This article has been updated.
Some Democrats Vote With Republicans to Move Forward With Ending the Shutdown
The federal government shutdown, now stretching into a second month, is beginning to bite hard across the country, from long lines at airports with canceled or delayed flights to long lines of people waiting to receive food. While the political fight in Washington continues, pressure is mounting from all sides to bring it to an end. Recent movement in Congress, growing economic strain, and increasing public frustration with the damage it is causing suggest that lawmakers may be approaching a breaking point.
On Sunday night, the Senate cleared a procedural hurdle in an attempt to end the record-long government shutdown. Several Democrats provided enough votes to advance a move designed to end the record-breaking impasse.
Eight Democrats joined Republicans by voting in favor of a bill to move forward. With these votes, the tally was 60-40 on a measure to take up House-passed spending legislation that required 60 votes under the Senate’s filibuster procedures.
Comments displaying intense emotion on the issue were evident from California Governor Gavin Newsom, who is often mentioned as a potential candidate for the Democrats’ nominee for president in 2028. He criticized “pathetic” Democrats who voted to strike the late-night deal that may lead to ending the longest government shutdown in American history.
The political-fallout is already underway. California Democrat Ro Khanna demanded Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer step aside after the move by the several Democrats who voted with Republicans. “Senator Schumer is no longer effective and should be replaced,” Khanna wrote after the vote. “If you can’t lead the fight to stop healthcare premiums from skyrocketing for Americans, what will you fight for?”
The next major step for the Senate to move this forward is to amend the bill and send it back to the House. That will not happen unless the Senate unanimously agrees to dispense with other procedural steps that would delay action. With the emotional fervor, there is no guarantee that will happen quickly or if further delays will occur.
Under the provisions of the bill, federal workers fired since the shutdown started would be reversed. It would also not allow additional removals through January 31st. That is when a new interim spending measure expires. The bill would also ensure back pay for federal workers.
Congressional Momentum — But No Breakthrough
After weeks of a stalemate, both congressional chambers have resumed talks on how to reopen the government. The Senate has held multiple procedural votes on various versions of a continuing resolution (CR), but the necessary 60 votes required to advance have been elusive until the latest move late Sunday evening.
Less ideological members in both parties had been floating short-term “clean” CRs. There are stopgap funding bills without policy riders as a path to reopen agencies while negotiations continue on longer-term budget issues. Senate leadership has hinted that a limited funding measure could pass if both sides are willing to drop partisan conditions tied to spending caps, immigration, and health policy.
In the House, similar proposals are circulating, though the chamber remains deeply divided.
The White House has indicated openness to a short-term CR but has not committed to whether it would accept one free of policy conditions.
Objectives Sought by Each Party
Republican Party
The core objective of Republicans is to reopen the government quickly, with a short-term funding measure (a continuing resolution) to restore operations, but without major policy concessions tied to that funding.
They emphasize that any substantive policy negotiations (for example, on healthcare subsidies or other long-term reforms) should occur after the government is open and not as an issue that can be resolved while the government is closed.
Republicans want to maintain leverage by not making major concessions while in the “reopen” phase. They argue that reopening should be unconditional or at least not yield to demands unrelated to appropriations.
Democratic Party
It may have surprised some readers that the Democrats have been holding out to keep the government closed despite federal employees not being paid. Some federal employee unions, which are typically aligned with Democrats on policy issues, want the government to reopen quickly. That is obviously in the interests of the employees they represent, if for no other reason, receiving a paycheck is necessary for essentials like food and housing.
The primary objective of the Democrats is to use the shutdown moment to secure policy objectives before funding to the government is restored. In particular, they are focused on extending expiring health insurance subsidies under the Affordable Care Act (“ACA” or Obamacare), reversing proposed Medicaid cuts, and protecting benefit programs.
They are insisting that reopening the government will reduce their leverage and that is probably the case. Their position can be paraphrased as: “We will not fund the government without seeing progress on these priorities.”
Democrats also want to show their base — especially progressive and working-class voters — that they strongly support government financial support for health care insurance, and government benefits, even if that means prolonging the shutdown in order to hold their position. These positions are not helpful to federal employees who are going without receiving a paycheck and who still have their FEHB benefits.
How Long Will the Shutdown Last?
If history is any guide, the political and economic strain caused by a prolonged shutdown often forces a deal sooner rather than later. The 1995–96 and 2018–19 shutdowns both ended after roughly a month, when public opinion turned sharply against political leaders and economic disruptions grew too costly to ignore.
Given the escalating pressure from federal employee unions, business groups, and affected citizens, a resolution within the next two weeks is plausible through a short-term CR to buy time for a broader budget agreement later. If negotiations continue to stall, however, the shutdown could easily extend into late November, increasing damage to agencies and the economy.
A “Clean” Continuing Resolution — or Something Close
Federal unions, including the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), and retiree groups such as the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE), are demanding a clean CR to reopen the government with no partisan strings attached. Whether they get one depends largely on how each side interprets “clean.”
A technically clean CR — funding agencies at prior-year levels with no policy changes — could be acceptable to both parties if time limits are short (30–45 days) and major political fights are postponed. More likely, however, is a “clean-in-name-only” deal that includes side agreements or future policy deadlines designed to save face for each party.
The Impact on Federal Employees
For the nation’s roughly two million federal civilian workers, the shutdown has meant furloughs, delayed paychecks, and mounting financial anxiety. Essential employees — such as air traffic controllers, border agents, and TSA officers — are still reporting for duty but without immediate pay. Others are completely sidelined, unable to work or access government systems.
Even when back pay is approved after the shutdown ends, many employees have already dipped into savings, delayed bills, or relied on credit cards. For contractors, who often receive no back pay, the damage is permanent.
Agency operations have slowed dramatically, and some agencies are warning of long-term disruptions to hiring, training, and project schedules.
Impact on the Public and the Economy
The pain of the shutdown now extends well beyond Washington. Passport processing, small business loans, IRS services, and housing programs are currently experiencing delays. National parks are closed or operating with skeleton crews. Families awaiting Social Security claims or veterans’ benefits are experiencing longer wait times.
Economists estimate that each week of a full shutdown costs the U.S. economy several billion dollars in lost productivity and spending. As delays spread through supply chains and service networks, small businesses and local economies — particularly those heavily reliant on federal contracts or tourism — face mounting financial losses.
