WASHINGTON, Nov 12 — President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed a bill to end the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. The move came just hours after the House of Representatives approved legislation to restart food assistance programs, pay hundreds of thousands of federal workers, and get the nation’s air-traffic control system functioning again.
The Republican-led House passed the bill 222–209. Trump’s backing helped keep most Republicans united despite sharp opposition from Democrats, who were frustrated that weeks of gridlock failed to secure a deal to extend federal health insurance subsidies.
Once signed, the bill — which the Senate approved earlier this week — allows federal employees sidelined by the 43-day shutdown to return to work as early as Thursday. It’s still unclear how quickly all government services will be fully restored.
“We can never let this happen again,” Trump said during a late-night signing ceremony at the White House, where he also criticized Democrats. “This is no way to run a country.”
The agreement funds the government only through January 30, meaning Washington will continue adding roughly $1.8 trillion a year to its $38 trillion national debt.
Republican Representative David Schweikert of Arizona compared the drawn-out shutdown to a “Seinfeld” episode. “We just spent 40 days and I still don’t know what the plotline was,” he said. “I really thought this would be like 48 hours… people would have their moment, and then we’d get back to work. What’s happened now when rage is policy?”
The shutdown’s end brings hope that air-travel services can recover ahead of the busy Thanksgiving rush, now just two weeks away. Restoring food aid for millions of families could also help household budgets as the holiday shopping season ramps up.
Government data releases — halted during the shutdown — are also expected to resume soon. The lack of updated economic information left investors, policymakers, and families guessing about job growth, inflation, and consumer spending. Some reports, like October’s employment and Consumer Price Index data, may never be released.
Economists estimate the shutdown cut more than a tenth of a percentage point from economic growth each week, though most of that is likely to bounce back over time.
NO PROMISES ON HEALTHCARE
The House vote came just over a week after Democrats scored wins in several major elections, raising hopes within the party that they might secure an extension of federal health insurance subsidies before they expire at year’s end. The funding deal sets up a December Senate vote on the issue, but House Speaker Mike Johnson has not promised any action in his chamber.
Democratic Representative Mikie Sherrill — recently elected governor of New Jersey — criticized the bill in her final House speech before resigning next week. “Do not let this body become a ceremonial red stamp for an administration that takes food from children and strips away healthcare,” she said.
NO CLEAR POLITICAL WINNER
Despite the political fighting, neither party gained a clear advantage. A new Reuters/Ipsos poll found 50% of Americans blamed Republicans for the shutdown and 47% blamed Democrats.
Wednesday marked the House’s first day back in session since mid-September, after a long recess meant to pressure Democrats. Their return also triggered a bipartisan push to force the release of all unclassified documents related to Jeffrey Epstein — something Speaker Johnson and Trump have previously resisted.
Democrat Adelita Grijalva, sworn in Wednesday to fill her late father’s Arizona seat, added the final signature needed to require a House vote on the issue. Hours earlier, Democrats released a new batch of Epstein files.
After finally completing its basic duty of funding the government, the House could soon be drawn back into the controversial Epstein investigation, which has fueled speculation for years.
The funding bill also allows eight Republican senators to pursue damages for what they argue were privacy violations tied to the federal investigation of the January 6 attack on the Capitol. The measure makes it illegal in most cases to obtain a senator’s phone data without disclosure and lets affected lawmakers sue the Justice Department for $500,000 plus legal costs.
Featured image from: reuters.com