In a dramatic late-night session, the U.S. Senate voted 60-40 on Sunday to pass a stopgap funding measure that could end the longest government shutdown in American history, but the breakthrough has exposed deep fractures within the Democratic Party. California Governor Gavin Newsom and other progressive leaders have denounced the deal as a “surrender” to Republican demands, while eight Democrats and Independents who caucused with the GOP defended their decision as necessary to relieve the suffering of millions of Americans.
The 40-day shutdown has created widespread hardship across the nation, leaving 42 million Americans without access to SNAP benefits, forcing airlines to cancel thousands of flights, and depriving more than one million federal workers of their income. The House of Representatives is expected to convene on Monday to pass the Senate measure and send it to President Donald Trump, who is currently serving his second term in office.
Democratic Defections Spark Intraparty Warfare
Seven Senate Democrats and one Independent broke ranks with their party leadership to join Republicans in passing the continuing resolution: Dick Durbin of Illinois, Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada, Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire, Tim Kaine of Virginia, Jacky Rosen of Nevada, and Angus King (I) of Maine. Their decision has triggered fierce backlash from progressive Democrats who view the move as capitulation.
Governor Newsom was among the most vocal critics, declaring on social media: “Pathetic. America deserves better. This isn’t a deal. It’s a surrender. Don’t bend the knee!” His sharp rebuke reflects growing frustration among progressive Democrats who believe the party abandoned its leverage prematurely. California Representative Ro Khanna went further, calling for Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to step down, stating: “Senator Schumer is no longer effective and should be replaced. If you can’t lead the fight to stop healthcare premiums from skyrocketing for Americans, what will you fight for?”
Illinois Governor JB Pritzker, who has frequently clashed with President Trump during his second administration, echoed these concerns, calling the agreement “an empty promise” that makes “healthcare more expensive for the middle class and ending it for working families.” The central point of contention centers on the Affordable Care Act subsidies, which Democrats had insisted must be extended as part of any funding deal. Under the compromise, the ACA provisions will be voted on separately by mid-December rather than being guaranteed in the current legislation.
Moderate Democrats Defend Decision to Reopen Government
The eight lawmakers who voted with Republicans defended their position by emphasizing the human cost of the prolonged shutdown and arguing that the strategy of using government closure as leverage had failed. Independent Senator Angus King of Maine told CNN: “I never thought that shutting down the government was leverage against the Republicans, and that was proven to be the case. But I think everybody felt we had to do something, and the only tool at the time was the shutdown.”
Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman, who repeatedly voted to end the shutdown, urged his colleagues to accept the compromise and consider the broader public interest. “Take the win. We had an election, and it went well on Tuesday,” Fetterman said. “America, people are not leverage, and it’s not about a political game.” Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia highlighted specific protections he secured for federal workers, including reinstatement of those wrongfully terminated during the shutdown and guaranteed back pay through legislation he championed in 2019.
The legislation includes several key provisions beyond basic government funding. It guarantees that federal employees fired during the shutdown will have their jobs reinstated and establishes protections against such terminations in the future. The deal also ensures SNAP food stamp funding through the end of the 2026 fiscal year, addressing immediate food insecurity concerns that had affected tens of millions of Americans. Democrats had previously voted 14 times against Republican continuing resolutions, refusing to negotiate until the ACA subsidies were addressed.
Political Calculus and Path Forward
Despite Republicans holding a majority in Congress with 53 Senate seats, they fell short of the 60 votes needed to pass funding legislation without Democratic support, making bipartisan cooperation essential. President Trump, speaking to reporters at the White House on Sunday before the vote, expressed optimism about ending the impasse while maintaining his firm stance: “It looks like we’re getting close to the shutdown ending. We’ll never agree to give any substantial money, or any money, to illegals that come into this country, and I think the Democrats understand that.”
The shutdown’s escalating consequences had created urgency among lawmakers from both parties. Beyond the immediate impact on federal workers and SNAP recipients, concerns mounted over delayed flights, broader economic strain, and the suspension of critical government services. A federal judge in Rhode Island had previously ordered the Trump administration to address food insecurity by fully funding SNAP benefits through agriculture reserves, though the administration had planned to cover only 65 percent of November benefits using contingency funds.
As the House prepares to vote on the Senate measure, the Democratic Party faces a reckoning about its strategy and leadership. The intraparty divisions exposed by this vote may have lasting implications for how Democrats approach future negotiations with President Trump and congressional Republicans. With the ACA vote scheduled for mid-December, the battle over healthcare subsidies that defined this shutdown is far from over, setting the stage for another potential showdown before the end of the year.
