By Ray Birch
WASHINGTON—While Sunday night’s Senate vote marked a major step toward ending the federal government shutdown, the process of fully reopening agencies could take several more days—and potentially stretch into the weekend—according to Defense Credit Union Council Chief Advocacy Officer Jason Stverak.
As CUToday.info reported Sunday, the Senate reached a bipartisan deal to end the shutdown and reverse the mass federal layoffs that have disrupted key agencies, including the Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) Fund, since Oct. 1. The Continuing Appropriations Act would fund federal operations through Jan. 30, 2026, restore pay and benefits to affected employees, and permanently reinstate workers terminated under October’s reductions-in-force.
Stverak said the Senate’s cloture vote “is a ray of sunshine for thousands of furloughed federal employees and for active-duty service members and their families.” But he cautioned that procedural rules mean reopening will not happen overnight.
“The Senate could not move directly to a final vote because not all 100 senators agreed to waive time requirements,” Stverak explained. “Under Senate rules, there’s at least a 30-hour delay before the next vote, plus an intervening day, so depending on whether additional debate time is waived, we could see final passage as early as Thursday night—or as late as Saturday morning.”
Once approved, the measure will head to the House, which is operating under a 36-hour return notice for members.
“The House can move things faster,” Stverak said, “but even there you’ve got Rules Committee consideration, floor debate, and a vote. That means the earliest possible final passage and delivery to the president’s desk would likely be Sunday or Monday.”
The timing is critical, he noted, because another federal payroll is scheduled for Nov. 14, and Treasury officials have warned that no additional unobligated funds remain to cover military pay absent new appropriations.
Beyond reopening the government, the package also includes three full-year spending bills—for military construction and Veterans’ Affairs, the legislative branch, and Agriculture. The agriculture measure ensures funding for SNAP, WIC, and other nutrition programs through next January, taking those programs off the table in any future shutdown fight.
ACU Weighs In
“Through the annual appropriations process, we haven’t seen anything other than large omnibus bills for years—so, it’s a very positive development to have a three-bill minibus package moving forward,” stated America’s Credit Unios SVP of Advocacy Greg Mesack. “This package includes funding for Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, Agriculture and FDA, and the Legislative Branch, paired with a continuing resolution that would extend government funding through January.”
Mesack pointed out President Trump has signaled that he supports the bill.
“Which could help bring additional Republican votes along,” he said. “Overall, the outlook is promising. The key point is that there’s finally a deal in motion, with a viable path to ending the government shutdown by the end of the week.
Impact On CUs
For credit unions, the reversal of the layoffs at the CDFI Fund is a significant win, Stverak said.
“We’re hopeful that includes the entire CDFI department at Treasury so those individuals can come back and continue supporting CDFI institutions across the country,” he said.
While the legislative wheels continue to turn, Stverak emphasized that credit unions are still carrying much of the burden for affected members.
“Take Keesler Federal Credit Union at Keesler Air Force Base—they’ve literally been replacing paychecks for members. It’s not a loan; it’s a commitment to those people,” he said. “But there’s still a lot of red tape to work through once those federal funds begin flowing again.”
If all goes smoothly, the Continuing Appropriations Act could reach the president’s desk within the next week—officially ending the shutdown and allowing furloughed employees, service members, and contractors to begin receiving back pay, concluded Stverak.