The US Senate on Sunday took a major step toward ending the record 40-day federal government shutdown. Senators began voting to advance a House-approved stopgap funding bill, which would reopen government operations but does not immediately extend healthcare subsidies demanded by Democrats. Senate Majority Leader John Thune said the legislation could be amended to include another short-term funding measure and a package of three full-year appropriations bills. The full package must still pass the House and receive the president’s signature, a process expected to take several days. Democrats have resisted reopening the government without guarantees on Affordable Care Act subsidies, which are set to expire at the end of the year. Thune stated the Senate could hold a separate vote on the subsidies later. Senator Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut said he would vote against the bill but acknowledged there might be enough Democratic support to pass it. He criticized the plan as vague, offering only a “promise of a vote at some indeterminate time” on the health tax credits. Senator Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico also expressed doubts. “The Senate might get a vote,” he said, but questioned whether Republican leaders would take meaningful action. House Speaker Mike Johnson has previously refused to hold a vote on extending the credits that make healthcare affordable for millions of Americans. Progressive Democrats in the Senate, including Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders, rejected the compromise outright, calling it a policy and political mistake. In the House, Democrats such as Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries pledged to oppose the Senate bill. Texas Democrat Greg Casar warned that failing to secure healthcare subsidies would burden millions of families with higher costs. Florida Congressman Maxwell Frost added that constituents could face 50% to 300% increases in healthcare costs if the deal passes. California Governor Gavin Newsom also criticized the plan, calling it a surrender rather than a compromise. Sunday marked the 40th day of the shutdown, which has affected federal workers, food aid programs, national parks, and air travel. Staffing shortages in air traffic control threaten disruptions during the busy Thanksgiving season. Republican Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina said the growing economic impact is pushing lawmakers toward an agreement. The proposed resolution would fund government operations through late January and reverse at least some of the Trump administration’s federal workforce layoffs. White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett warned that continued shutdown could push economic growth into negative territory in the fourth quarter, particularly if air travel remains limited by Thanksgiving on November 27. Americans shopping for 2026 Obamacare plans face premiums more than double current rates, as pandemic-era subsidies are set to expire. Republicans rejected a proposal from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to reopen government in exchange for a one-year extension of the subsidies. Senator Adam Schiff criticized President Trump’s healthcare plan, saying it could weaken the Affordable Care Act and allow insurance companies to deny coverage for pre-existing conditions. “The same insurance companies he’s railing against are being given more power to cancel policies and reduce coverage,” Schiff said on ABC’s This Week. As the Senate vote progresses, lawmakers remain divided. While the funding bill could end the longest federal shutdown in US history, unresolved disputes over healthcare subsidies highlight ongoing political tensions that may continue into the coming weeks.