A bipartisan agreement has been reached in the US Senate to fund the federal government through January 30 and to hold a vote in December on an Affordable Care Act (ACA) bill, signaling that the ongoing government shutdown may soon come to an end, CNN reported Sunday.
According to a source familiar with the matter, the deal includes a reversal of President Donald Trump’s firings of federal employees and provisions to prevent similar actions in the future. It also ensures that food stamp benefits will be funded through the 2026 fiscal year.
Democratic Senators Angus King, Jeanne Shaheen, and Maggie Hassan led the negotiations on behalf of their party.
The agreement includes a new stopgap measure to extend government funding until January, tied to a broader legislative package that would fully fund several key federal agencies.
The larger package includes three full-year appropriations bills covering military construction and veterans affairs, the legislative branch, and the Department of Agriculture. According to a summary provided by Senator Patty Murray, the legislation allocates $203.5 million for enhanced security and protection for members of Congress, and $852 million for the US Capitol Police.
While the deal does not include an extension of the expiring enhanced ACA subsidies – a key Democratic demand – it does guarantee a Senate vote on the issue at a later date. There is no assurance the subsidies will be extended into law.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune indicated that the first vote on the House-passed stopgap measure could take place as early as Sunday. For the measure to advance, eight Democrats would need to support it. The Senate would then amend the bill with the broader funding package negotiated between the parties.
If passed by the Senate, the bill would return to the House for final approval before being sent to President Trump’s desk to reopen the government. The process is expected to take several more days.
