Eight Democrats Break Ranks as Senate Moves to End Nation’s Longest Shutdown

November 10, 2025

After 41 days of a partial government shutdown, the Senate took a significant procedural step forward when eight Democrats joined Republicans in a 60-40 vote to advance short-term spending legislation. The proposed continuing resolution would fund the government through January, restore federal worker pay, and reverse layoffs, but it does not extend Affordable Care Act tax credits set to expire at year's end. This compromise sparked intense Democratic infighting, with progressive leaders like Chuck Schumer and Bernie Sanders opposing the measure due to concerns about rising healthcare costs, while supporters argued the prolonged shutdown was causing too much immediate harm.

Who is affected

Hundreds of thousands of federal workers experiencing frozen pay and furloughs
Millions of Americans facing potential loss of SNAP benefits and food assistance
Families relying on food banks across states from Maryland to Hawaii
Millions of Americans who could see doubled health insurance premiums without ACA tax credit extensions
15 million people potentially losing Medicaid coverage
TSA staff working without pay
Airport travelers experiencing extended wait times
Eight Democratic senators and one Independent who voted for the compromise (Tim Kaine, Dick Durbin, Jeanne Shaheen, Maggie Hassan, John Fetterman, Catherine Cortez Masto, Jacky Rosen, and Angus King)

What action is being taken

The Senate conducted a rare Sunday session and held a procedural vote to advance the spending measure
Eight Democrats are joining Republicans to move forward the short-term spending legislation
The Senate is working through the legislative process to amend and pass the bill
Federal workers continue to wait for paychecks during the ongoing shutdown
Food banks are serving overwhelmed numbers of families previously supported by federal assistance

Why it matters

This represents the first substantive movement toward ending a 41-day government shutdown that has left federal workers without pay and disrupted critical services affecting millions of Americans. The deep divisions within the Democratic Party over whether to compromise on healthcare protections versus ending the immediate shutdown reveal fundamental tensions about legislative strategy and priorities. The stakes are particularly high because the failure to extend ACA tax credits could cause dramatic increases in healthcare costs for millions while the continued shutdown causes mounting harm to vulnerable populations depending on federal services and assistance programs.

What's next

The Senate must complete amendments to the bill and overcome a potential filibuster before final passage
The House, which has not met since September, must reconvene to approve the Senate's amended version
Individual senators could use procedural objections to slow the process
If passed by both chambers, the legislation would proceed to President Trump's desk for signature
The process is expected to take several days before the government can reopen

Read full article from source: The Washington Informer