In a bipartisan vote, the U.S. Senate approved a provisional funding bill that formally ends the 41-day government shutdown and sends the measure to the House of Representatives for final passage.
The agreement allocates federal government funding through January 30, 2026, and includes retroactive pay for thousands of federal employees who were furloughed or working without compensation. Additional provisions address key agency operations, though major controversies such as healthcare subsidies and border policy remain unresolved and slated for later debate.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune praised the deal as “the only realistic path forward,” while Minority Leader Chuck Schumer acknowledged it as a necessary stopgap, though undisclosed elements remain contentious for his caucus.
The House faces an accelerated schedule this week to approve the agreement, after which federal services can resume full operations. A number of executive-branch functions that had been suspended will now be re-activated pending spending details and implementation timelines.