The U.S. Senate took a major step this weekend toward ending the nation’s longest government shutdown. In a 60–40 vote on Sunday, November 9, 2025, senators advanced a short-term funding bill to reopen federal agencies and get employees back to work. While the vote offers relief to millions of workers and families affected by the shutdown, the path forward remains uncertain. A Divided Vote — and a Notable Break in the Ranks According to Politico , eight Democratic senators, a