By Suzanne Downing 
Update: Passed 60-40: Motion to invoke cloture on the motion to proceed to Cal. #168, H.R.5371, Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2026, upon reconsideration. Two more votes ahead.
Senators reached a Sunday agreement to reopen the federal government, ending the longest shutdown in history, which halted many federal operations.
The deal, negotiated by Democrat Sens. Angus King of Maine, Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire, and a group of Republican senators, cleared the way for both parties to move forward after weeks of gridlock.
A motion to invoke cloture was waiting on the critical 60th vote, which was to come from Sen. John Cornyn, who had left town this weekend. He was said to be on the way back to the US Capitol at the time of this writing.
Under the agreement, the Senate will vote to advance the House-passed stopgap spending bill, serving as the vehicle for a larger bipartisan funding package expected in a couple of days. That measure will fund the Departments of Agriculture and Veterans Affairs, the Food and Drug Administration, military construction projects, and congressional operations for the rest of the fiscal year. All other agencies will be financed through Jan. 30 under a continuing resolution released Sunday evening.
In a key compromise to win over Senate Democrats, Majority Leader John Thune agreed to hold a December vote on extending Affordable Care Act subsidies that are set to expire at the end of the year, allowing Democrats to control the text of that bill.
The legislation also guarantees that all federal employees affected by the shutdown will receive back pay and that those furloughed will return to work once operations resume.
While the agreement represents a temporary truce, conservatives caution that it comes at the cost of giving Democrats an opening to expand Obama-era health care subsidies.
Still, the deal averts further disruption and buys lawmakers time to complete work on the remaining appropriations bills before the next funding deadline early next year.
For now, the vote to reopen the government requires two more votes that will need a 60-member threshold of yes votes.
” Sen. John Cornyn, who had left town this weekend … was said to be on the way back to the US Capitol at the time of this writing.”
If he’s flying, will his flight be delayed or cancelled because of the Schumer Shutdown still in progress? LOL
It wont, because he is SO IMPORTANT. They’re our Enlightened Betters and must get the First and Best of Everything./ sarc
It took six weeks for a small handful of Democrat senators to understand that what they were doing was hurting Americans…well that and when the FAA started shutting down flights. I wonder if anyone will remember that part of the lesson.
Given that legacy media will devote 98% of its ink to the progressive talking points, and given that the ‘great unwashed’ don’t look beyond same, the only thing too many sheople will remember is Democrats came forward with a solution to end the stalemate. Sadly, more blue 🐂💩