NBC News Politics Desk: Government Shutdown Fallout & Supreme Court Developments
TL/DR –
The longest government shutdown in U.S. history may finally be ending with an agreement involving eight Senate Democrats and Republicans voting to advance a measure to reopen the government. The agreement includes three full-year appropriations bills and a continuing resolution to fund the remainder of government at existing spending levels up to January 30, 2026, but excludes an extension of expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies. The Supreme Court rejected an attempt to overturn the 2015 ruling that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide, while also agreeing to consider whether federal law bars states from counting mail-in ballots received after Election Day.
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Politics Desk Newsletter by NBC News, your source for the latest political news and insights from the White House, Capitol Hill, and the campaign trail.
Today, we dive into the political ripple effects of the government shutdown resolution and highlight three notable updates from the Supreme Court by Lawrence Hurley.
— Adam Wollner
Government Shutdown Enters Resolution Phase, Sparks Democratic Rift
After a record-long US government shutdown, a resolution is on the horizon, but Democratic discord is escalating. A bipartisan Senate group approved a reopening measure, pending final Senate and House votes and President Trump’s signature. The deal includes full-year appropriations bills for certain departments and continued funding for the rest of the government until January 2026. While the deal reinstates the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and blocks Trump’s planned federal worker layoffs, it omits an extension of expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies, drawing Democratic criticism. For more details, check out this article.
The bipartisan group includes eight Senate Democrats, all part of the party’s moderate wing and not up for re-election in midterm 2026. The agreement has sparked backlash from progressives and other Democratic lawmakers who claim it undermines the party’s momentum. You can read more about the Democratic response here.
A final Senate vote is expected tonight to reopen the government. In light of ongoing flight delays, House Republicans are urged to return to Washington. Speaker Mike Johnson also plans to swear in newly elected Rep. Adelita Grijalva.
When asked about the deal, Trump said he supports it as no major changes have been made, and there’s sufficient Democratic backing.
Supreme Court News: Same-Sex Marriage Ruling Stays, Mail-In Ballot Case Taken
Lawrence Hurley provides a roundup of the Supreme Court’s latest actions. The Court turned down an appeal to overturn the landmark 2015 same-sex marriage ruling. The justices also agreed to consider whether federal law prevents states from counting mail-in ballots received after Election Day. Additionally, the court seems unlikely to permit a devout Rastafarian to claim damages against Louisiana prison officials who cut his dreadlocks violating his religious rights. You can read more about these cases here.
🗞️ Other Top Stories Today
- Trump has pardoned Rudy Giuliani and others implicated in the effort to overturn the 2020 election. Read more →
- Ghislaine Maxwell is seeking a sentence commutation from Trump. Read more →
- Trump threatens $1 billion lawsuit against BBC for allegedly editing his speech. Read more →
- U.S. forces strike two more alleged drug boats in the eastern Pacific killing six. Read more →
- Trump toys with the idea of directly paying Americans for their healthcare costs. Read more →
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