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Trump signs bill ending 43-day government shutdown
President Donald Trump signed a bill Wednesday evening, bringing an end to a record 43-day government shutdown. The measure allows over one million federal employees to return to work and resumes disrupted services across the nation.
Federal operations to resume Thursday
The legislation funds most government agencies through January 30, 2026, while providing full-year budgets for the Departments of Agriculture and Veterans Affairs, as well as legislative branch operations. All furloughs affecting more than 4,000 federal workers will be reversed, and employees placed on unpaid leave will receive back pay.
Most agencies have instructed employees to return to work Thursday morning for the first time in nearly six weeks. The Department of Health and Human Services has ordered furloughed staff to report to their official posts on November 13, following the bill’s signing.
Six Democrats crossed party lines to support the legislation, Henry Cuellar (Texas), Don Davis (North Carolina), Adam Gray (California), Jared Golden (Maine), Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (Washington), and Tom Suozzi (New York). These lawmakers represent competitive districts and defied Democratic leadership, which urged members to oppose the bill due to its exclusion of enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies set to expire on December 31.
Persistent disruptions expected
Despite the government reopening, experts warn that it could take days or weeks for disrupted services to stabilize. The Federal Aviation Administration, which had initially reduced flights by up to 10% across 40 major airports due to staffing shortages, froze cuts at 6% Wednesday night. Over 9,000 flights were canceled during the shutdown.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which supports 42 million Americans, faced uncertainty during the closure as legal battles over November benefits unfolded. While the funding bill ensures complete federal support for SNAP through most of 2026, states scrambled to issue partial November benefits during the final days of the shutdown.
House Speaker Mike Johnson described the shutdown as a “national nightmare” and apologized for the delays, food insecurity, and missed paychecks it caused. He blamed Democrats for the deadlock, though the breakthrough came only after eight Senate Democrats joined Republicans on Monday to end the impasse.
Senate Majority Whip John Thune has pledged a mid-December vote on extending ACA subsidies, but Johnson has not committed to a similar vote in the House. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries plans to file a discharge petition to force a vote on the subsidies.
Controversial provision sparks backlash
The legislation includes a contentious measure allowing senators whose phone records were subpoenaed during Special Counsel Jack Smith’s January 6 investigation to sue the government for up to $500,000 per violation. Speaker Johnson announced plans for the House to vote next week on repealing the clause, which Senate leadership added to the bill.