The United States has brought an end to the longest federal government shutdown in its history after President Donald Trump approved a new funding bill. The legislation passed through the House of Representatives with a narrow majority and followed a week of tense political negotiations in Washington.
The measure reinstates funding for key federal programmes, enabling food assistance to resume, reopening essential air traffic control operations and allowing hundreds of thousands of public sector employees to return to work. Although services are expected to restart quickly, officials have noted that it may take time before all departments return to normal capacity.
The temporary agreement funds the government until 30 January and does not resolve broader debates about long term federal spending and healthcare subsidies. The shutdown, which continued for 43 days, was initially sparked by a disagreement in the Senate, and it concluded without securing the insurance subsidy extension that some lawmakers had sought.
Political reaction remained sharply divided. Supporters of the bill argued that it was necessary to restore financial stability and public services. Critics from both parties questioned the length of the shutdown and the lack of progress on core policy issues. Some lawmakers described the situation as needlessly chaotic and expressed concern that political brinkmanship had replaced constructive negotiation.
Economists have been evaluating the impact of the government closure, which is estimated to have reduced US economic output by more than a tenth of a percentage point each week. Much of this activity is expected to recover over the coming months, although there may be lasting gaps in national statistical reporting. The White House has indicated that employment and inflation data for October may not be released at all, leaving analysts and investors without vital information about labour market trends and consumer price movements.
With the Thanksgiving travel surge approaching, the reopening of federal aviation services is likely to ease pressure on airlines and airports. The restoration of food aid will also provide some relief for millions of households heading into the Christmas period. As federal agencies begin to resume publishing economic data, businesses, policymakers and consumers may regain clarity on inflation, consumer spending and broader economic conditions.
The political fallout continues. While recent election results have given some Democrats renewed confidence in pursuing healthcare funding reforms, future progress remains uncertain. A forthcoming Senate vote is expected to revisit the issue, but no similar commitment has been made in the House.
Polling suggests that responsibility for the shutdown is contested among the public, with Americans split almost evenly on whether Republicans or Democrats were most at fault. For now, the agreement marks a pause in political hostilities, but long term fiscal and policy challenges remain unresolved.
Splash