Senate passes bill to fund government through January, setting up key House vote
The Senate has taken a major step toward ending the nation’s longest government shutdown, giving final approval overnight to a stopgap funding bill.
(NBC)- The Senate has taken a major step toward ending the nation’s longest government shutdown, giving final approval overnight to a stopgap funding bill that keeps the government running through the end of January.
The measure now heads to the House, where lawmakers — in recess since late September — are rushing back to Washington to vote.
House Speaker Mike Johnson said he’s working to build consensus among Republicans, who can afford to lose no more than two votes, with Democrats united in opposition.
Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Democrats plan to “fight hard to defeat it,” criticizing the bill for failing to address the central sticking point: the extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies.
Eight Senate Democrats broke ranks to vote with Republicans, helping the measure clear the chamber despite objections from progressives like Senator Bernie Sanders, who called it “a terrible vote” given the state of the U.S. healthcare system.
Senate leaders have pledged to hold a separate vote before the end of the year on renewing ACA subsidies, which are set to expire soon and could drive healthcare costs higher.
Democrats like Senator Jeanne Shaheen say the battle over subsidies has highlighted the GOP’s resistance to expanding healthcare access, while others, such as Senator Ruben Gallego, argue the party should have held firm, noting polls showed Democrats gaining ground on the issue.
Republicans, meanwhile, insist they want a healthcare solution too — with President Donald Trump suggesting “tariff dividends,” or direct payments to Americans funded by tariff revenue, as one possible idea.
Administration officials have described that plan as exploratory, not formal policy.
The House vote could come as soon as this week, potentially ending the weeks-long shutdown if passed.
