Washington: After 40 days of a federal government shutdown, the United States is on the brink of a potential resolution as the Senate moves toward advancing a House-passed bill to reopen government operations. The shutdown has sidelined thousands of federal employees, disrupted food aid programs, closed national parks, and created severe staffing shortages in air traffic control, threatening the upcoming Thanksgiving travel season.
Senators plan to vote on Sunday night to advance the measure, which combines a short-term funding solution extending government operations through January 2026 with three full-year appropriations bills. Negotiations indicate that at least eight Democrats are expected to support the measure, enough to secure passage in the Republican-controlled Senate. The bill will then return to the House and require President Donald Trump’s signature, a process that could take several days.
A key feature of the compromise is a planned December vote on extending subsidies under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), a priority for Democrats. The deal, brokered by Senators Maggie Hassan and Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire and independent Angus King of Maine, aims to restore at least some federal workers’ positions and fund Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits for a year, easing some of the public hardships caused by the shutdown.
The shutdown’s broader economic impact has been mounting. White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett warned that if the government remains closed, U.S. economic growth could turn negative in the fourth quarter. The effects are particularly acute in the travel sector, where staffing shortages and delayed services threaten disruption during the critical holiday season.
Meanwhile, President Trump has renewed his campaign against ACA subsidies, advocating for direct payments to individuals rather than insurer-funded marketplace subsidies. In a post on his Truth Social platform, he described the current system as “a windfall for Health Insurance Companies, and a DISASTER for the American people,” while emphasizing his willingness to work with both parties once the government reopens. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Senator Lindsey Graham stressed that no formal legislation on Trump’s healthcare proposal will be introduced until government funding is restored.
As Congress navigates this delicate balance between reopening government and addressing the contentious healthcare debate, millions of Americans await both relief from the shutdown and clarity on the future of health insurance subsidies. The coming days will determine whether the United States secures a temporary truce or faces further political and economic turbulence.