or 
lines to the right of the URL bar at the top of your browser
Federal Update: Senate Reaches Deal To End Shutdown
While the U.S. Senate has voted on a package that would fund several federal agencies for the full fiscal year and through Jan. 30, the House has yet to vote on the package.
At the time of writing on Nov. 10, the federal government has been shut down for 41 days, which is the longest federal government shutdown in modern U.S. history.
On day 40 of the shutdown, reports emerged that a bipartisan group of senators had reached a deal to end the impasse. Late that night, the Senate voted to advance a stopgap measure, which will serve as the vehicle for the larger funding deal.
The initial measure passed on a 60-40 vote, however further action and a final vote in the Senate is needed before it heads to the House floor. House members are on a 36-hour notice to return to Washington and have been advised by House leadership to expect votes this week. It also remains to be seen if the House will be able to pass the package.
The basis of the deal includes:
- Full funding for the remainder of the federal fiscal year for the Department of Agriculture, Food and Drug Administration, and Department of Veterans Affairs, as well as military construction projects.
- Funding for all other federal agencies through Jan. 30, 2026.
- Rehiring of federal employees laid off during the shutdown, along with back pay for all federal employees.
- An agreement from Senate leadership to hold a vote in December to extend the Affordable Care Act subsidies that would otherwise expire at the end of the year.
The development comes amid growing impacts from the prolonged shutdown, including delays in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) payments (with the state stepping in to provide funding for SNAP), reductions in flights amid air traffic controller staffing challenges, and risks to the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, among other impacts. For more information regarding how the shutdown has affected state-implemented programs, Minnesota Management and Budget continues to track and share updates.
Cities that have been directly impacted by the federal government shutdown in any way are encouraged to contact Daniel Lightfoot, League senior intergovernmental relations representative, at [email protected].
The League continues to monitor the impacts of the federal government shutdown and will provide updates to members through the Cities Bulletin and the Federal Actions Impacting Cities FAQ.