The longest US government shutdown in history ended on Wednesday after more than 42 days when the House of Representatives passed a bill negotiated by Republicans and splinter group of Democrat-aligned senators.
The shutdown began on Oct. 1 resulting in about 700,000 federal workers being furloughed. Hundreds of thousands of others, from active-duty military to law enforcement to airport security screeners, remained on the job without pay.
The Senate voted in an unusual late Sunday session No. v 9 to end debate over the s t a l l e d s h u t d o w n legislation that saw several Democrats join the Republican majority to nudge forward an amended version of HR 5371, a continuing resolution for fiscal year 2026.
The Senate approved the compromise on Monday, and the House followed suit two days later by a margin of 222 in favor and 209 against, with two not voting. President Donald Trump signed the bill on Wednesday night.
The Senate c o m p r o m i s e a l s o includes guarantees to rehire government workers fired since the lapse and prevents any future firings through Jan. 30. Additionally, the deal provides for a floor vote in December concerning extending premium tax credits for the Affordable Care Act.
The bill sets up a new funding cliff in Congress on Jan. 30 but also provides funding for a few key agencies through the fiscal year 2026.
The budget standoff was the biggest battle since Trump returned to the White House earlier this year. It resulted in unprecedented disruptions to government services, with the Trump administration ordering cuts to commercial air travel across the country, and the first-ever halt to the largest federal food aid program.