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Tuesday, Nov 11, 2025
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House to Reconvene After Senate Clears Path to End US Government Shutdown
Speaker Mike Johnson vows the House will vote within 36 hours following Senate’s 60-40 measure to reopen federal operations
Speaker Mike Johnson has announced that the United States House of Representatives will return to Washington and vote “as soon as possible” after the Senate cleared legislation over the weekend that opens the door to ending the longest government shutdown in US history.
The Senate passed the bill by a 60-40 margin late Sunday, with support from seven Democrats and one independent.
Johnson said he will issue a 36-hour return notice for House members once the Senate completes its final action on the bill.
He urged members to begin travelling back to the Capitol “right now” to avoid further delays.
“We applaud seven Senate Democrats and one independent senator who did the right thing,” he stated.
President Donald Trump voiced his endorsement of the Senate measure, calling the deal “very good”.
Among the Democrats who supported the Senate legislation were Senators Dick Durbin of Illinois, Jacky Rosen of Nevada, Tim Kaine of Virginia, Maggie Hassan and Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, as well as Independent Senator Angus King of Maine and Democratic Senators Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada and John Fetterman of Pennsylvania.
The measure includes funding to reopen large parts of the federal government and covers related programmes including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
It extends government operations until 30 January, while delaying a full resolution on expiring health-care subsidies under the Affordable Care Act that some Democrats had sought to tie to the funding bill.
Air travel and federal services have been severely disrupted during the shutdown, with some airlines cancelling thousands of flights due to staffing shortages among air-traffic controllers and other critical operations.
Johnson addressed the crisis directly, noting that ‘‘our air traffic controllers are overworked and unpaid’’ and that personnel had begun calling in sick in response to the protracted shutdown.
While the passage of the Senate bill marks a major step, the shutdown will not officially end until the House votes and the President signs the measure into law.
Johnson’s next move will test whether the Republican-led House can move swiftly and muster sufficient support after weeks of legislative stasis.
The House is expected to convene this week to complete the final step toward reopening the government.
The Senate passed the bill by a 60-40 margin late Sunday, with support from seven Democrats and one independent.
Johnson said he will issue a 36-hour return notice for House members once the Senate completes its final action on the bill.
He urged members to begin travelling back to the Capitol “right now” to avoid further delays.
“We applaud seven Senate Democrats and one independent senator who did the right thing,” he stated.
President Donald Trump voiced his endorsement of the Senate measure, calling the deal “very good”.
Among the Democrats who supported the Senate legislation were Senators Dick Durbin of Illinois, Jacky Rosen of Nevada, Tim Kaine of Virginia, Maggie Hassan and Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, as well as Independent Senator Angus King of Maine and Democratic Senators Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada and John Fetterman of Pennsylvania.
The measure includes funding to reopen large parts of the federal government and covers related programmes including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
It extends government operations until 30 January, while delaying a full resolution on expiring health-care subsidies under the Affordable Care Act that some Democrats had sought to tie to the funding bill.
Air travel and federal services have been severely disrupted during the shutdown, with some airlines cancelling thousands of flights due to staffing shortages among air-traffic controllers and other critical operations.
Johnson addressed the crisis directly, noting that ‘‘our air traffic controllers are overworked and unpaid’’ and that personnel had begun calling in sick in response to the protracted shutdown.
While the passage of the Senate bill marks a major step, the shutdown will not officially end until the House votes and the President signs the measure into law.
Johnson’s next move will test whether the Republican-led House can move swiftly and muster sufficient support after weeks of legislative stasis.
The House is expected to convene this week to complete the final step toward reopening the government.
