U.S. Government Reopens After 43-Day Shutdown; Another Possible Repeat in February | WPN World People News

A compromise funding bill passed the U.S. Senate and House by votes of 60–40 and 222–209, respectively, and became law after being sent to the White House for President Donald Trump’s signature. This officially ended the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, which lasted 43 days. During the shutdown, millions of Americans lost access to food assistance, and hundreds of thousands of federal employees went without pay—some of whom were still required to work. This led to severe disruptions in air traffic control across the country, causing widespread flight cancellations and delays.

The funding bill temporarily ensures that no layoffs will occur before January 30 next year, allowing government agencies to continue operating. Democrats had attempted to tie the bill to the year-end expiration of a healthcare subsidy but were unsuccessful. The subsidy—which affects roughly 24 million people—will be voted on in December. If it does not pass, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that Americans’ insurance premiums will more than double on average, and over 2 million people will completely lose health coverage next year. The six-week shutdown has caused an estimated $11 billion in permanent economic losses. At least 75% of Americans believe both parties bear a “moderate” level of responsibility for the shutdown, and essentially, neither the public nor either party came out as a winner.