President Donald Trump has signed into law a funding bill to end the longest government shutdown in American history.
This brings to a close a 43-day halt that paralysed federal operations and left more than a million workers without pay.
The bill, which passed the House of Representatives late Wednesday by a 222–209 vote, with six Democrats joining Republicans in support, had earlier sailed through the Senate.
Trump signed it in the Oval Office, declaring it “a great day” for America.
“The country has never been in better shape, we’re opening up our country. It should never have been closed,” the President said shortly before affixing his signature.
The shutdown, which began on October 1, became the longest in U.S. history, surpassing the 35-day record set during Trump’s first term. It stemmed from a standoff between Republicans and Democrats over healthcare subsidies, which Democrats sought to extend as part of the funding package.
Under the newly signed law, federal employees will receive back pay, and funding has been restored for key agencies, including the Departments of Agriculture, Veterans Affairs, and Congress, through next September.
The measure also reinstates the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), ensuring food benefits for about 42 million Americans.
However, several programmes are expected to take time to fully resume. The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) and the Head Start early education scheme will not be operational for several weeks, according to federal officials.
The shutdown’s toll has been severe: 670,000 government employees were furloughed, 730,000 continued working without pay, and air travel disruptions affected more than 20,000 flights nationwide.
National parks and museums will gradually reopen, with the Smithsonian Institution estimating a four-day recovery period.
Speaking at a Veterans Day commemoration, Trump hailed the end of the standoff as “a very big victory,” accusing Democrats of “extortion” and “political gamesmanship” that harmed millions of Americans.
“They tried to extort our country, and people were hurt so badly. The Democrats were happy for millions of Americans to suffer,” Trump said.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican, also expressed relief after the vote.
“The Democrat shutdown is finally over,” he said, calling the episode “utterly pointless and foolish.”
Democrats, meanwhile, have described the deal as a setback. California Governor Gavin Newsom called it “a surrender,” while party leaders insisted the healthcare subsidy debate will continue when Congress reconvenes in December.
Despite the victory, Trump acknowledged that his administration’s legislative success was being overshadowed by renewed congressional attention to the Jeffrey Epstein case.
On his Truth Social platform, he accused Democrats of reviving “the Jeffrey Epstein Hoax” to distract from their losses.
