Trump Signs Funding Bill, Ending Longest Government Shutdown in U.S. History
U.S. President Donald Trump signed a new funding bill on Wednesday evening, officially ending the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, which lasted 43 days.
The U.S. Congress passed the bill after the House of Representatives approved it by a narrow vote of 222 to 219, allowing federal agencies and departments—shut down since the start of the budget standoff—to reopen.
Before signing the bill at the White House, Trump said, “This agreement sends a clear message that we will never surrender to blackmail,” noting that the approved budget is temporary and does not cover the full fiscal year.
The president warned that the crisis could reemerge if a long-term agreement is not reached, stating, “The Democrats could once again cause a government shutdown in a few months.”
The new law funds the federal government through January 30, and includes the resumption of food assistance programs, payment of wages to hundreds of thousands of federal employees, and the full operation of the air traffic control system, which had been partially disrupted during the shutdown.
