The longest government shutdown in U.S. history may soon come to an end after the Senate approved a compromise spending bill on Monday, Nov. 10, 2025, Reuters reports.

Approved in a 60-40 vote, the deal — which received support from nearly all Republicans and eight Democrats — would restore funding for federal agencies that lost it on Oct. 1 and temporarily halt President Donald Trump’s push to shrink the federal workforce, blocking any layoffs until Jan. 30, 2026.

The agreement extends government funding through that date, leaving the U.S. on the path to add approximately $1.8 trillion a year to its $38 trillion debt. It would also fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) through Sept. 30, 2026, preventing potential disruptions if another shutdown occurs before then.

Following Monday’s Senate approval, the measure now heads to the Republican-controlled House, where Speaker Mike Johnson aims to pass it as soon as Wednesday, Nov. 12, before sending it to Trump. The president has voiced support for the deal.

“I’ll abide by the deal. The deal is very good,” Trump told reporters on Monday, according to USA Today.

Democrats had pushed to tie government funding to health subsidies under the Affordable Care Act, which benefits 24 million Americans and is set to expire at the end of the year. The final agreement schedules a December vote on the extension, leaving many Democrats frustrated, as there is no guarantee the Republican-controlled Congress will approve it, per Reuters.

“We wish we could do more,” said Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), Reuters reports. “The government shutting down seemed to be an opportunity to lead us to better policy. It didn’t work.”

An October poll by Reuters and Ipsos found that 50% of Americans blamed Republicans for the shutdown, compared with 43% who blamed Democrats, the outlet notes.

Why Is The Government Shut Down?

As AFROTECH™ previously reported, the shutdown began on Oct. 1, 2025, following a congressional impasse over funding. Since then, hundreds of thousands of federal employees have been furloughed, and just as many others have been working without pay.

The shutdown also disrupted SNAP benefits, which were suspended on Nov. 1, affecting 40 million Americans, AFROTECH™ noted.

Several individuals have stepped in to help fill the gap for Americans affected by the SNAP disruption. Billionaire Tyler Perry donated nearly $1.4 million to multiple nonprofits supporting families; Jasmine Crowe-Houston, founder and CEO of the Atlanta-based tech-driven food waste company Goodr, launched a support fund with food distribution; and food critic and influencer Keith Lee spearheaded a separate initiative to raise funds.

On Oct. 31, two federal judges — Indira Talwani in Boston, MA, and John J. McConnell Jr. in Providence, RI — ruled that the Trump administration’s suspension of SNAP funding was “unlawful,” AFROTECH™ noted. Judge McConnell ordered the United States Department of Agriculture to reinstate benefits from emergency reserves “timely, or as soon as possible.”

“There is no doubt, and it is beyond argument, that irreparable harm will begin to occur — if it hasn’t already occurred — in the terror it has caused some people about the availability of funding for food for their family,” McConnell said.

The Trump administration had pursued an emergency appeal of Judge McConnell’s last order on Thursday, Nov. 6, for the administration to cover the full amount, with the Supreme Court granting a temporary pause pending the appeals court consideration, according to PBS. After the appeals court had ruled against the Trump administration over the weekend, the Supreme Court has asked the administration to respond.

Now those court proceedings could become moot as the Senate spending bill is close to being approved, which would end the government shutdown and replenish SNAP funding.