The House is expected to vote Wednesday on a short-term spending bill that would end a six-week U.S. government shutdown after eight Senate Democrats joined Republicans to advance the measure. President Trump hailed the move at a Veterans Day event, while many Democrats oppose the bill because it does not extend expiring health insurance subsidies. The shutdown left roughly a million federal workers unpaid and disrupted travel, and the episode has exposed sharp divisions within the Democratic Party. Lawmakers say negotiations over a longer-term solution and health subsidies will continue.
House Poised for Wednesday Vote to End Longest U.S. Government Shutdown — Democrats Split Over Health Aid
The House is expected to vote Wednesday on a short-term spending bill that would end a six-week U.S. government shutdown after eight Senate Democrats joined Republicans to advance the measure. President Trump hailed the move at a Veterans Day event, while many Democrats oppose the bill because it does not extend expiring health insurance subsidies. The shutdown left roughly a million federal workers unpaid and disrupted travel, and the episode has exposed sharp divisions within the Democratic Party. Lawmakers say negotiations over a longer-term solution and health subsidies will continue.
11:42 AM, 11/12/2025Politics
House likely to vote Wednesday on short-term funding measure that would reopen government after a six-week shutdown, following a surprise break by eight Senate Democrats who joined Republicans to advance the bill.
Trump declares victory at Veterans Day ceremony
President Donald Trump interrupted Veterans Day remarks at Arlington National Cemetery to praise Republican leaders and celebrate what he called a political win. "Congratulations to you and to John and to everybody on a very big victory," he said after spotting House Speaker Mike Johnson in the audience, adding: "We're opening up our country -- it should have never been closed."
What the measure would do
The short-term spending bill would fund the government through January, allowing federal agencies to reopen. Republicans, who hold a narrow House majority, appear likely to pass the measure on a simple-majority vote despite vocal opposition from many Democrats.
Health subsidies remain the sticking point
Top Democrats oppose the bill largely because it does not extend health insurance subsidies due to expire at year-end. Without an extension, millions could face significantly higher premiums under the Affordable Care Act. Senate Republicans have promised a future vote on the subsidies, but Democrats say they were unable to secure that commitment as a condition of ending the shutdown.
Economic and human impact
About a million federal employees missed paychecks during the shutdown, and nutrition assistance for low-income families was threatened. Travel disruptions mounted with thousands of cancellations and delays as the Thanksgiving travel season approached. A senior Transportation Department official warned that, if the shutdown persisted, unpaid air traffic controllers and ordered slowdowns in flight operations could force airlines to make "serious calculations about whether they continue to fly, full stop."
Political fallout and party fractures
Opinion polls showed growing public frustration as the shutdown passed 40 days, with increasing blame aimed at Republican leaders. Still, eight Democrats in the Senate broke ranks Monday to provide the votes needed under Senate rules, a move that has exposed deep divisions within the Democratic Party.
House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries vowed to keep pushing for lower health-care costs: "Health care of people all across this country is on the brink of becoming unaffordable," he told reporters. Critics within the party, including California Governor Gavin Newsom, denounced the defections as unacceptable. Some Democrats have called on Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to answer for the loss of unity, though Schumer voted against the measure.
Broader implications
The episode underscores fault lines over affordability that Democrats argue could help them in 2026, and it has strained parts of Trump’s own coalition. The president publicly chided Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene after she criticized aspects of the deal, saying she had "lost her way."
Next steps: The House is expected to vote Wednesday. If the bill passes, agencies would reopen while fights over health-subsidy extensions and longer-term funding continue on Capitol Hill.