US government shutdown set to end just ahead of Thanksgiving as Senate votes to pass crucial funding bill

The legislation will now move to the House of Representatives for consideration and in all likelihood will be cleared there. The chamber, which last held a vote on September 19, is expected to reconvene as early as Wednesday. The shutdown could now end within a few days.

The passage of the funding Bill, with support from Democrats, has now put a question mark on the party’s plan of action as the Republicans did not relent on the demands for healthcare and other sectors.

Why was the US Government shutdown imposed and what has been it’s impact?

The partial US Government shutdown, now the longest in American history, left around 1.4 million federal employees either furloughed or working without pay while numerous government services remain suspended, as per the BBC.

The shutdown began after Republicans and Democrats failed to agree on a spending bill to fund federal operations beyond October 1, the date when the previous budget expired.

Under US law, Congress must pass and the president must sign a spending plan for government operations to continue. Although Republicans control both chambers, they lacked the 60 votes needed in the Senate to move the bill forward, giving Democrats leverage in negotiations.

Democrats wanted the package to include an extension of tax credits that lower healthcare costs for millions and to reverse cuts to Medicaid, the federal health program for low-income and elderly Americans. They also resisted cuts to public health agencies.

A temporary funding measure cleared the House of Representatives but had failed in the Senate, triggering the shutdown — the first in nearly seven years — on October 1. By 5 November, the closure had reached 36 days, surpassing the 35-day shutdown during Trump’s first term in 2018–19.

When will the US government shutdown end?

A breakthrough came on 9 November, when the Senate passed a deal to reopen the government after weeks of fruitless talks. The agreement followed weekend negotiations in Washington, where a handful of Democrats sided with Republicans to secure enough votes to pass the measure.

Republicans, who hold a 53–47 majority, needed at least 60 votes for passage, which they secured on Tuesday. While the vote marked a crucial procedural step, several more approvals, including one in the House, are needed before government operations can resume.

The legislation includes a December vote on extending key healthcare subsidies, a major Democratic demand. However, it funds most federal agencies only until the end of January 2026, meaning another showdown could arise when that period ends.

What services have been affected?

Essential services continue to function, though most employees are unpaid until the shutdown concludes. Border protection officers, law enforcement agents, immigration officials, and hospital medical staff are still working.

Social Security and Medicare payments are ongoing, but services like benefit verification and card issuance have been disrupted. Postal services remain unaffected since the US Postal Service operates independently of congressional funding.

Members of Congress continue to receive paychecks — a long-standing practice that has drawn criticism.

Meanwhile, flight delays and cancellations surged due to a shortage of unpaid air traffic controllers. The Transportation Department has canceled thousands of flights across 40 airports, citing controller fatigue. The reduced air traffic, which is down by 10%, has caused significant disruptions just ahead of the Thanksgiving rush.

Thousands of federal employees deemed “non-essential” have been furloughed without pay. While the Trump administration temporarily secured funds for military salaries, House Speaker Mike Johnson cautioned that the fix is short-term.

Funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), or food stamps, has also dried up amid legal disputes, threatening benefits for 41 million Americans. The Senate deal would extend the program through September 2026.

Federal preschools and cultural institutions, including Smithsonian museums, have closed. National parks and monuments such as Alcatraz Island and the Washington Monument have also been shuttered.