In a significant move to resolve the ongoing government shutdown, the Senate made headway on Sunday as a group of moderate Democrats agreed to advance without a firm commitment to extending health care subsidies. This decision has stirred dissatisfaction among several party members who believe their constituents desire a continued push for these benefits.

The Senate’s initial vote, a crucial step in the legislative process, ended with a 60-40 tally in favor of progressing towards a compromise bill. This legislation aims to fund the government while promising a future vote on the extension of Affordable Care Act tax credits, which are set to lapse on January 1.

Despite the progress, achieving final passage might take several more days, especially if Democrats choose to slow down the process through objections. The contentious agreement stops short of ensuring the continuation of the Affordable Care Act subsidies, a point of contention that has been central to Democratic demands for almost six weeks.

In a notable division within the party, Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York opposed moving forward with the package, a stance shared by all but eight of his Democratic colleagues.

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York voted against moving ahead with the package, along with all but eight of his Democratic colleagues.

A group of three former governors — New Hampshire Senator Jeanne Shaheen, New Hampshire Senator Maggie Hassan and Independent Senators Angus King of Maine — broke the six-week stalemate on Sunday when they agreed to vote to advance three bipartisan annual spending bills and extend the rest of government funding until late January in exchange for a mid-December vote on extending the health care tax credits.

The agreement also includes a reversal of the mass firings of federal workers by the Trump administration since the shutdown began on October 1 and would ensure that federal workers receive back pay.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune quickly endorsed the deal and called the immediate vote to begin the process of approving it as the shutdown continued to disrupt flights nationwide, threaten food assistance for millions of Americans and leave federal workers without pay.

“The time to act is now,” Thune said.

Returning to the White House on Sunday evening after attending a football game, President Donald Trump did not say whether he endorsed the deal.

But he said, “It looks like we’re getting close to the shutdown ending.”

Five Democrats switch votes

In addition to Shaheen, King and Hassan, Democratic Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia, home to tens of thousands of federal workers, also voted in favour of moving forward on the agreement.

Illinois Senator Dick Durbin, the No. 2 Democrat, Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman and Nevada Senators Catherine Cortez Masto and Jacky Rosen also voted yes.

The moderates had expected a larger number of Democrats to vote with them as around 10-12 Democratic senators had been part of the negotiations.

But in the end, only five Democrats switched their votes — the exact number that Republicans needed.

King, Cortez Masto and Fetterman had already been voting to open the government since Oct. 1.

The vote was temporarily delayed on Sunday evening as three conservatives who often criticise spending bills, Republican Senators Mike Lee of Utah, Rick Scott of Florida and Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, withheld their votes and huddled with Thune at the back of the chamber.

They eventually voted yes after speaking to Trump, Lee said.

Another Republican, Senator John Cornyn of Texas, had to fly back from Texas to deliver the crucial 60th vote.

After Democrats met for over two hours to discuss the proposal, Schumer said he could not “in good faith” support it.

Schumer, who received blowback from his party in March when he voted to keep the government open, said that Democrats have now “sounded the alarm” on health care.

“We will not give up the fight,” he said.

Independent Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont, who caucuses with the Democrats, said that giving up the fight was a “horrific mistake”.

Senator Chris Murphy, D-Conn., agreed, saying that people in last week’s elections voted overwhelmingly Democratic “to urge Democrats to hold firm”.

Democrats had voted 14 times not to reopen the government as they demanded the extension of tax credits that make coverage more affordable for health plans offered under the Affordable Care Act.

Republicans said they would not negotiate on health care, but GOP leaders have been quietly working with the group of moderates as the contours of an agreement began to emerge.

The agreement includes bipartisan bills worked out by the Senate Appropriations Committee to fund parts of government — food aid, veterans programs and the legislative branch, among other things.

All other funding would be extended until the end of January, giving lawmakers more than two months to finish additional spending bills.

The deal would reinstate federal workers who had received reduction in force, or layoff, notices and reimburse states that spent their own funds to keep federal programs running during the shutdown.

It would also protect against future reductions in force through January and guarantee federal workers would be paid once the shutdown is over.

House Democrats push back

House Democrats swiftly criticised the Senate.

Texas Representative Greg Casar, the chairman of the Congressional Progressive Caucus, said a deal that doesn’t reduce health care costs is a “betrayal” of millions of Americans who are counting on Democrats to fight.

“Accepting nothing but a pinky promise from Republicans isn’t a compromise — it’s capitulation,” Casar said in a post on X.

“Millions of families would pay the price.”

Representative Angie Craig of Minnesota posted that “if people believe this is a ‘deal,’ I have a bridge to sell you.”

House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries blamed Republicans and said Democrats will continue to fight.

“Donald Trump and the Republican Party own the toxic mess they have created in our country and the American people know it,” Jeffries said.

It’s unclear whether the two parties would be able to find any common ground on the health care subsidies before a promised December vote in the Senate.

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has said he will not commit to bring it up in his chamber.

Some Republicans have said they are open to extending the COVID-19-era tax credits as premiums could skyrocket for millions of people, but they also want new limits on who can receive the subsidies and argue that the tax dollars for the plans should be routed through individuals.

Other Republicans, including Trump, have used the debate to renew their years-long criticism of the law and called for it to be scrapped or overhauled.

“THE WORST HEALTHCARE FOR THE HIGHEST PRICE,” Trump said of the Affordable Care Act in a post on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the consequences of the shutdown have been compounding.

US airlines cancelled more than 2000 flights on Sunday for the first time since the shutdown began, and there were more than 7000 flight delays, according to FlightAware, a website that tracks air travel disruptions.

Treasury Secretary Sean Duffy said on CNN’s “State of the Union” that air travel ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday will be “reduced to a trickle” if the government doesn’t reopen.

At the same time, food aid was delayed for tens of millions of people as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits were caught up in legal battles related to the shutdown.

And in Washington, home to millions of federal workers who have gone unpaid, the Capital Area Food Bank said it is providing 8 million more meals ahead of the holidays than it had prepared to this budget year — a nearly 20 per cent increase.