A vote expected to end the 2025 government shutdown will take place Wednesday, Nov. 12, after a group of eight Senate Democrats broke party ranks to strike a deal with congressional Republicans.
As more Americans feel the effects of halted food assistance programs and thousands of cancelled flights weeks before Thanksgiving, pressure for Congress to end the record-breaking government shutdown has steadily increased.
The funding package, decried by many Democratic caucus members for its failure to extend expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies, would reverse layoffs of federal workers during the shutdown and reopen the government until Jan. 30, 2026.
Here’s what people should know about the vote scheduled to take place on Nov. 12.
Ending the government shutdown: What’s in the deal to end the government shutdown?
When will the government shutdown end? When is the next vote on the government shutdown?
The House of Representatives will vote on Wednesday, Nov. 12, at 4 p.m. ET on a funding package. The measure is expected to pass and head to President Donald Trump’s desk, who has said he will approve it, reopening the government until Jan. 30, 2026.
The expected deal would reverse Trump’s recent layoffs of thousands of federal workers amid the shutdown, but would not extend expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies as Democrats have demanded for weeks. The bill guarantees only a stand-alone vote on health care subsidies in December before credits expire at the end of the year, sending health care premiums skyrocketing.
Live coverage: House gears up for vote to end government shutdown. Live updates
Who are the Senate Democrats who voted with the GOP on the deal to end the government shutdown?
In a move decried by many other Democratic caucus members, eight Democratic senators broke ranks and joined with Republicans to vote for a deal to reopen the government on Nov. 9.
The group consists largely of moderate Democrats, and none of the eight are running for reelection in 2026. They include four former governors and two senators who have announced they’re retirement when their terms end, and an independent who caucuses with Democrats.
They are: Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nevada; Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nevada; Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Illinois; Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pennsylvania; Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-New Hampshire; Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, New Hampshire; Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Virginia and Sen. Angus King, I-Maine.
Senate Majority Leader Thune speaking to the media on Monday, Nov. 10, 2025 about the Senate aiming to vote on ending the shutdown on 40th day in Washington DC.
Will SNAP benefits resume anytime soon?
SNAP, which was called “the nation’s most important and effective anti-hunger program” by the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, helps 12% of U.S. residents afford essential groceries. This number includes 1.4 million North Carolina residents who rely on SNAP.
Amidst the government shutdown, funding for SNAP benefits lapsed for the first time in the program’s 60-year history. The latest update on SNAP came on Nov. 11, when the Supreme Court declined to order the administration to fully fund the food benefits, giving Congress time to settle the matter.
When did the government shutdown start? How long has the government shutdown been?
The 2025 government shutdown began Oct. 1.
What was the longest government shutdown in history?
The current government shutdown became the longest in history at 36 days on Nov. 5. Over the last five decades, there have been 21 other federal shutdowns. Here’s when they happened and how long they lasted:
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1976: Under Gerald Ford. Lasted for 11 days.
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1977: Under Jimmy Carter. Lasted 12 days.
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1977: Under Carter. Lasted eight days.
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1977: Under Carter. Lasted eight days.
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1978: Under Carter. Lasted 17 days.
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1979: Under Carter. Lasted 11 days.
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1981: Under Ronald Reagan. Lasted two days.
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1982: Under Reagan. Lasted one day.
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1982: Under Reagan. Lasted three days.
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1983: Under Reagan. Lasted three days.
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1984: Under Reagan. Lasted two days.
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1984: Under Reagan. Lasted one day.
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1986: Under Reagan. Lasted one day.
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1987: Under Reagan. Lasted one day.
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1990: Under George H.W. Bush. Lasted four days.
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1995: Under Bill Clinton. Lasted five days.
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1996: Under Clinton. Lasted 21 days.
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2013: Under Barack Obama. Lasted 17 days.
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2018: Under Trump. Lasted several hours.
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2019: Under Trump. Lasted 35 days and cost the economy about $3 billion, equal to 0.02% of GDP, according to the Congressional Budget Office.
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2025: Under Trump. Started on Oct. 1, 2025, and is ongoing.
Iris Seaton is the trending news reporter for the Asheville Citizen Times, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach her at iseaton@citizentimes.com.
This article originally appeared on Asheville Citizen Times: When will the 2025 government shutdown end? When does the House vote?
