Lead: On Day 38 of the federal government shutdown, the Senate is set to reconvene Friday in Washington, D.C., with GOP leaders planning a new procedure to try to advance the House-passed continuing resolution and break the impasse. Republicans propose voting first to advance the CR and then amending it to add three full-year appropriations bills and a pledge to consider extending health insurance tax credits, a package that would push funding beyond Nov. 21. Senate leaders say the measure will require 60 votes to move forward; its fate remains uncertain as many Democrats press for greater concessions. Meanwhile, the Biden administration’s agencies and federal courts are already involved in separate funding fights and operational responses, including FAA flight reductions and litigation over SNAP payments.
Key Takeaways
- Day 38: The shutdown entered its 38th day on Friday, Nov. 7, 2025, with the Senate scheduled to reconvene at noon and roll-call votes expected.
- 60-vote threshold: Any effort to advance the House CR will need 60 votes in the Senate to proceed to amendments.
- GOP tactic: Republicans plan to advance the House CR (a repeated procedural push) then amend it to add three full-year appropriations bills and a promise to vote later on health-insurance tax credits.
- SNAP litigation: The Justice Department asked the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 1st Circuit to pause a district judge’s order requiring full November SNAP payments; the administration has already allocated $4.6 billion from contingency funds to cover up to 65% of benefits.
- FAA capacity cuts: The Department of Transportation confirmed plans to reduce service at 40 high-traffic airports, prompting thousands of flight cancellations to ease controller workload.
- Vote math: Republicans need at least five Democrats to cross the aisle to reach 60 votes; three Democrats have previously broken with their party to advance the House-passed measure.
- Weekend work expected: Senate leaders signaled they could continue negotiating and voting through the weekend if Friday’s effort falls short.
Background
The shutdown began when funding lapsed and Congress failed to approve a continuing resolution before the start of the fiscal deadline, triggering furloughs and operational disruptions across federal agencies. Negotiations since have oscillated between short-term stopgaps and proposals to attach longer-term funding bills or policy riders, with both parties staking out demands on spending levels and specific program extensions. Historically, extended shutdowns strain services—from national parks to regulatory agencies—and increase pressure on federal employees and benefit recipients; the current impasse follows a sequence of repeated procedural attempts in the Senate to advance short-term funding measures.
In recent days, Senate Republicans and a group of moderate Democrats engaged in talks seeking a hybrid solution: a procedural advance of the House CR followed by amendments that would include appropriations bills at least for some agencies and a later, separate vote on extending health-insurance tax credits. House leadership has not committed to specific timing for that tax-credit vote, and Democrats at a closed caucus meeting expressed both willingness by some moderates to negotiate and resistance from others emboldened by recent election gains. Those internal dynamics shape whether the bipartisan overture will attract the five Democratic votes needed to overcome the 60-vote Senate hurdle.
Main Event
Senate Majority Leader John Thune has outlined a strategy in which the chamber would first vote to advance the House-passed continuing resolution — a maneuver the Senate has tried multiple times — and then accept amendments that add three full-year appropriations bills and an extension of funding beyond Nov. 21. That pathway is designed to entice moderates who want immediate reopenings plus legislative commitments on appropriations and health credits.
Timing remains fluid: the Senate will convene at noon, according to a notice from the majority whip’s office, but no precise vote time was set and roll-call votes were simply described as “expected” during Friday’s session. Republican senators signaled they were prepared to continue voting into the weekend if necessary, and some leaders urged reluctant Democrats to return to the negotiating table.
Outside the chamber, the executive branch has taken operational steps tied to the shutdown. The Department of Transportation confirmed a plan to cut airline capacity at 40 high-traffic airports and the administration has moved to use contingency funds to partially cover SNAP benefits in November while challenging a district judge’s order that it provide full payments by Friday.
