during the shutdown. Kaine emphasized that the legislation would reinstate employees wrongfully terminated and ensure that all federal workers receive back pay.
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From New Hampshire, Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan also supported the deal. Shaheen, a key architect of the compromise, highlighted that it restored a bipartisan funding process, including critical allocations for food assistance and veterans’ healthcare. Hassan pointed out that her constituents had been deeply affected by the shutdown, with families struggling to put food on the table and public services disrupted. She stressed that her vote was motivated by a moral imperative to ensure that essential government functions could resume, from schools feeding children to air traffic controllers receiving their pay.
Nevada’s Catherine Cortez Masto echoed similar concerns, noting that long lines at food banks and stressed federal workers were clear signs of the shutdown’s human toll. Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman, a centrist Democrat, described his decision to vote for the deal as a consistent effort to reopen the government, apologizing to military personnel, SNAP recipients, and other public servants who had been left unpaid.
Jacky Rosen of Nevada cited concessions related to Affordable Care Act tax credits, which are now set for a vote in December, as a key factor influencing her support. Illinois Senator Dick Durbin, serving his final term, also backed the measure despite it breaking with Democratic leadership, stressing that while imperfect, the deal represented progress in reducing the damage caused by the shutdown. Independent Senator Angus King, who caucuses with Democrats, worked closely on the compromise and described it as a step forward in advancing healthcare subsidies and other priorities for Americans.
Although the Senate successfully advanced the bill with exactly the 60 votes required, the measure still must pass the full Senate and the House before the government can officially reopen. For millions of Americans, the relief cannot come soon enough, as the shutdown has already caused widespread disruption—from flight cancellations and rising healthcare costs to financial strain on everyday families. With this vote, a long stalemate has been broken, signaling hope that essential government functions will soon be restored.
The debate, however, highlighted divisions within the Democratic Party, particularly over healthcare subsidies, which remain a contentious issue even as a partial solution is now in sight. For the American public, the shutdown’s end represents a chance to finally see government operations return to normal, federal employees receive their pay, and vital services resume.
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