Government Reopens after 43 Days

After 43 days of funding stalemate, the federal government reopened Wednesday night, marking the longest federal government shutdown in U.S. history. The deal to restore government operations was signed into law just hours after the Donald Trump administration, Congress and both political parties reached a compromise. 

What the Resolution Provides

• The legislation passed the Senate and then the House, by a 222-209 vote in the House. 

• It extends funding for most of the federal government through January 30, 2026 (while certain full-year appropriations for the Department of Agriculture, military construction/veterans affairs, and the legislative branch are included). 

• It restores back pay for hundreds of thousands of federal employees who were either furloughed or working without pay. 

• Mass layoffs that agencies had planned during the shutdown are halted at least through January. 

• The bill does not include an extension of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium tax credits—a major Democratic demand. Instead, it postpones the decision on those tax credits for a later vote in December. 

Why It Matters

The shutdown’s end brings immediate relief: government services reopen, federal employees receive retroactive pay, and travel and food-aid disruptions begin to unwind. Still, the compromise leaves unresolved one of the most contentious issues—healthcare subsidies—which sets the stage for potential funding fights in early 2026.

This deal also signals that both parties recognized the risks of protracted stalemate: airlines and airports had suffered staffing disruptions and flight cancellations, nutrition programs had slashed benefits, and the economy faced mounting losses. The clock stopped on a shutdown that began October 1 and finally ended November 12,  43 days in total, surpassing previous records. 

What Comes Next

• Agencies will resume full operations this week, though some effects of the shutdown (e.g., staffing backlogs at TSA/air travel, delayed permits, the food-aid shortfalls) may take weeks to clear.

• Lawmakers must now turn to the unresolved health-subsidy issue; Democrats have vowed to press for extensions of the ACA premium credits, warning of another funding showdown if those aren’t addressed. 

• The broader budget process remains fragile: since this deal is only a short-term funding extension for many agencies, Congress and the White House will soon need to negotiate full FY 2026 appropriations or another continuing resolution to avoid another lapse.

Why It Took So Long

The shutdown stemmed from persistent disagreement between Republican, who demanded a “clean” funding bill to reopen government first and Democrats, who insisted on linking reopening to healthcare and social-program protections. That impasse led to repeated failed votes in the Senate, dozens of agency interruptions, and a build-up of economic and service-delivery disruptions until both sides finally relented just before the 44-day mark.