Most Congressional Democrats voted against the bill to reopen the government, citing a lack of funding for Obamacare “enhanced” premium tax credits.
After 43 days, the longest government shutdown in U.S. history ended following Senate and House approval of a sprawling funding package that blends a short-term continuing resolution with three full-year spending bills. President Donald Trump signed the legislation Wednesday night, reopening federal agencies and restoring pay to more than a million affected workers. But even as the government relaunches, the deal has triggered a fierce fight on Capitol Hill, especially over a surprise provision that could let senators sue federal law enforcement.
The Senate approved the bill 60–40 on Monday, with eight Democratic-aligned senators breaking with party leaders to join Republicans in ending the impasse. The group abandoned Democrats’ demand that the package include an extension of enhanced Affordable Care Act tax credits set to expire December 31. Under the agreement, the Senate will hold a vote on the credits next month—without any guarantee of success.
Democratic Reps Summer Lee and Chris Deluzio, both representing the Pittsburgh area, voted against the bill, while all of Pennsylvania’s Republican members voted in favor. Among the eight Democrats in the Senate who joined the GOP was Pennsylvania’s senior Senator John Fetterman.
Rep. Lee told followers on X “there is nothing in this bill that guarantees healthcare subsidies will be voted on” and that she “could not in good faith support capitulating to false promises that will hurt people in the long run.”
Republican Rep. Glenn Thompson, Chair of the House Agriculture Committee, said the lapse in funding was “entirely avoidable” but now that the government is reopened and funding restored, it allows the Agriculture Committee to finish the Farm Bill.
What the Bill Funds
The package is a combined product of four components: a Continuing Appropriations Act that funds most agencies through January 30, and three full-year appropriations bills covering the Department of Agriculture and FDA, Veterans Affairs and military construction, and the legislative branch. Together, the legislative text spans more than 300 pages.
The agreement ensures:
- Full-year funding for USDA, WIC, SNAP, veterans’ health care, military construction, and Congress through September 2026.
- Refunds to states for expenses they fronted during the shutdown, including emergency payments of SNAP benefits.
- Reversal of mass federal layoffs initiated during the shutdown, with agencies required to restore staffing to pre-shutdown levels within five days of enactment.
- A ban on further federal workforce reductions until January 30.
Federal workers—roughly 1.4 million who missed multiple paychecks—will receive full back pay.
Food Assistance and Agriculture
The bill fully funds the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) for the remainder of the fiscal year, replenishing depleted contingency reserves after weeks of legal battles left nearly 42 million beneficiaries uncertain about payments. Child nutrition programs and free and reduced-price school meals also receive full funding.
The WIC program sees a major $603 million boost—raising its total to $8.2 billion—ensuring full benefits for the roughly seven million low-income mothers and children it serves. Senior nutrition programs also get a lift, including $460 million for the Commodity Supplemental Food Program.
One major flashpoint is a new national ban on intoxicating hemp-derived products, which had previously existed in a regulatory gray zone. The hemp industry has condemned the move, warning it could suffocate entire business sectors.
Security: A Surge in Funding
A portion of the package directs hundreds of millions toward security:
- $203 million for personal protection of House and Senate members.
- $852 million for U.S. Capitol Police, including training and mutual-aid support.
- $28 million for Supreme Court justices’ security.
- $30 million to bolster U.S. Marshals’ protection of federal judges and senior officials.
These increases come amid sharply elevated threats to public officials since 2020.
The Most Controversial Provision
The most heated dispute surrounds language—added in the final hours by Senate Majority Leader John Thune—allowing senators to sue the federal government for up to $500,000 per violation if federal investigators obtain their electronic data without required notification. The provision applies retroactively to 2022, potentially enabling lawsuits by the eight Republican senators whose phone records were subpoenaed during Special Counsel Jack Smith’s 2023 probe into efforts to overturn the 2020 election.
Both parties are furious about the measure. Speaker Mike Johnson called it “self-serving” and vowed the House would vote next week to repeal it. Several Republican lawmakers—including Reps. Lauren Boebert and Anna Paulina Luna—denounced the language as an abuse of the shutdown negotiations. Democrats say the provision was inserted without proper committee review, calling it an “eleventh-hour airdrop” that violated regular order.
Health Care Clash Deferred
The biggest unresolved policy fight remains the expiring ACA premium tax credits. Without an extension, premiums would spike dramatically next year, and more than two million Americans could lose coverage. Democrats argue the credits are essential to maintaining affordable insurance; Republicans contend they were always meant to be temporary pandemic-era measures.
The Senate has promised a December vote, but House Republican leaders have signaled no commitment to take up the matter.
What Comes Next
Though the shutdown has ended, the deal punts the next fiscal crisis to January 30. If Congress fails to agree on either another short-term patch or full-year appropriations by then, the government could once again grind to a halt.
