Daijiworld Media Network - Washington

Washington, Nov 10: The record-breaking 40-day US government shutdown appears to be nearing an end after moderate Senate Democrats agreed to back a deal to reopen the government and fund key departments, according to sources familiar with the talks.

Under the proposed agreement, Congress would approve year-long funding for the Departments of Agriculture, Veterans Affairs, and Congress itself, while keeping other agencies funded only until January 30. The bill would also release withheld federal payments, recall furloughed employees, and ensure back pay for government workers.

A procedural test vote is expected in the Senate on Sunday. If successful, lawmakers could swiftly move to end the shutdown — the longest in US history, surpassing the 35-day closure under Donald Trump’s first administration.

“It looks like we’re getting closer to the shutdown ending,” President Trump told reporters at the White House.

However, House passage remains uncertain. Democratic leaders, led by Hakeem Jeffries, have vowed to oppose any bill that fails to extend expiring Obamacare subsidies — a key demand rejected by Republicans. The compromise offers only a future Senate vote on the matter.

The political standoff, which began on September 19, has cost the US economy an estimated $15 billion a week, with the Congressional Budget Office warning of a 1.5-point hit to quarterly GDP growth. The shutdown has also suspended major federal data releases, leaving the Federal Reserve “flying blind” as it grapples with inflation and job market concerns.

As both parties scramble for a resolution, the standoff’s impact has rippled across the nation, grounding flights, halting payments, and testing Washington’s ability to govern amid deepening divisions.