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Senate Clears First Hurdle Toward Ending Shutdown With Short-Term Funding Plan

Mounting travel chaos pushed senators to advance a stopgap reopening through January under a deal still awaiting House passage plus the president's signature.

Overview

  • In a 60–40 procedural vote, seven Democrats and one independent joined Republicans to advance debate on a bipartisan measure that would fund the government through the end of January.
  • The framework provides retroactive pay, reverses shutdown-related dismissals, restores staffing for federal workers including air-traffic controllers, and extends SNAP funding, according to senators involved.
  • The compromise offers only a December vote on Affordable Care Act premium subsidies rather than a guaranteed extension, prompting opposition from Democratic leaders and progressives such as Chuck Schumer, Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders.
  • Air travel disruptions are escalating, with the FAA reporting 20% to 40% of controllers absent at the 30 largest airports and thousands of flights canceled or delayed as Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warns of a Thanksgiving near-standstill.
  • President Donald Trump urged controllers to return to work without pay, threatened post-shutdown pay cuts for those who refuse and proposed a $10,000 bonus for those who continue working, drawing a union demand to end the shutdown immediately.