Bipartisan Truce Ends 43-Day Shutdown, Healthcare Battle Postponed

The U.S. House is set to vote on a bipartisan deal to end the 43-day government shutdown, the longest in modern history, as lawmakers scramble to avert further economic and administrative fallout. The Senate passed a short-term funding bill on Monday night, which is expected to clear the Republican-led House despite Democratic objections over missing healthcare subsidies. President Donald Trump hailed the measure as a "very big victory," though critics on both sides remain unsatisfied, according to AP.

The agreement, brokered by Senate Majority Leader John Thune and a group of moderate Democrats, includes a "minibus" package of three full-year appropriations bills to fund key agencies through January 30 and extends funding for the government through the same date, according to NBC News. Democrats secured commitments to reinstate federal workers furloughed during the shutdown and prevent future mass layoffs, but fell short on securing a one-year extension of Affordable Care Act tax credits, which expire at year-end. Thune pledged a mid-December vote on the subsidies, though no guarantees exist, according to ABC News.

The deal emerged after weeks of tense negotiations, with Republicans initially rejecting Democratic offers to reopen the government in exchange for healthcare provisions. Thune called such proposals "nonstarters," insisting on a path forward that prioritized immediate funding over broader policy battles, according to CBS News. The compromise reflects a pragmatic approach to ending the crisis, though it has drawn sharp criticism from progressive Democrats, who accuse Senate leaders of capitulating to GOP demands.

Democratic leaders face internal backlash, particularly against Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, who has been lambasted by progressive activists and lawmakers for failing to secure stronger concessions. Groups like MoveOn and Progressive Change Campaign Committee have called for Schumer's resignation, framing the shutdown resolution as a "surrender" to Republican intransigence, according to NewsMax. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries defended Schumer, calling his efforts a "valiant fight," but acknowledged the party's dissatisfaction, according to NewsMax.

Economic impacts of the shutdown have been severe, with the Congressional Budget Office estimating a 1.5 percentage point reduction in annualized GDP growth by mid-November, according to Yahoo Finance. Federal workers continue to face unpaid leave, contingency funds for military pay and benefits risk depletion, and consumer sentiment hit a three-year low amid heightened anxiety, according to Yahoo Finance. The shutdown has also disrupted critical programs like SNAP, with legal battles over food aid creating uncertainty for 42 million Americans reliant on the program, according to Business Insider.

The resolution's passage has triggered a market rebound, with Bitcoin surging past $106,000 and Ethereum climbing over 7% as investors bet on reduced political uncertainty, according to Yahoo Finance. However, the deal's narrow focus on short-term funding has left unresolved tensions between the parties, with both sides pointing fingers over responsibility for the crisis. A recent AP-NORC poll found 60% of Americans hold Trump and Republicans "a great deal" or "quite a bit" of blame, while 54% assign similar fault to Democrats, according to AP.

With the House set to reconvene, Speaker Mike Johnson faces pressure to secure near-unanimous Republican support to pass the bill, as only two votes can be lost. The measure will then head to Trump for his signature, potentially ending the shutdown before the November 15 deadline, according to The Guardian.