U.S. President Donald Trump has signed a federal spending bill that officially ends the longest government shutdown in the nation’s history.
The measure, passed by the House of Representatives in a 222–209 vote just two days after narrowly clearing the Senate, restores funding to several key federal agencies following 43 days of closure.
Speaking after signing the legislation late Wednesday, President Trump described the agreement as a political victory, accusing Democrats of unnecessarily prolonging the standoff.
“They didn’t want to do it the easy way. They had to do it the hard way, and they look very bad,” he said.
The new law funds government operations only until January 30, creating yet another deadline for lawmakers to agree on a long-term spending plan. As part of the deal, Senate leaders pledged to hold an early December vote on Obamacare subsidies, one of the Democrats’ key demands during the budget impasse.
Beyond reopening shuttered federal offices, the bill provides full-year funding for the Department of Agriculture, military construction projects, and several legislative branch agencies. It also guarantees retroactive pay for federal employees affected by the shutdown and allocates additional funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which provides food assistance to roughly one in eight Americans.
The shutdown, which began in October, halted numerous government services and left an estimated 1.4 million federal workers furloughed or working without pay. The disruption caused uncertainty for food aid programs and widespread delays in domestic air travel.
With the government now reopened, attention in Washington turns to whether Congress and the White House can strike another agreement before the current funding expires at the end of the month.
