When Will Congress Vote Again to Reopen the Government?

The federal government is currently shut down because Congress has not passed the necessary spending bill to fund government operations. The last major funding measure lapsed at the beginning of the fiscal year and — as reported — the shutdown is one of the longest in U.S. history. northjersey.com

What’s happened so far

• The United States House of Representatives passed a funding bill that would keep the government open through November 21. Wikipedia+2Providence Journal
• The United States Senate has held votes on that House‑backed bill but has not been able to secure the 60 votes needed to advance it due to the filibuster threshold. Wikipedia
• The Senate “will return” at 10 a.m. on Oct. 29 but there’s uncertainty whether the next vote will happen immediately. Providence Journal

When is the next vote likely?

At this point, there’s no firm scheduled date for the next vote to reopen the government. A few key things to watch:

• The Senate has adjourned over weekends and breaks, which delays when a vote can take place. CBS News
• Even when the Senate is back, leadership must agree to bring the funding measure to the floor — the procedural vote to “invoke cloture” (end debate) requires 60 votes under current rules unless changes are made.
• Discussions are ongoing about potential “continuing resolutions” (short‑term funding bills) or alternative strategies that may alter the timing of the next vote. Providence Journal

What could shift the timetable

• If leadership in either chamber pushes for a “clean” stop‑gap (one without policy riders) the vote might come more quickly. For example, more than 300 stakeholders have urged passage of a clean continuing resolution to reopen government immediately. House Appropriations GOP
• If one party abandons the filibuster or agrees to remove the 60‑vote threshold (sometimes called the “nuclear option”), the dynamics change and a vote could happen faster.
• If either chamber returns from recess early or the House is called back to session specifically for this purpose, a vote could be scheduled soon.
• If there’s a deal behind the scenes (Republicans and Democrats coming together) then the next vote might be announced relatively quickly after such an agreement.

Bottom line

In simple terms: Sooner than later? Maybe. But there is no guarantee of when the next vote will take place. If the Senate returns on Monday (Nov. 3) as planned, that could be the earliest opportunity for a full floor vote. However — given procedural hurdles and the need for consensus — it might be later than some hope.

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