Analysis & Implications
Procedurally, the GOP plan is an attempt to reframe the vote: by advancing a familiar vehicle and promising consequential amendments, Republicans hope to split moderate Democrats between a desire to reopen and anxiety about ceding leverage on health and spending priorities. If even a handful of moderates switch, Republicans could clear the 60-vote threshold and then convert the CR into a more durable funding package through amendments.
Politically, however, the approach risks hardening Democratic resistance. Some Democrats feel the recent election results strengthened their bargaining position and thus are less willing to accept a package that does not lock in health-insurance tax credits or other priorities upfront. House Speaker Mike Johnson’s reluctance to guarantee a vote on tax-credit extension has complicated outreach to those moderates.
Operationally, the shutdown’s effects are already tangible: FAA-directed reductions at 40 airports will disrupt travel and supply chains, and partial SNAP payments will affect millions of households unless courts or the administration secure additional funding. The legal fight over whether the administration must tap specific statutory accounts for SNAP further increases uncertainty and could force rapid policy responses from multiple agencies.
Looking ahead, three scenarios seem most plausible: a) a bipartisan compromise that attracts enough Democrats to hit 60 votes and produces a near-term reopening with appended appropriations; b) a continued stalemate leading to more targeted operational curtailments and escalating pressure on vulnerable services; or c) a procedural change to debate thresholds (unlikely given GOP resistance to broadly altering the filibuster) that could set a precedent for future funding fights.
Comparison & Data
| Metric | Number / Date |
|---|---|
| Shutdown day | 38 (Nov. 7, 2025) |
| Senate votes required to advance | 60 |
| Airports affected by FAA cuts | 40 |
| Contingency funds used for SNAP | $4.6 billion (covers up to 65% of November benefits) |
| Estimated funds needed for full SNAP November payments | $9 billion |
| Current funding extension target date | Beyond Nov. 21, 2025 |
The table summarizes the immediate numerical context for the negotiation: the shutdown’s duration, the Senate supermajority requirement to advance legislation, the count of airports affected by FAA cuts, and the narrow funding figures driving the SNAP dispute. These figures underscore why negotiators are weighing both short-term reopeners and longer-term appropriations in tandem.
Reactions & Quotes
Senate leaders framed the effort as urgent and actionable while casting blame on the other party for stalled progress. Supporters argued the plan balances reopening with commitments to fuller funding, while opponents stressed that key concessions remain unguaranteed.
“I think that should be the expectation,”
Sen. John Thune (R-S.D.), Senate Majority Leader
Thune used the comment to emphasize that working through the weekend to secure votes was on the table. His remarks were offered as lawmakers considered additional voting days if the Friday session failed to produce the necessary 60 votes.
“[The district court order] makes a mockery of the separation of powers,”
U.S. Department of Justice (in filing to the 1st Circuit)
The DOJ characterization underlines the administration’s legal posture in asking the appeals court to stay a district judge’s directive to ensure full November SNAP payments, even as the administration already allocated partial funds from contingency accounts.
Unconfirmed
- Whether a sufficient number of moderate Democrats will vote to advance the House CR remains unconfirmed; bargaining positions are shifting and could change before the roll calls.
- It is unconfirmed whether House leadership will formally commit to scheduling a binding vote on extending health-insurance tax credits within the timeframe demanded by negotiating senators.
- The exact scope and duration of FAA flight reductions beyond initial cancellations have not been publicly confirmed and could expand depending on controller staffing assessments.
Bottom Line
The coming Senate session represents a high-stakes procedural gambit: Republicans aim to use the familiar vehicle of the House CR to build a broader funding package while pressing Democrats for votes. Success depends on fragile cross-party bargaining and concrete assurances, particularly about health-insurance tax credits, that some House and Senate Democrats say have not been secured.
If the Senate fails to reach 60 votes, leaders signaled they would continue negotiations and voting into the weekend, prolonging uncertainty for federal workers, benefit recipients and travelers affected by FAA adjustments. Even if the measure advances, subsequent amendments and House concurrence would determine whether the government reopens in the short term or funding fights continue into November and beyond.