WASHINGTON — The Senate moved Sunday night to advance a compromise package that would end the 40-day government shutdown after a cluster of moderate Democrats agreed to proceed without a guaranteed extension of health care subsidies, a decision that has provoked anger across their party and reshaped the closing hours of the impasse.

Senators voted on whether to move forward with the legislation, which combines spending measures to reopen federal operations with a set of policy riders. The package preserves a ban on pay raises for lawmakers while allocating an additional $203.5 million to congressional security in response to heightened threats to members and staff. It also contains a provision championed by Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell to prevent the sale of certain hemp-based products.

The strategy by the moderates effectively prioritized an immediate end to the shutdown over securing a firm commitment on an extension of subsidies tied to health insurance markets—an issue that had become a focal point of Democratic demands. That trade-off exposed a stark intraparty divide: some Democratic lawmakers and allied groups had favored prolonging the standoff to extract stronger assurances for low- and middle-income consumers dependent on the subsidies, while the moderates argued an immediate reopening of government was the more pressing priority.

The procedural vote signaled that a narrow coalition, including Republicans and a contingent of Democrats, was willing to accept a compromise that blends short-term fiscal relief with policy changes that have little to do with the shutdown’s original triggers. Lawmakers framed parts of the package as necessary fixes to security and regulatory gaps, but the inclusion of unrelated provisions—such as the hemp sales restriction—underscores how must-pass spendng measures are being used to advance discrete policy goals.

Institutionally, the maneuver illuminates the leverage that a small group of senators can exert in a closely divided chamber. By moving to advance the bill absent the subsidy guarantee, moderates reshaped the bargaining landscape and curtailed the leverage of those within the party seeking more expansive concessions. The choice also raises questions about democratic accountability and messaging ahead of future votes: agreeing to lift the shutdown without securing popular program protections could complicate outreach to constituencies affected by both the shutdown itself and the unresolved subsidy dispute.

If the Senate clears the procedural hurdle and the full measure is approved, the package will still require House action and the president’s signature to take effect. For federal employees, contractors and citizens reliant on government services, the immediate consequence would be a return to funded operations; for lawmakers, the episode highlights the political costs and institutional trade-offs of ending a prolonged shutdown through narrowly negotiated compromise.

As the Senate’s action late Sunday indicated, the end of the shutdown may come through a fragile cross-party accord that resolves one crisis while leaving another politically charged policy fight unresolved.