President Donald Trump signed legislation to end the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, which lasted over 40 days. The bill provides temporary funding for the federal government through January 30, 2024, and includes provisions to reverse layoffs, support federal workers, and maintain critical programs like the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which helps over 42 million Americans with food assistance.
The shutdown, which began on October 1, led to a variety of disruptions, including missed paychecks for federal workers and flight delays due to staffing shortages. The legislation marks a significant moment in the ongoing negotiations between Republicans and Democrats over spending and policy issues.
The deal came after a prolonged political stalemate between Senate Republicans and Democrats over the terms of a stopgap spending bill that would have funded the government through November 21. The bill was passed by the Senate with a 60–40 vote margin, with eight Democrats joining their Republican counterparts. The House subsequently passed its version of the measure.
While the legislation ends the immediate crisis, it does not address the broader policy disagreements between the two parties. These disagreements centered on healthcare provisions, with Trump and Republicans claiming that Democrats wanted to provide illegal immigrants healthcare, while Democrats pushed back on this characterization and said they wanted to permanently extend certain Affordable Care Act subsidies.
The stopgap spending bill that Trump signed does not extend these subsidies by the end of the year, but Senate Majority Leader John Thune agreed to a vote in December on legislation that would continue these credits. However, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson has not agreed to support this arrangement in the House.
The resolution of the shutdown has significant financial implications, as the government was forced to operate on a limited budget for over a month, affecting various services and programs. The bill also highlights the political tensions within the Republican Party as well as the broader debate over healthcare policy in the U.S.