Trump Signs Bill to End Longest Shutdown in U.S. History
U.S. President Donald Trump has signed a federal spending bill, officially ending the longest government shutdown in the country’s history after 43 days of closure.
The bill, which passed the House of Representatives in a 222–209 vote just two days after narrow Senate approval, restores funding to several key federal agencies that had been forced to suspend operations.
Speaking after signing the measure late Wednesday, Trump cast the deal as a political victory, blaming Democrats for dragging out the crisis.
“They didn’t want to do it the easy way. They had to do it the hard way and they look very bad,” the president said.
The legislation provides temporary funding for government operations through January 30, giving lawmakers only a few weeks to reach a longer-term spending agreement.
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As part of the compromise, Senate leaders agreed to hold an early December vote on Obamacare subsidies — one of the key demands made by Democrats during the standoff.
Beyond reopening shuttered agencies, the new funding bill provides full-year allocations for the Department of Agriculture, military construction projects, and several legislative offices. It also ensures retroactive pay for all federal workers affected by the shutdown and maintains funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which supports about one in eight Americans.
The 43-day shutdown, which began in October, had far-reaching effects leaving 1.4 million federal employees either furloughed or working without pay, disrupting air travel, and halting food aid programs.
With the government now reopened, focus in Washington has turned to whether Congress and the White House can avoid another standoff before the current funding runs out at the end of the month.
