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The United States has moved to end the longest government shutdown in its history after Congress approved a new funding bill that President Donald Trump said he would swiftly sign, BBC reported. The 43-day shutdown, which began on 1 October, left more than a million federal workers without pay, disrupted food aid for millions of low-income Americans and caused widespread flight delays across the country.
The House of Representatives, controlled by Republicans, passed the funding bill on Wednesday with a 222-209 vote, two days after it cleared the Senate by 60-40.
Trump said on Tuesday that he would swiftly sign the bill, declaring, “We’re opening up our country.” BBC reported that it may still take a few days for the government to fully reopen, especially with the busy Thanksgiving travel period approaching.
The 328-page legislation extends funding for most federal agencies until 30 January and provides money for food aid, agriculture, Congress and veterans’ affairs through September next year. It guarantees back pay for all federal workers and reverses thousands of layoffs caused by the shutdown.
However, it does not include Democrats’ main demand: an extension of health insurance subsidies that help about 24 million Americans, BBC reported. Lawmakers have agreed to hold a separate vote on that issue in December.
Also Read: Trump signs bill to end longest-ever US shutdown after 43 days: Issues at stake, next steps
The shutdown began after Congress failed to pass a new spending plan before the start of the fiscal year. While the House approved temporary funding, the Senate blocked it over disagreements about healthcare.
According to BBC, Republicans hold majorities in both chambers but did not have the 60 votes needed to overcome a Senate filibuster, giving Democrats leverage to demand the inclusion of expiring tax credits under the Affordable Care Act.
As talks broke down, about 1.4 million federal workers were either furloughed or forced to work without pay. Airports across the country reported delays as unpaid air-traffic controllers called in sick, and airlines were told to cut operations at 40 airports.
More than 42 million Americans relying on SNAP food-aid benefits also faced partial payments after the Supreme Court allowed the Trump administration to withhold some funding during the shutdown.
BBC reported that while essential services like law enforcement, Social Security and Medicare continued, the economic impact was significant. Analysts estimated that the shutdown reduced US economic growth by about 0.1 to 0.2 percentage points each week, roughly $15 billion weekly. Federal contractors, unlike government employees, will not receive back pay, leaving many small businesses struggling to recover.
The new spending bill includes several other measures, such as banning unauthorised increases in Pentagon spending and allocating $88 million to improve security for Congress and federal courts. It also protects senators’ phone records from being searched without notice and restricts the sale of intoxicating hemp-based products such as Delta-8, while allowing non-intoxicating CBD products to remain legal.
Although the shutdown is officially over, several issues remain unresolved. The delayed healthcare subsidies could lead to another political battle in December, and flight disruptions may continue as agencies work to restore normal operations.
