ND North News

The U.S. Senate has voted 60 to 40 to move forward with an appropriations package aimed at ending the longest government shutdown in American history. The decision followed late negotiations that brought five more Democratic senators on board, providing the necessary votes to advance the legislation. Previously, three Democrats had joined Republicans in supporting similar measures over 14 attempts.

Senator Kevin Cramer (R-ND) attributed the progress to recent involvement from President Donald Trump. The vote marks the first step in a plan by Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) to reopen the government. This action allows for consideration of a revised continuing resolution (CR), which would maintain current funding levels through January 2026 and include elements from three previously passed appropriations bills: Agriculture-FDA, Legislative Branch, and Military Construction-VA.

After voting for the motion, Senator Cramer stated: “After a record-breaking shutdown, we can now see the light at the end of the tunnel,” he said. “Advancing this appropriations package gets us one step closer to paying the troops, the border patrol agents and all the other federal workers who were inexcusably used as leverage by Democrats. While Chuck Schumer may have believed it got better and better each day the government was closed, the rest of the country paid the price for his political games.”

A final Senate vote on passing both the CR and appropriations bills is expected later in the week. If approved, they will be sent to the House of Representatives before heading to President Trump for his signature into law.