Late Sunday night, the U.S. Senate voted 60-40 to advance a spending bill to end the longest government shutdown in U.S. history and fund government operations in most agencies until Jan. 30.
The shutdown has lasted at least 42 days, and its end date is still uncertain, although House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) indicated the House will vote on the Senate bill on Wednesday, and they plan to reopen the government this week.
A group of eight U.S. Senators including Tim Kaine (D-VA), Jon Fetterman (D-PA), and Angus King (I-ME) negotiated a deal to move the legislation forward, agreeing to drop the Democrats’ main demand that Affordable Care Act (ACA) health care subsidies be extended past the end of 2025. Senate Republicans led by Sen. John Thune (R-SD) promised to hold a vote on the subsidies before the end of the year, even though they publicly oppose extending them.
Along with the CR, the Senate advanced companion legislation funding the government as a whole through January 2026, as well as appropriations bills to fund various departments for the rest of the fiscal year.
The deal includes assurances that the federal government will rescind all layoffs of federal employees that occurred during the shutdown and guarantees back pay for all federal employees (even though back pay is already required by the Government Employee Fair Treatment Act of 2019).
Included in the Senate appropriations bill to fund several departments for the remainder of FY2026 are programs that provide food aid and veterans’ benefits.
IEC chapters with employees or students affected by either of these programs should contact their state agency responsible for administering them. The contact information for each respective state office for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is available from the USDA website. Veterans’ benefits are administered through the Veterans Benefits Administration, and local offices can be found here. Be sure to select “VA Benefits” under Facility Type to find the appropriate office.
Additional options for chapters include:
- Local food banks and pantries: Contact organizations like Feeding America or your local human services office to find the food banks and pantries in your community.
- United Way: You can receive help from the United Way and its partner agencies by calling or texting 211. This 24/7, confidential service connects you to local programs that help with a wide range of needs, including housing, food, and financial stability.