US Senate passes bill to reopen government, awaits House approval

Washington: The US Senate approved a sweeping funding measure aimed at ending the 41-day government shutdown that has severely impacted federal agencies and disrupted millions of lives nationwide.

The bill now heads to the House of Representatives for approval before going to President Donald Trump for his signature.

The legislation extends government funding through January 2026 and provides full-year budgets for several key agencies. It also restores pay and employment for thousands of federal workers who were furloughed during the shutdown.

Senate leaders reached the final agreement after days of negotiations, following a Sunday vote in which eight Democrats crossed party lines to help advance the bill.

On Monday, too, the Senate voted 60-40 to reopen the federal government. As part of the compromise, Republicans agreed to hold a separate vote by mid-December on extending health care tax benefits, a key demand from Democrats.

The concession angered some in the Democratic base, who wanted the issue addressed directly in the bill.

“The American people have now awoken to Trump’s health care crisis,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said on Monday before voting against the legislation.

“Democrats demanded that we find a way to fix this crisis and quickly, but Republicans have refused to move an inch. So, I cannot support the Republican bill that’s on the floor because it fails to do anything of substance to fix America’s healthcare crisis,” he added.

House Speaker Mike Johnson has called lawmakers back to Washington, signalling a possible vote later this week. Senate Republican leaders said they expect Trump to sign the legislation promptly once it reaches his desk, formally ending the shutdown.

The ongoing government shutdown, the longest in US history, has disrupted federal services, delayed payments, disrupted air travel, and strained the broader economy.

IANS