‘It’s the opening of an opportunity’ say Senate Democrats who broke ranks to end government shutdown – latest updates | US news
‘This is the opening of an opportunity,’ say Senate Democrats who broke ranks to end government shutdown
The eight Democratic and independent senators who broke ranks with the party to introduce a bill that would end the government shutdown — the longest in U.S. history — defended their decisions amid fury from their party and base.
“What happened tonight is not the closing of a chapter. It is the opening of an opportunity. What the chapter closes is a damaging shutdown that will only get worse, that will only affect more and more people,” said King Angusthe independent Maine lawmaker who caucuses with Democrats.
Maggie HassanThe Democratic senator from New Hampshire, who was part of bipartisan talks aimed at reaching a deal with Republicans, cited the fact that the revised bill forgoes the Obamacare subsidies that Democrats have made central to their negotiations.
“Congress has one month to engage in meaningful bipartisan negotiations to extend the expiring health insurance tax cuts under the Affordable Care Act,” Hassan wrote in a statement, referring to the vote Republican lawmakers promised Democrats. “My Democratic colleagues and I have been ready to work on this for months. With the government reopening soon, Senate Republicans must finally come to the table — or, make no mistake, Americans will remember those who stood in the way.”
Meanwhile, Senator John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, who was part of the small faction of Democrats in the Upper House who repeatedly voted in favor of the original funding bill passed by the House, said “it should never have come to this,” referring to the ongoing 40-day shutdown. “ “I’m sorry to our military, SNAP recipients, government employees and Capitol Police who haven’t been paid in weeks,” he added.
An important note. None of the Democratic senators who voted yes on Sunday’s procedural motion are up for re-election in 2026.. Two of them, Dick Durbin of Illinois, and Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, will retire next year, while the rest will face a challenge no earlier than 2028.
Key events
Supreme Court refuses to hear same-sex marriage challenge
The Supreme Court has rejected a case challenging the constitutional right of same-sex couples to marry.
The court denied any long-term attempt to Kim Davisa former Kentucky county clerk, who refused to issue marriage licenses for religious reasons. As a result, Davis was jailed and ordered to pay thousands of dollars in damages. As part of her appeal to the Supreme Court, she asked the court to overturn its landmark 2015 decision.
Marina Dunbar
Donald Trump on Sunday considered giving most Americans $2,000 funded by tariff revenues collected by the presidential administration – an obvious attempt to rally public support on the issue.
“A dividend of at least $2,000 per person (not counting high-income earners!) will be paid to everyone,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform on Sunday.
The post also made a point of calling people against the tariffs “FOOLS!” »
For such a bill to go into effect, it would likely need approval from Congress. Earlier this year, Republican Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri introduced a bill proposing $600 in tariff reductions for nearly all Americans and their dependent children.
“Americans deserve a tax cut after four years of [Joe] Biden [White House] policies that have devastated families’ economies and livelihoods,” Hawley said at the time. He said the legislation would “allow hard-working Americans to benefit from the wealth that Trump’s tariffs are returning to this country.”
However, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said in August that the administration’s main goal remains reducing the national debt, which stands at $38.12 trillion, using funds from tariff collections. He said the money would be used first to begin paying down the federal debt — not to give rebate checks to Americans.
Hegseth announces new strikes on suspected drug trafficking boats, killing six people
U.S. forces struck two more suspected drug-smuggling boats off the South American coast, killing six people, Trump administration Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said.
The United States began carrying out such strikes — which some experts say amount to extrajudicial killings even though they target known traffickers — in early September, targeting ships in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific.
“Yesterday, at the direction of President Trump, two deadly kinetic strikes were carried out against two vessels operated by designated terrorist organizations,” Hegseth said.
He added in a social media post on
Hegseth said: “Our intelligence knew that these vessels were associated with illicit narcotics smuggling, were transporting narcotics, and transiting along a known transit route for narcotics trafficking in the Eastern Pacific. »
Donald Trump is in Washington today. At 11:00 a.m. ET, he will welcome the Syrian president Ahmed al-Sharaa at the White House. It will be the first visit by a Syrian head of state since the country’s independence in 1946.
Trump has already listed several sanctions against Syria, and the leaders are expected to discuss them further at the al-Sharaa meeting today. Currently the meeting is closed to the press, but we will let you know if that changes.
Later, Trump will participate in the swearing-in of US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor. At this time, the press is unable to attend, but we will provide updates as we learn more.
Short-term bill to resume government funding until the end of January
Here are some more details about the bill that could resume government funding, but only until the end of January.
A handful of Democrats broke the party line to strike a deal with Republicans that:
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Cancel the layoffs of federal civil servants announced by the White House carried out after the start of the closure.
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Pay back pay for all federal employees, including military personnel, border patrol agents and air traffic controllers.
It is believed the Senate will attempt to circumvent the House’s usual procedural rules today when it reconvenes to rush the bill through. Because it was amended, it will also have to be sent back to the lower house for passage before Trump approves it.
Flight cancellations on the rise due to closure
There have been massive disruptions to air travel to and from the United States due to the shutdown, where staff, such as air traffic controllers, are working without pay.
According to trackers, thousands of flights were canceled this weekend, with more than 10,000 delayed.
The Federal Aviation Administration warned last week that it was reducing capacity by up to 10% at the nation’s 40 busiest airports due to a lack of workers. Some airports have seen controllers call in sick or take second jobs to make ends meet.
Meanwhile, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said yesterday that if the shutdown continues, people may not even be able to travel for the Thanksgiving holiday at the end of the month.
Trump pardons Giuliani and allies linked to efforts to overturn 2020 vote
The president also granted a full pardon this weekend to dozens of allies accused of trying to overturn the 2020 election won by Joe Biden.
The four-page list released by his administration includes more than 70 people, including his former lawyers Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell and former chief of staff Mark Meadows. They all received “total, complete and unconditional” pardons for their actions related to the 2020 vote.
They were accused of being involved in a scheme to change voter rolls in key states like Arizona, Georgia and Michigan, which Biden won in 2020.
None of the people on the list have ever been federally charged, but this directive could prevent future administrations from prosecuting.
Trump, in a proclamation dated Friday, said the move would end “a grave national injustice perpetrated against the American people following the 2020 presidential election and continue the process of national reconciliation.”
Trump says end of lockdown is ‘very close’
President Trump also acknowledged progress to reporters last night after arriving at the White House following a weekend at Mar-a-Lago.
“It appears we are getting very close to the end of the shutdown. »
Senators take an important step towards ending confinement
Good morning.
We may be closer to the end of the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, after Democratic senators reached a deal with their counterparts across the aisle that paved the way for a formal debate on resuming funding for federal agencies.
The shutdown has lasted for more than 40 days now, affecting hundreds of thousands of federal workers and people who rely on programs like food assistance.
Senators have agreed to a tentative deal to fund the government through January – more on that later – but as far as the process goes, it still needs to pass the Senate over the next two days and then needs to be approved by the House of Representatives before landing on Donald Trump’s desk.
This may take a week or more. Still, it’s one step closer to relief.
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