The Senate began its final votes Monday evening (Tuesday AEDT) on legislation to reopen the government, bringing the longest shutdown in history closer to an end after a small group of Democrats struck a deal with Republicans.
The shutdown could last a few more days as members of the House, which has been on recess since mid-September, return to Washington to vote on the legislation. President Donald Trump has signalled support for the bill, saying on Monday that “we’re going to be opening up our country very quickly.”
Senate Majority Leader John Thune. AP
Senators began debate on the bill just past nightfall. Senate Majority Leader John Thune set up a series of procedural votes and said he hoped final passage would take “hours not days.”
Speaker Mike Johnson urged lawmakers to start returning to Washington “right now” given shutdown-related travel delays, but he said he would issue an official notice for the House’s return once the Senate passes the legislation.
“We have to do this as quickly as possible,” Johnson said at a news conference. He has kept the House out of session since mid-September, when the House passed a bill to continue government funding.
After weeks of negotiations, the moderate Senate Democrats agreed to reopen the government without a guaranteed extension of health care subsidies, angering many in their caucus who have demanded that Republicans negotiate with them on the Affordable Care Act tax credits that expire January 1.
Thune promised a mid-December vote on the subsidies, but there was no guarantee of success. In a possible preview, the Senate voted 47-53 along party lines Monday not to extend the subsidies for a year. Majority Republicans allowed the vote as part of a separate deal with Democrats to speed up votes and send the legislation to the House.
