Senate Democrats Break Ranks to End Longest U.S. Government Shutdown
After weeks of gridlock and growing frustration, a dramatic turn took place in Washington as the U.S. Senate took a major step toward ending what has now become the longest government shutdown in American history. The move came after eight Democratic and Independent senators decided to break ranks with their party, supporting a compromise bill that would temporarily reopen the government through the end of January.
This bipartisan breakthrough didn’t come without controversy. Many within the Democratic base were outraged by the decision, accusing the defectors of giving up too much ground to Republicans. But those senators defended their votes, calling it a necessary move to stop the damage caused by the prolonged shutdown.
Senator Angus King of Maine, an Independent who caucuses with Democrats, explained that the decision wasn’t about closing a chapter—it was about opening an opportunity. He emphasized that the shutdown had already taken a serious toll, affecting federal workers, military families, and millions of Americans relying on government programs.
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Maggie Hassan, a Democratic senator from New Hampshire who was directly involved in the negotiations, acknowledged that the compromise bill dropped one of the Democrats’ key demands—an extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies. Still, she made it clear that this deal was the only way forward. Hassan stressed that the next month must be used for “serious, bipartisan negotiations” to restore those healthcare tax credits, warning Republicans that voters would not forget who stood in the way of affordable coverage.
Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, another Democrat who supported the earlier funding bills, expressed deep frustration with how long the standoff had lasted. He apologized to military personnel, federal employees, and families dependent on programs like SNAP who had gone weeks without pay or assistance, saying bluntly that “it should’ve never come to this.”
Interestingly, none of the Democratic senators who supported the compromise are facing re-election in 2026, which likely gave them more freedom to take a politically risky stance. Two of them—Dick Durbin of Illinois and Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire—are set to retire next year.
Meanwhile, over in the House, Speaker Mike Johnson announced plans to bring members back to Washington as soon as the Senate’s vote is finalized. Johnson, who had delayed swearing in newly elected Democratic representative Adelita Grijalva from Arizona, now says he’ll proceed with her oath of office this week—a month after her election victory.
A White House official welcomed the Senate’s progress, calling it a “positive development.” President Trump’s administration, they added, had been eager to reopen the government “since day one.”
After nearly 40 days of shutdown chaos, missed paychecks, flight delays, and halted services, it seems Washington is finally inching toward relief. But even as lawmakers move to restart the government, the political scars of this showdown—and the divisions it exposed—are likely to linger well beyond the reopening.
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