US senators have approved a bill that could bring an end to the longest government shutdown in history. The 41-day shutdown resulted in the temporary suspension of government services, affecting approximately 1.4 million federal employees who were either on unpaid leave or working without pay.
Following a weekend of negotiations in Washington, a 60-40 vote was reached, with a minority of Democrats joining forces with Republicans to support the agreement. The bill will now move to the US House of Representatives for an anticipated vote on Wednesday, November 12.
The shutdown, triggered by the government running out of money on October 1, led to disruptions in various services, including US air travel. Staffing shortages caused 7,000 flight delays and 2,000 cancellations.
President Trump took to social media to urge unpaid air traffic controllers to return to work immediately. The legislation ensures federal workers are protected from further layoffs until January and guarantees that they will receive back pay once the shutdown ends. Additionally, it includes a provision to reverse the mass firings of federal employees initiated by the Trump administration since the start of the shutdown.
President Trump has expressed his support for the bill, stating that the country will reopen swiftly. However, the 41-day shutdown may extend a few more days as members of the House, who have been on recess since mid-September, return to Washington for the vote.
House Speaker Mike Johnson called on lawmakers to return to Washington promptly due to shutdown-related travel delays. Meanwhile, Independent Senator Bernie Sanders criticized the deal as a “horrific mistake,” as it was sealed with the support of five Democrats who switched their votes to align with Republicans.
The US House of Representatives is expected to vote on the funding bill on Wednesday, according to reports from ABC News and Reuters. The deal aims to reinstate government funding for federal agencies that lapsed last month, with several Democratic senators breaking party lines to support the compromise.
In a statement, Majority Leader of the US Senate John Thune noted the significance of ending the prolonged shutdown, acknowledging it as the longest in US history.