To stop a government shutdown, Republicans must pass appropriations bills that can be signed into law by the President. Because most spending bills require a 60-vote threshold to advance in the Senate, this currently necessitates bipartisan negotiation and a deal with Democrats.
Republicans have several options to achieve the necessary votes or change the process:
Negotiate a Bipartisan Deal: The most common way to end a shutdown is through compromise. Republicans can negotiate with Democrats to create a funding bill that addresses key Democratic priorities (such as the extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies) in exchange for their votes.
Secure Democratic Support: Republicans can attempt to convince enough moderate Democrats (at least seven in recent scenarios, as Republicans hold 53 seats) to cross the aisle and vote for a "clean" short-term funding bill or other Republican-led proposals, thereby breaking the Democratic filibuster.
Change Senate Rules (The "Nuclear Option"): President Trump has previously urged Republicans to eliminate the legislative filibuster, which would allow spending bills to pass with a simple 50-plus-one majority vote. However, key Republican leaders have consistently rejected this idea, citing the importance of the filibuster as a safeguard for the minority party.
Utilize Existing Senate Rules: Some procedural tactics exist, such as strictly enforcing Senate Rule XIX (the "two-speech rule"), which limits how many times a senator can speak on a single legislative day. This could theoretically allow Republicans to force a vote without eliminating the filibuster, but it requires significant effort and continuous session time.
Ultimately, the most practical and historically common methods involve reaching a legislative compromise that secures sufficient bipartisan support to overcome the 60-vote threshold in the Senate and avoid the political fallout of a prolonged closure.
In 2025, Republicans ended the record-breaking 43-day government shutdown by negotiating a bipartisan deal in the Senate that successfully bypassed a Democratic filibuster.
The shutdown, which began on October 1, 2025, was resolved through the following actions taken by Republican leadership:
1.
Bipartisan Senate Negotiation
To overcome the 60-vote threshold in the Senate, Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) and Senate
Appropriations Chair Susan Collins (R-ME) negotiated a package that secured the support of eight moderate Democrats. The deal, passed on November 10, 2025, included:
A
"Clean" Funding Extension: Temporary funding through the end of
January 2025.
Concessions on Federal Workers: Reversing some mass layoffs/firings of government workers initiated by the White House.
Food Assistance Safeguards: Long-term funding for SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits.
2.
Rejecting the "Nuclear Option"
President Trump repeatedly urged Senate Republicans to use the "nuclear option" to eliminate the filibuster and reopen the government with a simple 51-vote majority. However, Republican leaders, including Senator Thune and House Speaker Mike Johnson, rejected this move to protect the long-term institutional rules of the Senate.
3.
House Passage and Final Signing
Following the Senate's lead, the House passed the bipartisan bill on November 12, 2025. President Trump signed the legislation shortly after, officially ending the shutdown and reopening federal agencies.
Summary of Legislative Strategies
Strategy Action Taken
Negotiation Republicans dropped their refusal to negotiate and accepted terms regarding federal worker protection and SNAP funding.
Rule Enforcing Senate Republicans considered using Rule XIX (the two-speech rule”) to exhaust filibustering Democrats before ultimately reaching a bipartisan deal.
Midterm Pressure Moderate Republicans pressured leadership to settle due to fears of voter backlash in the 2026 midterms over rising healthcare costs.
https://www.google.com/search?q=how+can+the+republicans+stop+the+shutdown
Norb Leahy, Dunwoody GA Tea Party Leader
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