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illuminem summarises for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on The Wall Street Journal or enjoy below:
🗞️ Driving the news: The longest government shutdown in U.S. history ended not through top-level negotiations, but through a secret bipartisan meeting between centrist Democrats and Senate Republicans
• Late one evening, a small group of moderate lawmakers — seven Democrats and one independent — quietly met with Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R–South Dakota) to hammer out the framework that ultimately reopened the government after 43 days of deadlock
🔭 The context: The shutdown stemmed from a standoff over expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies, with both parties unwilling to compromise publicly
• Behind closed doors, however, moderate Democrats — alarmed by mounting federal layoffs, delayed food aid, and public frustration — initiated private talks with Thune’s team
• Their proposal to fund key agencies through January 2026 while postponing the ACA fight broke the impasse, sidelining party leaders Donald Trump and Chuck Schumer, whose negotiations had stalled.
🌍 Why it matters for the planet: While the deal focused on domestic policy, its resolution restored the functioning of critical federal departments — including those overseeing environmental protection, disaster response, and renewable energy funding
• Shutdowns paralyze agencies like the EPA and NOAA, delaying climate monitoring, permitting for clean energy projects, and natural disaster mitigation
• The breakthrough ensures continuity in federal climate and sustainability programs as global leaders meet at COP30
⏭️ What's next: The agreement promises a Senate vote in December on ACA subsidies, but divisions remain deep
• The bipartisan bloc that brokered the deal is now being viewed as a potential centrist coalition for future legislative compromises
• Congress faces additional deadlines on the farm bill, energy tax credits, and the Epstein files disclosure, testing whether this spirit of quiet cooperation can endure
💬 One quote: “We were exhausted by gridlock. Someone had to act like adults in the room — so we did.” — Unnamed Democratic senator involved in the negotiations
📈 One stat: The shutdown lasted 43 days, surpassing the 2019 record and leaving hundreds of thousands of federal workers unpaid before the bipartisan deal was reached
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