US Senate Passes Bill to End Historic 40-Day Shutdown

After a prolonged political stalemate, the US Senate has finally approved a bill to resume government operations, inspiring hope that the end of the longest "shutdown" in American history is approaching. The partial government shutdown, which entered its 40th day today, November 11, has caused serious economic and social problems across the country.

Following tense discussions, the final vote resulted in 60 lawmakers voting in favor of the bill and 40 against. This vote margin was sufficient for the document to receive Senate approval and be sent to the lower chamber of Congress, the House of Representatives.

Republican Party leaders have expressed hope that the bill could be approved by the House of Representatives as early as Wednesday, which would allow an end to the protracted crisis and restore the normal functioning of federal agencies.

The adopted bill provides for a number of important measures aimed at mitigating the consequences of the "shutdown." One of the priorities is the payment of back wages to hundreds of thousands of public employees who were on forced leave. This is vital for families who have been deprived of their source of income for more than a month.

In addition, the bill guarantees funding for one of the most important social programs—the provision of food stamps—until the end of the 2026 fiscal year (September 30). This step aims to prevent a humanitarian crisis and ensure that vulnerable groups continue to receive necessary food assistance.

Chronicle of the Crisis

The US government's operations were suspended on October 1 because Congress could not reach an agreement on the federal budget. Although the bill had been approved by the House of Representatives, it was blocked in the Senate. Republicans could not gather the necessary votes because Democrats conditioned their support on an increase in healthcare subsidies under the Affordable Care Act.

This "shutdown" has already surpassed the previous record of 35 days, set in 2019 during Donald Trump's first term as president. Now, all attention is focused on the House of Representatives, awaiting the final decision that will determine the fate of the American government.