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Government shutdown updates: Senate vote marks step towards ending federal shutdown

The bill advanced by a vote of 60-40.

Last Updated: November 9, 2025, 11:48 PM EST

President Donald Trump on Sunday offered a bit more insight into his proposal that Obamacare subsidies should go directly to Americans' Health Savings Accounts to pay for health care rather than sending funds to insurance companies through the Affordable Care Act.

Meanwhile, the Senate voted Sunday night on a test vote that would fund the government through Jan. 31 and end the 40-day government shutdown, the longest in U.S. history. Enough Democrats voted to pass the bill.

And the Department of Agriculture in a late Saturday night memo ordered states to reverse any steps they've taken to issue SNAP benefits and threatened to impose financial penalties on states that do not “comply” quickly.

Nov 05, 2025, 9:03 AM EST

Trump calls Democrats 'kamikaze pilots' as he pushes GOP to end filibuster

President Donald Trump summoned Senate Republicans for breakfast at the White House on Wednesday morning after reiterating his call for them to eliminate the Senate filibuster to end the shutdown.

"We are in the midst of a disastrous Democrat-created government shutdown. And it is Democrat-created but I don't think they're getting, really, the blame that they should," Trump said. "It's now officially the longest shutdown in American history."

President Donald Trump speaks during a breakfast meeting with Senate Republicans in the State Dining Room of the White House, November 5, 2025, in Washington.
Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images

Trump said he didn't believe the stalemate would end soon as he continued to bash Democrats.

"I think they're kamikaze pilots. just got back from Japan, I talked about the kamikaze pilots. I think these guys are kamikazes, they'll take down the country if they have to. I don't think so," he said.

President Donald Trump speaks during a breakfast meeting with Senate Republicans in the State Dining Room of the White House, November 5, 2025, in Washington.
Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images

Nov 05, 2025, 8:24 AM EST

Trump has overseen the 2 longest shutdowns in history

The government shutdown has now lasted 36 days and counting, making it the longest shutdown in history.

President Donald Trump has been in the White House during the two longest shutdowns in history. The previous 35-day record was set during his first term, with Democrats refusing to fund his southern border wall. That impasse ended with Trump and Republicans compromising to reopen the government.

Five longest U.S. government shutdowns since 1977
ABC News

Nov 04, 2025, 6:38 PM EST

Democratic leadership changes tone on funding as bipartisan talks pick up

Democrats huddled behind closed doors for nearly three hours Tuesday at an all-caucus lunch. They were tight lipped departing the meeting and reluctant to describe the nature of the ongoing discussion.

But there was a notable change in tone from Democratic leadership.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer has defended the Democrats' position to vote against funding the government until Republicans engage in a negotiation over health care that the GOP have repeatedly said they wouldn't partake in unless the lights were turned back on.

But following the lengthy caucus meeting when Schumer was asked about where Democrats stand on a possible deal, he gave a different sort of answer.

"We are exploring all the options," he said.

Though Schumer once again asserted the dire situation Americans are facing with ballooning health care costs, his comment is indicative of what is an increasing sense among senators on Capitol Hill that momentum is picking up on bipartisan talks between rank-and-file members on a path out of the shutdown.

Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., has been involved in the discussions. Leaving the lunch today, said negotiations were "ongoing" and that there was a "variety" of options being discussed.

-ABC News' Allison Pecorin

Nov 04, 2025, 5:48 PM EST

Senate Republicans invited to White House for breakfast Wednesday

All Senate Republicans have been invited to the White House for a breakfast on Wednesday morning, a White House official and two Congressional aides confirmed to ABC News.

The breakfast will come on the morning that the government shutdown, which will have stretched to 35 days, reaches the record for longest shutdown in U.S. history, topping the record set during President Donald Trump's first administration.

The breakfast is set for 8 a.m. News of the meeting was first reported by Punchbowl News.

Senate Republicans last lunched with Trump at the White House two weeks ago, on Oct. 21. They returned to the Capitol with swag bags.

-ABC News' Rachel Scott and Allison Pecorin

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