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President Donald Trump on Wednesday night signed a bipartisan funding bill into law, officially ending the longest government shutdown in U.S. history after 43 days of frozen federal operations, mass layoffs, and snarled air travel.
The measure, which passed the House 222-209 earlier in the evening, restores government funding through September for key agencies and extends short-term financing for the rest of the government until Jan. 30. Six Democrats voted with Republicans to pass the bill, while two Republicans defected.
The Senate had approved the same package Monday, when eight Democrats broke ranks to end a weeks-long filibuster that paralyzed Washington.
In Oval Office remarks, Trump celebrated the bill’s passage but laid blame squarely on Democrats for the shutdown.
“You should not forget this,” Trump told reporters. “When we come up to midterms and other things, don’t forget what they’ve done to our country.”
Background: A Record-Breaking Impasse
The shutdown began after partisan gridlock over extending Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies, a major Democratic priority, collided with Republican demands for tighter spending controls.
Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., reconvened the House for the first time in more than six weeks to vote on the compromise package after a protracted recess.
“Millions of American families went without food on their table,” Johnson said. “You had troops and federal employees wondering where their next paycheck would come from. All of this was utterly pointless and foolish.”
What’s in the Funding Bill
The legislation includes a three-bill “minibus” covering Agriculture and the FDA, Veterans Affairs and military construction, and congressional operations. It also ensures:
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Full funding for SNAP (food stamps) through September 2026, affecting 40 million Americans.
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Back pay and reinstatement for furloughed federal employees.
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A temporary ban on layoffs in federal agencies through Jan. 30.
However, Democrats failed to secure an extension of enhanced ACA subsidies, meaning premiums could spike for more than 20 million Americans next year. Republicans refused to negotiate over the subsidies while the government was closed, a position Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., defended.
“A one-year extension without Hyde protections doesn’t even get close,” Thune said, referring to abortion-related funding restrictions.
Party Reactions: Relief and Recrimination
Many Democrats expressed anger at the bill’s omission of ACA funding.
“We cannot enable this kind of cruelty with our cowardice,” said Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y.
In the House Rules Committee, Republicans rejected motions to guarantee a future vote on the subsidies, and blocked an amendment redirecting Trump’s $40 billion foreign bailout to Argentina toward healthcare funding.
“I guess MAGA stands for Make Argentina Great Again,” Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández, D-N.M., quipped.
Despite internal divisions, the House Freedom Caucus backed the bill, calling it a “responsible” spending plan that “avoids a bloated omnibus.”
Fallout and Political Impact
The six House Democrats who supported the bill — all from swing districts — were Henry Cuellar (Texas), Don Davis (N.C.), Marie Glusenkamp Perez (Wash.), Jared Golden (Maine), Adam Gray (Calif.), and Tom Suozzi (N.Y.). Two Republicans, Thomas Massie (Ky.) and Greg Steube (Fla.), opposed it.
A controversial provision tucked inside the bill allows senators — but not House members — to sue the government if their phone records were secretly obtained during the Jan. 6 investigation, appearing to apply to eight GOP senators.
Despite Democratic frustration, party leaders said the standoff highlighted a broader election-year contrast.
“Democrats are fighting to lower costs,” said Rep. Suzan DelBene, D-Wash., chair of the House Democrats’ campaign arm. “Republicans have made life more expensive for everyday families.”
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., filed a discharge petition late Wednesday to force a future vote on ACA funding, though it would need four GOP signatures.
“We’ll fight until we win this battle for the American people,” Jeffries said.
Broader Context and Next Steps
The shutdown battered the economy and strained public patience. Flight disruptions worsened last week after the FAA cut air traffic by 6% due to staffing shortages, while the White House fought court orders to continue SNAP payments.
The government is expected to fully reopen within days, but the clash over healthcare funding — and the political blame game over the shutdown — will dominate Washington’s agenda heading into the 2026 midterm elections.
“There’s not gonna be any deal cut,” said Rep. Ralph Norman, R-S.C. “That money should absolutely expire.”
