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U.S. President Donald Trump signed legislation on Wednesday to end a 43-day government shutdown, the longest funding lapse in the country’s history, after the measure cleared both the House of Representatives and the Senate.
The legislation restores federal operations through the end of January and reinstates employees who were dismissed during the shutdown. It follows a 222–209 vote in the House earlier in the day and Senate approval earlier in the week, allowing federal departments and agencies to resume activities at the funding levels that were in place before the shutdown.
The shutdown began on Oct. 1 after negotiations on federal spending priorities fell apart. Hundreds of thousands of government workers were either furloughed or required to work without pay, leading to suspended services across multiple agencies.
Democrats had sought to pressure Republicans into extending subsidies under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), a semi-universal health care law, and reversing earlier reductions to Medicaid, a public health program for lower-income Americans. However, the final agreement includes neither measure. Instead, Republicans agreed only to hold a later Senate vote on ACA subsidies that expire at the end of the year.
Trump criticized Democrats during the bill-signing ceremony, describing the shutdown as politically motivated and saying it created an unacceptable disruption to government operations.
The legislation funds several areas—including military construction, veterans’ affairs, the Department of Agriculture and Congress—through the next fiscal year, while other government functions are financed through late January. About 670,000 furloughed civil servants are set to return to work, and another large group who worked without pay will receive back wages.
Air travel, which had faced staffing-related disruptions that led to thousands of cancellations and delays, is expected to normalize as airport security personnel and air traffic controllers return to paid duty.
However, the White House said the shutdown may prevent the publication of official U.S. inflation and employment data for October. According to Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, the prolonged stoppage has impaired the federal statistical system, which compiles the indicators used by the Federal Reserve to assess economic conditions and guide interest-rate decisions.
Government staff released September inflation data after being temporarily recalled, but other reports were postponed. Economists warn that delays may distort or permanently erase some October data if records were not entered in time.
The Congressional Budget Office estimates the shutdown cost the U.S. economy roughly $14 billion in lost growth. The full financial effect remains unclear as agencies work to restore operations and rebuild datasets that were disrupted during the 43-day funding lapse.
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