After weeks of national paralysis — with 42 million Americans cut off from benefits, thousands of flights canceled, and over a million federal workers unpaid — the U.S. Senate has officially passed a bill to reopen the government Monday night.
👉 Final tally: 60–40, just enough to overcome a filibuster.
🧨 But the real shocker? Eight Democrats broke ranks with their leader Chuck Schumer to side with Republicans and push the bill through.
Among them: Tim Kaine (Virginia), John Fetterman (Pennsylvania), Catherine Cortez Masto (Nevada), and Independent Angus King (Maine).
💬 President Donald Trump quickly signaled his approval, declaring, “We’re going to be opening up our country very quickly.”
Meanwhile, House Speaker Mike Johnson urged lawmakers to return to Washington “immediately” to vote on the bill, saying, “We have to do this as quickly as possible.”
😡 But inside the Democratic Party, tensions are boiling over:
- Bernie Sanders slammed the deal as “a horrific mistake.”
- Chuck Schumer said he “could not in good faith” support it after being sidelined by moderates.
- Rep. Greg Casar of Texas called the deal “a betrayal” of millions of Americans who trusted Democrats to fight for them.
👉 The main source of anger: The agreement does NOT include an extension of Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies — a red line for progressives.
📜 What’s in the bill:
- Reopens programs for food aid (SNAP), veterans’ benefits, and Congress operations.
- Reverses mass federal worker firings ordered by the Trump administration.
- Ensures back pay for all furloughed federal employees once the shutdown ends.
⚖️ Republicans have promised a mid-December vote on extending healthcare subsidies — but there’s no guarantee it will happen.
Meanwhile, Trump and his allies are using the moment to renew attacks on the Affordable Care Act, calling it “a disaster that needs to go.”
🔥 In short:
✅ The U.S. government is finally reopening.
❌ But Democrats are at war with each other.
And with millions still waiting for relief, one question looms large:
Who really won this power struggle? 💥🇺🇸
