US President Donald Trump has signed a federal spending bill, officially ending the longest government shutdown in American history—less than two hours after it was passed by the House of Representatives.
“With my signature, the federal government will now resume normal operations,” Trump announced late Wednesday, pledging that his administration would continue working with Congress to “lower the cost of living, restore public safety, grow our economy, and make America affordable again.”
The shutdown, which began on October 1, had paralyzed nearly all non-essential government services for more than six weeks. Federal employees are expected to return to work as early as Thursday, though it remains uncertain how long it will take for full operations to resume.
The reopening comes as a relief for industries hit hardest by the closure, particularly air travel, which faced mounting strain ahead of the Thanksgiving rush. It also raises hopes that food assistance programs for millions of American families will be restored before Christmas—potentially boosting consumer spending during the holiday season.
During a late-night signing ceremony, Trump sharply criticized Democrats for extending the crisis, declaring, “This is no way to run a country. We can never let this happen again.”
Earlier in the evening, the Republican-majority House approved the funding bill by a vote of 222 to 209, with six Democrats voting in favor and two Republicans opposing it. The Senate had passed the measure on Monday by a 60–40 vote, securing government funding through January 30 and ensuring back pay for hundreds of thousands of furloughed workers.
The breakthrough followed tense weekend negotiations in which seven Democrats and one independent agreed to back an updated package to end the 43-day impasse. However, the deal left unresolved one of the most contentious issues: federal health insurance subsidies for 24 million Americans under the Affordable Care Act. The Trump administration has maintained that it will allow those subsidies to expire at year’s end.
Democrats had previously blocked multiple attempts to pass the bill, arguing that doing so would remove pressure on the government to tackle rising healthcare costs for low-income citizens.
Ahead of Wednesday’s vote, Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson accused Democrats of holding the nation “hostage for political gain.”
“Since September, Senate Democrats have voted 14 times to close the government. Republicans have voted 15 times to open it,” Johnson said.
As part of the compromise, Senate Republicans agreed to schedule a vote on the healthcare subsidies by December. Johnson, however, has not made the same commitment in the House, raising concerns of another potential shutdown early next year.
