Senate Progress on Ending Government Shutdown

Bipartisan Senate Talks Yield Progress in Government Shutdown NegotiationsAfter weeks of stalled discussions, U.S. Senate lawmakers from both parties have made significant strides in ending the ongoing government shutdown. They are working on deals to temporarily reopen the government and introduce longer-term funding bills for certain agencies. This marks the 39th day of the shutdown, which has affected various sectors, including federal workers, food aid, air travel, and national parks.The negotiations have led to the drafting of three fiscal year 2026 full-year funding measures for agriculture, food, and nutrition programs, as well as money for military construction projects, veterans programs, and funding to operate Congress. These proposals would fund these operations through September 30, 2026.In addition, senators are working on a stopgap measure to provide more time for a deal on the remaining nine discretionary spending bills for the rest of the federal government, such as agencies for homeland security, defense, housing, and health. The short-term funding, currently set to expire on November 21, would be updated with new legislation to reopen the government and keep it funded through late January.While Senate Majority Leader John Thune expressed optimism about the progress, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer criticized the administration for withholding SNAP food stamp funding and accused it of playing politics by imposing reduced airline flights at certain airports. The record-long shutdown has impacted various programs, including Head Start early-learning and nutrition programs for ten thousand young children and families in eighteen states and Puerto Rico.The Daily News Now! — Every city. Every story. AI-powered. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.