Maine’s two U.S. senators were closely involved in negotiations over the weekend to end the longest federal government shutdown in history, resulting in the proposal that passed the Senate late Monday night and will likely restore government funding in a few days.

Independent Angus King negotiated with Republicans and a small group of Democrats, and was a key vote in support of a bill advanced by the Senate late Sunday night. And Susan Collins, as chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, helped craft the legislation that includes three year-long appropriations bills as well as funding in other areas of government through January.

“This short-term continuing resolution would reopen government immediately, provide back pay to all federal workers, and fund important federal programs on which many Americans rely,” Collins said in a statement after the legislation passed the Senate on a 60-40 vote Monday night. “As the Chair of the Appropriations Committee, I am delighted with today’s accomplishment, and I hope the House of Representatives will pass this legislation quickly so we can put an end to this unnecessary government shutdown.”

The bill passed despite bitter opposition from many Democrats who believe they should continue to hold out for guaranteed action on expiring health care subsidies, but others from both parties are praising the proposal for providing a path to end the shutdown soon.

Part of the legislation calls for a separate Senate vote to be held by mid-December on extending Affordable Care Act subsidies that are set to expire Jan. 1.

King says shutdown wasn’t helping Democrats

King joined seven Democrats in voting with Republicans on Sunday in support of the compromise legislation, which he also helped negotiate.

In an interview with the Press Herald, he said the proposal came forward after a group of senators decided that Democrats’ strategy of holding out for Republicans to extend the health care subsidies wasn’t working.

“We’re now into the longest shutdown in American history,” King said on Monday, the shutdown’s 41st day. “And the question is, is it accomplishing anything? And the answer is no.”

King said the group involved in the negotiations, which included New Hampshire senators Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan, went to Republicans and said something needed to be done about the health care costs, but that the shutdown could not continue due to the impacts it was having on food assistance and other programs.

“There was a lot of discussion and what we ended up with was this,” King said of the proposal.

While most Democrats voted against the proposal, King said their strategy isn’t working, even while acknowledging that he too supports extending the health care subsidies. He said the plan is the best option for getting action on the health care subsidies via a separate bill.

“Will the (health care) bill pass? … There’s no guarantee,” he said. “Let’s say it has a 50% or 25% chance. As of yesterday, when the shutdown was still in full swing, the chances of having that happen were zero. So it’s a question of, what do you take? A 50% chance of getting something good, or a zero percent chance?”

Proposal to reopen government, provide back pay

The legislation that passed Monday night would reopen government as soon as it is ratified by the House, extend funding through Jan. 30, and provide back pay to all federal workers. It also includes three full-year appropriations bills covering agriculture, military construction and legislative agencies.

That funding would cover the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, which provides food benefits to low-income families and which was cut back during the shutdown.

The appropriations bills also include Maine-specific funding, such as for military construction projects at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard and the Maine Air National Guard base in Bangor, and for several fire station projects in rural Maine, Collins said in an interview Monday.

She said the proposal advanced Sunday was the first to include the three appropriations bills, which she believes made a difference in support. In addition, Collins said the worsening impacts of the shutdown have led to increasing pressure for a solution in recent days.

“The longer the shutdown has gone on, the more harmful and evident the consequences have become,” she said, citing cuts to SNAP and heating assistance, and travel delays at airports.

Plan sets up separate vote on health care subsidies

If the proposal goes through, it would set up a separate Senate vote by mid-December on extending health care subsidies, though it’s unclear what the outcome of that might be. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., has said he will not commit to bringing it up in his chamber.

Without an extension, premiums for ACA plans are set to skyrocket in Maine and across the country next year. About 65,000 Maine residents are on health insurance plans purchased through the ACA marketplace, and without an extension of the subsidies, the average premium would increase 77%, according to the Maine Office of the Health Insurance Marketplace.

Collins said she supports an extension of the tax credits but that reforms to the program must also be looked at, such as whether to impose an income cap on eligibility.

Republicans, led by Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, are currently looking at possible changes to improve the Affordable Care Act, Collins said.

“My hope is that recognizing the importance of ensuring that families in Maine and across America can afford their health insurance, that Democrats and Republicans will come together and negotiate a bill,” she said.

If nothing else, senators likely will have to vote up or down on tax credits ahead of the midterm elections.

Collins challengers oppose new proposal

Several Democrats, including those looking to challenge Collins for her seat in 2026, spoke out against the compromise and urged Democrats to keep fighting for guaranteed action on the subsidies rather than the mid-December vote.

Rep. Chellie Pingree, D-1st District, was among the House Democrats who criticized the Senate plan Monday, and said she will vote against it. Rep. Jared Golden, D-2nd District, meanwhile, has repeatedly called for an end to the shutdown, and a spokesperson said Monday that his “position on using a government shutdown as a legislative strategy has been clear and has not changed.”

Gov. Janet Mills, Graham Platner and Jordan Wood, who are all vying for the Democratic Senate nomination in 2026, issued statements opposing the plan on the social media site X.

“Tens of thousands of Maine people are facing skyrocketing health care costs because of Donald Trump and Susan Collins,” Mills said. “Maine people deserve affordable health care — not just the promise of a vote that won’t go anywhere. Fight back.”

“Senate Democrats need to hold the line,” Platner said. “No health care, no deal. Mainers want a Democratic Party that fights for them, not one that rolls over.”

“America needs an opposition party willing to fight for them,” Wood said. “This ‘deal’ isn’t that. Sad night for the Democratic Party and our country.”

This story contains reporting from The Associated Press.