Congressional Deadlock on Government Shutdown Nears Resolution

Mon Nov 10 2025 20:40:09 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

After weeks of stall, some Senate Democrats joined Republicans in advancing legislation to end the government shutdown, prompting calls for House lawmakers to return to Washington quickly.

Speaker Mike Johnson urged House lawmakers to return promptly as Senate Democrats broke a 40-day stalemate to move forward on a bill aimed at ending the government shutdown. With a 60-40 vote in the Senate, the path was cleared, although final votes and discussions remain. The compromise has angered many Democrats, especially regarding health care subsidies, leading to heightened tensions within the party. As negotiations continue, the impacts of the shutdown are visibly affecting sectors like flight services and food assistance across the nation.

WASHINGTON (AP) — In a significant development, Speaker Mike Johnson announced on Monday that House lawmakers should return to Washington right now, following a breakthrough in the Senate where a small group of Democrats crossed party lines to work with Republicans. This breakthrough marked the end of a 40-day government shutdown stalemate.

The Senate voted 60-40 in favor of advancing a compromise bill designed to fund the government, prompting Johnson's remarks that the nightmare is finally coming to an end. Although the Senate's path seems clearer, the timeline for final votes on the legislation remains uncertain.

Johnson has called for urgency, especially since the House has been out of session since mid-September. The prior passage of a funding bill by House members underscores the protracted negotiations that have occurred with Senate Democrats agreeing to reopen government without guaranteed extensions of health care subsidies, sparking discontent among their caucus members.

Despite some Senate Democrats' support, Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and most of his colleagues voted against the proposal, highlighting the deep divisions within the Democratic Party. The resistance centers on the lack of guarantee for crucial health care tax credits set to expire, which many members have insisted should be part of the negotiations.

A group that includes Senators Shaheen, Hassan, and King surprised many by voting to advance the spending bills in exchange for a promise of a mid-December discussion regarding health care reforms, a situation that could still complicate future debates.

While the shutdown continues to wreak havoc on flights, food assistance, and federal workers, the political ramifications are significant, with protestations from other Democrats about the compromise's implications on their healthcare stance. Schumer warned that Democrats must continue their fight, voicing strong opposition over the perceived capitulation.

The resolution of this legislative deadlock is crucial as flights are increasingly disrupted, and food assistance programs are being severely delayed, with federal workers awaiting overdue payments. The coming weeks will see intense negotiations as parties grapple with a looming health care debate and the potential long-term implications for federal governance.