In a significant move, Capitol Hill lawmakers have successfully passed a budget to keep the U.S. government running after a 43-day stalemate.

The U.S. House of Representatives approved the Senate’s proposed bill with a vote count of 222 to 209. This legislation secures funding for the Departments of Agriculture, Veterans Affairs, and military construction for the 2026 fiscal year. It also extends financial support for other federal agencies through January 30, 2026.

Crucially, the bill ensures back pay and job security for federal employees affected by the shutdown, including the re-employment of those who were laid off. It also guarantees the continuation of essential programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), commonly known as food stamps, through September 2026.

Additionally, the legislation allocates increased security funding for government officials and members of Congress.

The Senate had previously passed its version of this funding bill with a 60 to 40 vote margin.

60 votes were the minimum number required to pass a budget bill in the upper chamber.

Eight Democrats sided with Republicans in the Senate, as despite holding a majority in both chambers of Congress Republicans only have 53 seats in the Senate, which was short of the 60 votes needed to pass a funding bill.

Both Senate Republicans and several Democrats were growing uneasy about the shutdown’s escalating consequences. They were eager to get the government running again before the situation worsens.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., and fellow Democrats speak on the health care funding fight on the steps of the House before votes to end the government shutdown, on Capitol Hill, Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025, in Washington

President Donald Trump leaves the stage a the conclusion of a campaign rally at the Forum River Center March 9th, 2024 in Rome, Georgia

In this image provided by House Television, the vote total showing passage of the bill in the House to end the government shutdown is displayed Wednesday, Nov. 12, 2025, at the Capitol in Washington.

Six Democrats sided with Republicans, voting to open the government on Wednesday evening.

Democratic Representatives Jared Golden of Maine, Adam Gray of California, Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington, Don Davis of North Carolina, Henry Cuellar of Texas, and Tom Suozzi of New York were their party’s yes votes, splitting from Democrat leadership and siding with Republicans to reopen the government.

Gluesenkamp Perez said in a statement that she voted for the bill because ‘the fight to stop runaway health insurance premiums won’t be won by holding hungry Americans hostage.’

‘None of my friends who rely on SNAP would want to trade their dinner for an ambiguous D.C. beltway ‘messaging victory’ and I’m glad this ugly scene is in the rearview mirror,’ Gluesenkamp Perez said, referring to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.

Republicans Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Greg Steube of Florida were the two members of their party who did not support the legislation. 

Steube said he opposed the bill because the Senate had quietly inserted a last-minute provision allowing eight Republican senators to sue the U.S. government for up to $500,000 each after it was revealed that the government had spied on those members. Although Johnson indicated that a legislative fix for this provision would occur, Steube noted that he did not trust the Speaker to keep his word.

Asked about the provision again during a press conference that followed the vote to end the shutdown, Speaker Johnson noted the following:

‘I had a conversation with Leader Thune early this morning about it, and I think he regretted the way it was done, and we had an honest conversation about that. But I’m going to speak as truthfully to him as I am to all of you and tell you that I think that was way out of line.’ 

Other members of the House also spoke out against the last-minute Senate addition.

After Tennessee Republican Senator Marsha Blackburn noted that she planned to sue for subpoenaing her phone records, Representative John Rose, also a Tennessee Republican, posted on X that he was asking her to reconsider the suit. 

‘Suing you, the taxpayer, for the politically-driven (and wrong) actions of the Biden DOJ doesn’t fix anything. It only makes U.S. Senators richer,’ Rose noted.

‘That’s why I’ve filed a bill to immediately undo this money grab that somehow snuck into the Senate version of the funding bill,’ he added.

Concerns about the shutdown ranged from delayed flights and unpaid federal workers to economic strain and suspension of food assistance for vulnerable families.

Republicans had supported a short-term measure to fund the government at generally current levels, previously approved under the Biden administration, through November 21. However, Democrats had blocked it, insisting that the measure did not address their concerns regarding healthcare.

Workers and volunteers help distribute food boxes to those in need at a large-scale drive-through food distribution, in response to the federal government shutdown

US airports complied with the FAA order to cut thousands of flights per day amid the 43-day US Government shutdown

Senate Majority Leader John Thune had previously given Senate Democrats 14 chances to vote to reopen the government.

Public frustration with the prolonged shutdown intensified, increasing pressure on both parties to reach an agreement.

Air traffic had been hit hard, with Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy warning on CNN that staffing shortages are worsening, potentially reducing air travel to a trickle.