Trump Signs Bill to End Longest U.S. Government Shutdown in History
In a move to halt a historic political stalemate, President Donald Trump signed a government funding bill on Wednesday, officially ending the longest federal government shutdown in U.S. history. The 43-day shutdown caused widespread disruption, leaving hundreds of thousands of federal employees without pay and hampering vital government services.
The path to reopening the government was sealed when the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives passed the legislation with a 222-209 vote, largely along party lines. This followed the bill’s passage in the Senate earlier in the week, where it cleared a 60-40 threshold with support from a handful of Democratic senators.
The Deal That Reopened the Government
The newly signed funding legislation funds the government through January 30 of the following year, providing a temporary respite from the political gridlock. The bill includes full-year appropriations for several key departments, including Agriculture, Veterans Affairs, and military construction.
During a signing ceremony in the Oval Office, President Trump stated the protracted shutdown should “never happen again” and emphasized that “this is no way to run a country.”
Key Provisions and a Major Omission
A critical component of the bill is the guarantee of retroactive pay for the roughly 800,000 federal workers who were either furloughed or forced to work without compensation during the shutdown. It also prevents further layoffs of federal contract workers until the January deadline.
However, the agreement notably sidestepped one of the most contentious issues: the extension of expiring health insurance subsidies tied to the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Democratic leaders had pushed for the inclusion of these subsidies, but Republican insistence on a separate vote left them out of the final bill. Republican leaders have promised a standalone vote on the subsidies in December, but Democrats remain skeptical, warning that failure to resolve the issue could trigger another shutdown in the new year.
Political Fallout and Lingering Tensions
The end of the shutdown brought a mix of relief and renewed political friction. House Speaker Mike Johnson expressed he was “very relieved” the stalemate was over, while accusing Democrats of using the shutdown for political leverage.
While President Trump and Republican leaders framed the reopening as a victory, Democratic leaders signaled that the battle is far from over. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries reiterated that “the fight is not over,” highlighting the unresolved healthcare issue as a primary concern.
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The Road Ahead: Reopening and the Next Deadline
With the bill signed, federal agencies have begun the complex process of resuming full operations. However, the effects of the 43-day disruption are expected to linger for weeks or even months, causing delays in economic data releases, creating backlogs in everything from permit approvals to tax refunds, and causing uncertainty for welfare programs like SNAP (food stamps).
Crucially, the funding extension is only temporary. The bill merely kicks the can down the road, setting up a new potential cliff-edge for another government shutdown when the funding expires in late January, ensuring that budget negotiations will remain at the forefront of the political agenda.
