U.S. Government Nears Reopening After Prolonged Shutdown

According to Cointelegraph, the United States government is on the brink of reopening after enduring a shutdown that lasted over 40 days. This development comes as several Democratic senators joined Republicans to pass a crucial funding bill. On Monday, the U.S. Senate conducted a late-night vote on a bill aimed at continuing appropriations and extensions for the fiscal year 2026. The bill successfully passed with a 60 to 40 vote in the chamber. If it clears the House of Representatives and receives the signature of U.S. President Donald Trump, it will ensure government funding through January 31, 2026. Due to Tuesday being a federal holiday, the House is not anticipated to reconvene for a vote on the bill until Wednesday at the earliest. Meanwhile, prediction platform Polymarket has adjusted its forecast, suggesting that the U.S. government could resume normal operations by Friday, contingent upon the House bill's passage. The shutdown, which marks the longest in the nation's history, has led to many federal agencies furloughing staff and scaling back operations due to the funding shortfall. Even if the bill is promptly enacted, it may take time for employees to return to work. For instance, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has outlined a plan allowing staff to resume duties on the next regularly scheduled workday following the enactment of appropriations legislation. In parallel with the government shutdown, negotiations on digital asset market structure have been progressing. On Monday, the Senate Agriculture Committee leadership unveiled a discussion draft of a comprehensive bill addressing crypto market structure. This draft emerged after weeks of reported negotiations between Democratic and Republican lawmakers, approximately four months after the House passed its version of the legislation. The shutdown has likely contributed to delays in advancing the bill, which Republican leaders initially anticipated would be out of the Agriculture Committee and Banking Committee by the end of October and signed into law by 2026. Despite the challenges, Republicans still see a path forward for enacting the legislation. However, North Carolina Senator Thom Tillis cautioned that extending the passage beyond January or February could expose the bill to vulnerabilities amid the 2026 midterm campaigns.