Government Shutdown Ends, But Bigger Funding Battles Loom

The longest government shutdown in modern American history is about to end, after a handful of Democratic senators this weekend decided to provide Republicans enough votes to pass a short-term funding plan that would keep the government running until the end of January 2026. The plan, which was approved by the Senate on Saturday, will now be sent to the House of Representatives for consideration, where it is expected to pass. According to sources, the decision to support the short-term funding plan was made by five Democratic senators, including Angus King of Maine, Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire, Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada, Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, and Tim Kaine of Virginia. These senators, who had previously voted against a stopgap measure to reopen and fund the federal government, changed their stance in order to provide the necessary votes to pass the plan. "I think it's a good step forward," said Senator King in a statement. "We need to get the government back up and running, and this plan will allow us to do that." Senator Hassan also expressed her support for the plan, stating that "it's a necessary step to prevent a longer shutdown." The government shutdown, which began on October 1, 2025, was the result of a dispute between Democrats and Republicans over funding for various government programs. Democrats had been pushing for increased funding for social programs, while Republicans had been advocating for reduced spending. The shutdown had significant impacts on various industries, including healthcare and transportation. The shutdown had also caused significant disruptions to government services, with many employees being furloughed or working without pay. The impact of the shutdown was felt across the country, with many businesses and organizations being affected by the lack of government funding. In a statement, a spokesperson for the Democratic Party said that the decision to support the short-term funding plan was made in order to "prevent a longer and more damaging shutdown." The spokesperson also stated that the party is committed to finding a long-term solution to the funding dispute. The short-term funding plan will now be sent to the House of Representatives for consideration, where it is expected to pass. The plan will keep the government running until the end of January 2026, at which point lawmakers will need to pass a new funding bill in order to avoid another shutdown. As the government prepares to reopen, many are left wondering what the next developments will be. "We need to get back to work and find a long-term solution to the funding dispute," said Senator Kaine in a statement. "The American people deserve better than a series of short-term fixes."