After more than a month of political gridlock, the U.S. Senate voted late Sunday night to break the deadlock and move toward reopening the federal government. The decisive vote came after eight Senate Democrats crossed party lines to back a Republican-led funding bill, marking a major step toward ending the 40-day U.S. government shutdown.
The motion to advance the legislation, known as invoking cloture, passed 60-40 on the fifteenth attempt — finally clearing the procedural barrier that had paralyzed Washington for weeks. Senator John Cornyn arrived just before 11 p.m. to cast the crucial final vote, sealing the outcome and giving weary lawmakers a long-awaited breakthrough.
House to Vote Next on Funding Package
The bill now heads to the House of Representatives, which is scheduled to reconvene on Wednesday to consider the Senate’s version. Republican leaders have already hinted at plans to revise the measure by adding three full-year appropriations bills, potentially reshaping federal spending priorities for the upcoming year.
Schumer’s Fiery Response as Senate Democrats Split
The vote was a blow to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), who had led his caucus in resisting the GOP proposal. Visibly frustrated, Schumer shouted “I must vote no!” during his remarks, criticizing former President Donald Trump and the ongoing healthcare crisis tied to the Affordable Care Act.
Before stepping down from the podium, Schumer vowed to keep fighting, declaring, “We will not give up this fight!” — a sign that partisan tensions are far from over even as the shutdown nears its end.
🚨 BREAKING: A shook Chuck Schumer is STUNNED on the Senate floor after several of his party members caved to Donald Trump, backing the GOP government reopening bill
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) November 10, 2025
He’s hoping for a HUGE House Dem opposition.
“I voted NO!!”
pic.twitter.com/nvWde3XELO
Bipartisan Breakthrough After Weeks of Tension
The shutdown, one of the longest in modern U.S. history, left thousands of federal employees without pay and disrupted key government services. Mounting public pressure and growing frustration on Capitol Hill ultimately pushed lawmakers to find common ground.
Eight Democrats — Angus King (I-ME), John Fetterman (D-PA), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Jacky Rosen (D-NM), Tim Kaine (D-VA), and Dick Durbin (D-IL) — joined Republicans to end the stalemate. Many of them had participated in bipartisan negotiations for weeks, seeking a compromise to restore government operations.
A Step Toward Stability in Washington
While the final funding package is still being shaped, Sunday’s vote marked a significant shift toward restoring government services and rebuilding public trust in Congress’s ability to govern. Lawmakers from both sides described the vote as a necessary — though imperfect — path toward stability.
As Washington prepares for the next round of debates in the House, the Senate’s late-night decision signals the first concrete progress in bringing the U.S. government shutdown to an end.
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