In a late Sunday session, the Senate voted 60 to 40 to advance a House passed continuing resolution, a key step toward ending the 40 day federal shutdown. Eight Democrats joined the Republican majority to move the measure forward, setting up amendments intended to attach three full year appropriations bills and a short term funding extension through January. Senate leaders said the chamber could complete final action quickly if members cooperate, while House leaders were asked to return to Washington ahead of an expected vote this week. The vote clears a major procedural hurdle but leaves several steps before the government can reopen and appropriations are finalized.
Key Takeaways
- The Senate voted 60 to 40 late Sunday to advance the House passed continuing resolution, after 14 previous failed attempts to move similar measures.
- Eight Democrats crossed party lines to advance the motion and join Republicans, while Sen Rand Paul was the lone Republican opposed to that procedural step.
- Majority Leader John Thune said the Senate hopes to finish final passage in hours, not days, but procedural hurdles remain and any single senator could delay progress.
- President Trump posted on Truth Social urging air traffic controllers to return to work and offering a 10,000 dollar bonus to some controllers, while FlightAware reported more than 1,500 cancellations and over 1,400 delays as of early Monday.
- Speaker Mike Johnson urged House members to return to Washington immediately and said reopening the government would allow Congress to resume regular business.
- Sen Jeanne Shaheen and other Democrats who voted to advance the bill cited harm to federal workers and beneficiaries such as SNAP recipients as reasons for supporting the step.
Background
The impasse stems from a standoff over funding and policy priorities that has left federal operations partially shuttered for 40 days. The immediate vehicle is a House passed continuing resolution that previously failed to secure majority support in the Senate on 14 separate occasions. Republicans have signaled willingness to negotiate policy changes, including health care cost measures, but have insisted that talks occur after the government is funded.
Democrats have resisted concessions they view as harmful to coverage or affordability, while some moderate and swing senators have been under pressure from constituents and federal workers affected by the lapse. The shutdown has disrupted travel because of staffing shortages at agencies such as air traffic control, and it has paused or delayed services for certain benefit programs. The current agreement advanced in the Senate is designed as a stopgap to reopen government while leaders pursue a package of full year appropriations bills.
Main Event
The Senate convened at 11 a.m. to consider the motion to proceed to the continuing resolution that the House passed. Late Sunday night the chamber reached 60 votes in favor of advancing the measure, with eight Democrats joining Republicans and Sen Rand Paul opposed. That procedural victory permits leaders to substitute the House text for an amended package that would extend funding until Jan 30 and attach three full year spending bills as part of a negotiated settlement.
Majority Leader John Thune told reporters on the Senate floor he wants final passage quickly and asked senators to expedite the process, saying he hopes the work will take hours rather than days. He also said there is an opening to resume bipartisan talks on health care affordability once the government reopens, though he stressed any progress will require reforms and cooperation from both parties.
At the Capitol House Speaker Mike Johnson urged his colleagues to return to Washington immediately, warning that long days and nights will be required to catch up on legislative business if the government reopens this week. Johnson framed the Senate action as relief after a protracted period of disruption, while Sen Jeanne Shaheen defended her vote to advance the measure as necessary to end the pain experienced by workers and benefit recipients.
Operational disruptions continued despite the Senate vote. President Trump posted on Truth Social instructing air traffic controllers to resume work and promising bonuses to those he praised for remaining on duty, comments that came as airlines reported heavy cancellations and delays attributed mainly to staffing shortfalls. Congressional leaders said roll call votes are expected in the Senate during Monday’s session to complete remaining procedural steps.
Analysis & Implications
The Senate advance marks a pivotal procedural shift but is not the end of the road. The chamber must still approve a substitute text that incorporates the short term funding extension and the package of full year appropriations bills, then send the final product to the House and ultimately the president. Because any senator can force extended debate or procedural votes, the timeline remains uncertain even after the 60 vote threshold was met.
Politically, the cross party votes by eight Democrats expose intra party tensions as members weigh immediate economic harms against long term policy goals. Critics in both parties are likely to use the vote to press leaders for concessions, and the episode could shape messaging ahead of future appropriations negotiations. For Republicans, the result offers leverage to press for policy changes, including potential health care cost measures that leaders like Thune say could be negotiated once appropriations are secure.
On the policy side, the move to pair a short term CR with full year bills aims to accelerate resolution of funding and programmatic priorities, but it also concentrates risk: negotiating several appropriations bills in parallel raises the stakes for horse trading and could prompt further brinkmanship. Operationally, the travel disruptions underline the human and economic cost of the shutdown; even after a funding agreement, agencies will need time and resources to restore normal operations.
Comparison & Data
| Metric | Current Figure |
|---|---|
| Senate vote to advance | 60 to 40 |
| Democrats joining Republicans | 8 senators |
| Previous failed Senate attempts | 14 |
| Shutdown duration | 40 days |
| Flight cancellations reported | More than 1,500 |
| Flight delays reported | Over 1,400 |
The numerical snapshot highlights both the Senate procedural threshold reached and the operational consequences documented by aviation tracking services. The 60 vote level met the cloture style requirement to advance the motion, but translating that procedural step into final passage depends on whether leaders can substitute and pass the amended text without extended hold ups.
Reactions & Quotes
Lawmakers and the president reacted swiftly after the Senate advanced the measure, offering competing frames about cause and consequence and signaling the next battles.
It appears our long national nightmare is finally coming to an end
House Speaker Mike Johnson
Before returning to the Capitol podium, Johnson characterized the Senate action as relief for citizens affected by the shutdown and urged members of both parties to reconvene for final votes. He did not take questions at the end of his remarks.
We stood up to President Trump for 40 days and the facts that drove our position have not changed
Sen Jeanne Shaheen
Shaheen, one of the Democrats who joined the procedural vote, said the decision was motivated by concern for federal employees and benefit recipients and argued accountability should focus on Republicans for refusing to fund measures to address health care affordability.
All Air Traffic Controllers must get back to work NOW and I will be recommending a BONUS of 10,000 dollars per person
Former President Donald Trump, Truth Social post
Trump directed controllers to return and promised bonuses to some who remained on duty, while also criticizing those who took time off. Airlines and travelers continue to contend with delays and cancellations as staffing issues persist.
Unconfirmed
- Exact timing and content of the amended Senate substitute are not yet finalized and could change during procedural votes.
- Details on implementation of any bonuses or personnel actions referenced by the president have not been independently verified and would require agency review.
- Whether the House will approve the final package on the same timeline anticipated by Senate leaders remains uncertain until formal votes are scheduled.
Bottom Line
The Senate advance is a consequential procedural victory that opens the path to ending the 40 day shutdown, but it does not guarantee immediate reopening. A sequence of amendments, procedural votes and a final House action remain before funds can be certified and normal federal operations resume.
Politically, the move exposes fault lines within both parties and sets up negotiations over appropriations and policy priorities, including health care affordability, that leaders say they will pursue once funding is secured. Travelers and workers affected by the shutdown should expect continued disruption in the near term as agencies restore normal staffing and services.
Watch for scheduled roll call votes in the Senate, the formal substitute text that will be filed, and timing of the House return as the decisive next steps toward resolving the impasse.
Sources
- CBS News live updates — national news outlet reporting on Capitol developments and leader statements
- FlightAware — flight tracking service cited for cancellation and delay totals