Following a lengthy two-and-a-half-hour caucus meeting on Sunday night, Senate Democrats declared they had secured the necessary votes to bring an end to the federal government’s prolonged 40-day shutdown.

This breakthrough was achieved through the efforts of a coalition of moderate Democrats, spearheaded by Senators Angus King of Maine, an independent who aligns with the Democrats, Jeanne Shaheen from New Hampshire, and Maggie Hassan, also from New Hampshire. They collaborated with Republican counterparts on the Senate Appropriations Committee, led by Senator Susan Collins of Maine, alongside the Senate GOP leadership, to broker an agreement to reopen the government.

Senator Collins took the lead in negotiating a minibus appropriations package. This package aims to provide funding for military construction, veterans’ affairs, the Department of Agriculture, and the legislative branch. Additionally, it includes a continuing resolution to maintain government operations until January 30.

Senator Shaheen, who serves on the Appropriations Committee, partnered with Collins to advance these funding measures.

In parallel, Senators King and Hassan were instrumental in persuading Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota to commit to holding a vote this year on extending the enhanced health insurance subsidies under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which are set to expire by year’s end.

King told reporters after the Democratic caucus meeting that there will be the votes to pass the deal through the Senate and that the Democrats who are backing the legislation feel the shutdown has gone on long enough.

Asked if he’s confident there would be enough votes to pass the bill, King told reporters: “That’s certainly what it looks like.”

The Senate will go back into session at 8 p.m. Sunday and is expected to vote Sunday evening to end the shutdown.

King said “the length of the shutdown” persuaded Democrats to support the deal, many elements of which had been on the negotiating table for weeks.

He said it became increasingly clear that Republicans were not going to agree to a deal to reopen the government and extend enhanced health insurance subsidies under the Affordable Care Act that are due to expire in January.  

King says there’s still a “chance” the subsidies will be renewed because Thune has promised as part of the deal to give Democrats a vote on the ACA subsidies in November.

“Part of the deal is a vote on the ACA subsidies,” he said.

He said that he and other members of the Democratic caucus want to end the shutdown in the next few days because “a lot of people are being hurt.”

The bill still needs to pass the House, which hasn’t voted since Sept. 19. It then needs to go President Trump’s desk for a signature.

Several Democrats emerged from the meeting, however, pledging to oppose the deal, including Sens. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.). 

“A wink and a nod to deal with this health care crisis later – with no actual guarantees – is just not enough for me or the Wisconsin families I work for,” Baldwin said in a statement. 

Updated at 9:13 p.m.