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The agreement reached by a group of Democrat and Republican senators that could result in the end of the government shutdown cleared its first hurdle, passing on a 60-40 Senate vote late Sunday (November 9), NBC News reports.
If approved, the agreement would then need to pass the House of Representatives and be signed into law by President Donald Trump to reopen the government. CNN initially reported that a group of at least eight Senate centrist Democrats reportedly reached a deal with Senate GOP leaders and the White House to reopen the government in exchange for a future vote on extending enhanced Affordable Care subsidies, citing two sources with director knowledge of the discussions.
The deal would include a new stopgap measure to extend government funding until January and be part of a larger package that would fully fund several top agencies. The agreement doesn't, however, include a guarantee from Republicans to extend the health care subsidies that have been the key focus of the disagreement between the two parties that led to the shutdown on October 1, but Democrats involved in the negotiations believe the House and Senate GOP leaders will eventually negotiate on a compromise in the coming weeks.
The deal was reportedly brokered between three former governors -- Sens. Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, Angus King of Maine and Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire, as well as Senate Majority Leader John Thune and White House officials, according to CNN.
“Lawmakers know their constituents expect them to vote for it, and if they don’t, they could very well be replaced at the ballot box by someone who will,” said Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia, who represents federal workers within the state and supports the GOP's promise to give a future vote on the subsidies.
The government shutdown has reached 41 days, setting the record for the longest in American history. The previous record of 35 days was set during Trump's first of two non-consecutive administrations in 2019.