In a significant development, Senate Democrats announced Sunday night that they have secured sufficient votes to end the prolonged 40-day federal government shutdown. This breakthrough came after an extensive two-and-a-half-hour caucus meeting.

A bipartisan effort spearheaded by centrist Democrats, including Senators Angus King of Maine, who is an independent aligning with the Democrats, Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, and Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire, led to a crucial agreement with Republican counterparts. Negotiations were conducted with Republicans on the Senate Appropriations Committee, guided by Senator Susan Collins from Maine, alongside the leadership of the Senate GOP.

Senator Collins played a pivotal role in crafting a minibus appropriations package. This package is designed to finance military construction, veterans affairs, the Department of Agriculture, and the legislative branch. Additionally, it includes a continuing resolution to keep the government funded until January 30.

Senator Shaheen, a member of the Appropriations Committee, collaborated closely with Collins on composing the funding legislation.

Meanwhile, Senators King and Hassan were instrumental in securing a commitment from Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota. They successfully negotiated for a vote to be held this year on the extension of enhanced health insurance subsidies under the Affordable Care Act, which are set to expire at the end of the year.

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.