U.S. Government Reopens After Record 43-Day Shutdown

The longest government shutdown in U.S. history ended Wednesday night when President Donald Trump signed a funding bill to reopen federal agencies, ending a 43-day stalemate that disrupted air travel, federal services, and food assistance programs, The Washington Post reports.

The legislation, negotiated over the weekend by Senate Republicans, seven Senate Democrats, and one independent, funds the government through January 30.

It provides backpay for 650,000 furloughed federal workers, prevents more than 4,000 planned layoffs, and ensures Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits continue through September 2026. Federal paychecks are expected to resume Saturday.

The House returned to session for the first time in nearly eight weeks, voting 222-209 to approve the measure. 

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson of Louisiana criticized Democrats for the shutdown, telling reporters, “All this was utterly pointless and foolish. … They got nothing for their selfish political stunt.” 

Most Republicans supported the bill, while a handful of Democrats and two Republicans voted against it.

Speaking from the White House, President Trump blamed Democrats for the shutdown and called its end a Republican victory. “This is no way to run a country. I hope we all can agree that the government should never be shut down again,” he said in a live broadcast.

He also urged voters to consider the shutdown in the 2026 midterm elections and pledged to pursue legislation to end the filibuster, reported The Washington Post. The federal government “will now resume normal operations,” Trump finalized.

The bill includes a controversial provision allowing at least eight Republican senators to sue the government over subpoenas related to the January 6, 2021, investigation. 

Many Democrats remain frustrated that the bill does not extend Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies, with House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York warning that without action, millions of Americans could face sharply higher health care premiums.

Federal agencies affected by the shutdown—including airports, national parks, and offices providing federal benefits—are now reopening, and air travel delays caused by unpaid Transportation Security Administration agents and air traffic controllers are expected to subside.