Government Shutdown Ends

After 43 days, the federal government will reopen. Congress has passed, and President Trump has signed, a Continuing Resolution (CR) that will fund the federal government through January 30, ending the longest government shutdown in U.S. history.

As part of a deal to win the one (1) Independent (who caucuses with the Democrats) and seven (7) Democratic votes needed to pass the CR in the Senate, Senate Republicans have offered:

• A CR to fund the government through Jan. 30
• A promise of a Senate vote before Dec. 31 on an extension of Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies
• A “minibus” that would fund three Fiscal Year 2026 appropriations bills: the Legislative Branch, Agriculture and Military Construction/Veterans Affairs.
• A reversal of President Trump’s layoffs of federal employees since Oct. 1, back pay for federal workers, and it bars future reduction in forces (RIFs) for the duration of the CR (Jan. 30).

Additionally, the CR will extend Medicare telehealth flexibilities through Jan. 30 and retroactively extends telehealth flexibilities for claims filed dating back to Oct. 1. Some other key health extensions are also in the CR, including authorization for Community Health Centers, National Health Service Corps, and more.

Notably, this CR deal would only guarantee a Senate vote on ACA subsidies. The House has made no commitment to holding a vote on the issue. This remains a highly controversial point, with many Congressional Democrats expressing concern over the lack of a guaranteed extension of ACA subsidies.

ACA will continue to monitor the rapidly developing political landscaping and will update members on major developments. If you would like to get more involved in ACA’s advocacy efforts or have questions, please contact us at advocacy@counseling.org