WASHINGTON – US President Donald Trump officially ended the longest government shutdown in US history by signing a major funding bill in the Oval Office.
In a statement, Trump said the country has never been in better shape, calling the moment “a great day” as reporters were swiftly escorted out. The historic 43-day shutdown, which eclipsed the previous 35-day record from Trump’s first term, had left hundreds of thousands of federal employees without pay.
The new law not only reopens the government but guarantees back pay for those affected, restores funding for federal agencies and programs, and signals the return of normal operations, though recovery will take time.
Airports are still feeling the fallout, with over 900 flights canceled on the first day back, and food stamp benefits, which reach 42 million Americans, will resume at varying speeds across states. Meanwhile, programs like LIHEAP, helping 6 million low-income households with heating, and Head Start, supporting early childhood education, may take weeks to bounce back.
National Parks, forests, landmarks, and federal properties are reopening, though some sites could take days to fully resume operations. The shutdown also disrupted nearly 1.4 million federal workers, 670,000 furloughed and 730,000 required to work without pay, who will now begin receiving back pay and returning to their jobs.
FAA had to reduce flights at 40 major airports due to air traffic controllers refusing to work unpaid, further complicating travel.
The legislation passed the House in a 222–209 vote, with six Democrats crossing party lines to support it, following Senate approval earlier in the week. While it ends the immediate crisis, Congress faces another funding deadline on January 30, though key agencies now have guaranteed funding through fiscal year 2026. Wall Street reacted positively as markets anticipated the government reopening.
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