Schumer Loses Grip as Eight Democrats Join GOP to Reopen Government [WATCH]

After 40 days of the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, eight members of the Senate Democratic Caucus joined Republicans on Sunday night to advance a deal aimed at reopening the government.

The Senate voted 60–40 to move forward on a clean continuing resolution (CR) passed by the House of Representatives.

The measure had failed to clear the 60-vote threshold 14 times before Sunday’s breakthrough.

While the vote marks a significant step toward ending the shutdown, the process of final passage could take several more days due to opposition from some senators seeking to slow the timeline.

The House, which has been in recess since September 19, will also need to approve any final version before it can be sent to President Trump.

Democratic Sens. Tim Kaine of Virginia, Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire, and Jacky Rosen of Nevada switched their votes to support the House-passed CR.

Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin of Illinois, who is not seeking reelection, also voted in favor.

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Those five joined Democratic Sens. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania and Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada, as well as Independent Sen. Angus King of Maine, all of whom have previously sided with Republicans throughout the shutdown votes.

🚨 After 40 days, the Senate unlocked a path to reopen the government.

Final vote: 60-40.

I voted for the 15th time to end the Schumer Shutdown, pay our troops and air traffic controllers, and this time, pass three key full-year appropriations bills to fund Ag (including SNAP),… pic.twitter.com/JhclvqDbTN

— Markwayne Mullin (@SenMullin) November 10, 2025

Georgia Sen. Jon Ossoff, considered one of the most vulnerable Democrats facing reelection in 2026, remained aligned with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer in opposing the resolution.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune is expected to introduce a substitute to the House-passed measure that incorporates provisions from a bipartisan framework negotiated by members from both parties.

Under the agreement, government funding levels will be extended through January 2026.

The package also advances three full-year appropriations bills and renews funding for a federal food aid program through fiscal year 2026.

In addition, it reverses layoffs of federal employees that occurred during the shutdown.

King, Hassan, and Shaheen reportedly played central roles in crafting the bipartisan plan that ended the 40-day funding lapse.

The Senate remained in session through the weekend as Thune pressed for an end to the impasse.

The shutdown had caused widespread disruption, halting pay for large numbers of federal workers, threatening access to food assistance for millions of Americans, and creating travel delays at major airports.

Ahead of the vote, King told reporters that the length of the shutdown had driven the group of Democrats to support the measure.

He also said Republicans’ refusal to discuss extending Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies while the government was closed influenced their decision.

“The question was, as the shutdown progresses, is a solution on the ACA becoming more likely? It appears not,” King said.

“And I think people are saying we’re not going to get what we want, although we still have a chance, because part of the deal is a vote on the ACA subsidies.”

Despite that inclusion, many Democrats opposed the bipartisan resolution, saying it failed to guarantee an extension of ACA subsidies.

“I cannot in good faith vote for a show vote that does nothing to guarantee that 24 million Americans get the health care they deserve,” Arizona Sen. Ruben Gallego wrote on X.

There’s a phrase in Spanish, “Con salud, lo hay todo; sin salud, no hay nada.” It means “With good health you have it all; without your health, you have nothing.” It’s with that in mind that I stand firm in my decision to vote NO on the CR. I cannot in good faith vote for a show…

— Ruben Gallego (@RubenGallego) November 10, 2025

“[V]oting for Trump’s continuing resolution – without any protection against his health care cuts or his growing illegality – is a mistake,” Connecticut Sen. Chris Murphy wrote on X.

“I voted NO.”

Bullies gain power when their misconduct succeeds in causing righteous people to yield in the face of wrongdoing. That’s why voting for Trump’s continuing resolution – without any protection against his health care cuts or his growing illegality – is a mistake.

I voted NO.

— Chris Murphy 🟧 (@ChrisMurphyCT) November 10, 2025

Opposition to the agreement also came from the Democratic National Committee, several progressive activist groups, and House Democrats led by Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries.

Democratic candidates for Senate and potential 2028 presidential hopefuls echoed concerns about the bill’s lack of healthcare guarantees.

Thune said he offered Democrats a vote on extending ACA subsidies as part of the broader deal, though that measure faces little chance of passage.

“Republicans are not about to further burden taxpayers by blindly extending a flawed program,” Thune said Saturday on the Senate floor.

House Republican leadership has indicated lawmakers will be given 36 hours’ notice to return to Washington once the Senate passes a stopgap bill to formally reopen the government.