Summary: President Donald Trump has signed into law the senate funding bill ending the nation’s longest government shutdown, a 43-day standoff that left federal employees unpaid, stranded travelers, and families dependent on food banks. The move reopens agencies and marks the close of a bitter political stalemate.
President Donald Trump signed a funding bill late Wednesday, formally ending the record 43-day shutdown that had paralyzed Washington and disrupted millions of lives. The measure, passed by the House and Senate earlier in the week, ensures agencies can resume operations and guarantees back pay for furloughed workers.
The shutdown, which began on October 1, 2025, surpassed the 35-day closure of 2018–2019, becoming the longest in U.S. history. It left hundreds of thousands of federal employees without paychecks, strained food banks, and caused widespread travel delays.
The legislation funds most agencies through January 30, 2026, while providing full-year appropriations for departments such as Agriculture and Veterans Affairs. At the signing ceremony, Trump hailed the bill as a “victory for the American people”, though economists caution that the economic fallout may linger, with billions lost in productivity and consumer confidence.
The signing closes a bruising political battle but raises questions about whether lawmakers can avoid another funding crisis when the next deadline arrives early next year.
