US House Faces Pivotal Vote to End Longest Government Shutdown

Wed Nov 12 2025 17:58:18 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

The US House of Representatives is set to conduct a critical vote aimed at resolving a government shutdown that has lasted for 42 days, leaving federal employees unpaid and disrupting essential services.

Lawmakers are returning to Washington to deliberate on a Senate package that proposes funding for federal agencies for two months. Despite assurances from Republican leaders, significant opposition from Democrats persists, complicating the outcome of the vote. The ongoing shutdown has inflicted financial distress on federal workers and sparked delays in air travel. Notably, the bill's approval is seen as crucial to avoid further uncertainty.

A budget that would end the longest shutdown in US history is heading to the House of Representatives for a crunch vote on Wednesday.

On day 42 of the impasse, representatives are returning to Washington to decide whether to approve a Senate package that would fund federal agencies for two months.

Republican leadership expressed confidence the spending plan would clear the lower chamber of Congress, despite their narrow majority. However, top Democrats vowed to oppose it.

President Donald Trump indicated he would sign it into law, stating, We're opening up our country. He emphasized that the country should have never been closed.

The government shutdown, which began on October 1, has left a million federal workers unpaid, halted food stamps for low-income Americans, and delayed air travel ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday.

With nearly 1,200 flights canceled on Tuesday due to unpaid air traffic controllers calling in sick as a result of the funding deadlock, lawmakers are finding alternative ways to reach Washington.

Congressman Rick Crawford of Arkansas carpooled with a fellow Republican, while Congressman Derrick Van Orden is riding a motorcycle from his home state of Wisconsin to fulfill his duty despite the cold.

The House Rules Committee advanced the bill in a procedural party-line vote of 8-4 in the early hours of Wednesday, demonstrating the continuing partisan divide. Democrats are particularly frustrated that their amendments, including extending health insurance subsidies, were brushed aside by Republicans.

The House is expected to reconvene for one hour of debate before the vote at 16:00 EST. House Democratic minority leader Hakeem Jeffries has expressed strong opposition to the Republican proposal, criticizing it for contributing to rising costs for everyday Americans.

Johnson, the House Speaker, aims to leverage the remaining Republican majority—already trimmed by the recent election of a Democrat congresswoman—to pass the bill. Yet, there are concerns about potential defections within Republican ranks, which could jeopardize the outcome.

The ongoing political tensions have left both parties grappling for public support as voters hold them accountable for the standoff. Once resolved, Congress will have just two months to avert another shutdown under looming deadlines.