WASHINGTON: The longest government shutdown in United States history has officially come to an end after both the Senate and the House of Representatives approved a long-awaited funding bill, paving the way for the full restoration of federal operations and services.
According U.S. media outlets, the House passed the spending bill late Wednesday following its approval in the Senate. In the House, 222 lawmakers including six Democrats voted in favor of the measure, while 209 members, including two Republicans, opposed it. The legislation has now been sent to President Donald Trump for his signature, which will formally reopen government departments and agencies.
The temporary funding measure brings closure to the historic shutdown that began on October 1, leaving hundreds of thousands of federal employees without pay and causing widespread disruption to vital public services.
Several federal agencies, including those responsible for food assistance, air travel safety, and public welfare programs, were forced to suspend or reduce operations during the impasse.
Under the newly approved bill, the federal government will receive funding until January 30, 2026. This stopgap measure will allow financial activities, administrative work, and essential public services to continue without further interruption while lawmakers negotiate a longer-term budget plan.
Officials said the bill’s key objectives include restoring food assistance programs, ensuring the payment of delayed salaries to federal workers, and reactivating the country’s air traffic control system in full.
Economists and analysts have described the bill’s passage as an important step toward stabilizing the U.S. government’s finances, rebuilding public confidence, and ending months of political gridlock that had paralyzed Washington.
