Copyright internewscast
Following a prolonged 40-day government shutdown, the Senate has now secured sufficient Democratic support to resume government operations, concluding a rare Saturday session that yielded minimal progress amid escalating pressures. Efforts to end the shutdown were spearheaded by a coalition of centrist Democrats, including Sens. Angus King of Maine—an independent who aligns with Democrats—and Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire. These senators brokered a Sunday night agreement with Republicans on the Senate Appropriations Committee, led by Sen. Susan Collins from Maine. Senator King remarked that it became evident Republicans were unwilling to consent to a deal to reopen the government while also extending the enhanced health insurance subsidies under the Affordable Care Act, which are slated to lapse in January. The impact of the shutdown has intensified recently. On Sunday, the Trump administration directed states to reverse efforts to allocate Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits to over 40 million Americans, as the shutdown persisted. Additionally, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) mandated a reduction in air traffic at numerous major airports, leading to the cancellation of over 1,000 flights on Saturday for the second day in a row. Meanwhile, President Trump attended a Sunday night NFL game between the Washington Commanders and Detroit Lions, as reported by the press pool. Follow along below for live updates.
