On November 10, the U.S. Senate passed legislation 60–40 to reopen the federal government, combining three full-year appropriations bills with a continuing resolution that extends funding for all other agencies through January 30, 2026. The vote marked a major bipartisan breakthrough to end the nation’s record-long 41-day shutdown and sent the measure to the U.S. House of Representatives for final passage.

All but one Republican voted for the package, and eight members of the Democratic caucus (including one Independent who caucuses with Democrats) joined them. 

What Is in the Deal

The legislation combines three full-year appropriations bills — Agriculture–FDA, Legislative Branch, and Military Construction–Veterans Affairs — with a continuing resolution (CR) to fund the rest of the government through January 30, 2026.

The package:

• Restores back pay for furloughed federal employees and rescinds layoff or reduction-in-force (RIF) notices issued during the shutdown
• Prohibits new federal employee layoffs during the CR period
• Reimburses states that they used their own funds to sustain federal programs or services while agencies were closed
• Maintains funding at prior-year levels, preventing new program starts or expansions not previously approved, and
• Provides targeted adjustments for key defense acquisition and shipbuilding programs, enhanced security for federal officials and the judiciary, and sufficient funding for FEMA and the Small Business Administration to continue operations.

The measure also extends through January 30 several expiring programs and authorities, including:

• Department of Homeland Security counter-drone powers
• Cybersecurity Information Sharing Act liability protections
• National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP), and
• Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF).

In the health care space, it temporarily extends Medicare, Medicaid, and VA medical programs, continues funding for community health centers, pauses scheduled Medicaid disproportionate-share hospital (DSH) cuts, and supports implementation of federal surprise-billing protections.

Agricultural provisions continue parts of the 2018 Farm Bill through September 30, 2026, while maintaining the freeze on automatic pay increases for the vice president and senior officials.

As part of the bipartisan agreement, Senate leadership pledged to hold a separate vote by early December on legislation to extend Affordable Care Act premium tax credits that are otherwise set to expire at the end of this year.

Process and What Happens Next

With the Senate’s final passage complete, the measure now moves to the U.S. House of Representatives, where leadership has indicated members will receive at least two days’ notice ahead of a vote. 

Once the House passes the measure and it is signed by the President, federal agencies will resume operations immediately, and back pay will be issued to furloughed employees. The stopgap funding provides time for lawmakers to negotiate and complete the remaining nine fiscal year 2026 appropriations bills.