The longest government shutdown in U.S. history has come to an end
The Chronify
The U.S. House of Representatives has voted to end the longest government shutdown in the country’s history, and it was finalized with President Donald Trump’s signature.
On Wednesday, November 12 (local time), the U.S. House of Representatives voted on the compromise deal to end the shutdown, with 222 votes in favor and 209 against. According to the BBC, six Democratic members joined Republicans in voting “yes,” allowing the proposal to pass.
By then, the shutdown had already lasted 43 days, forcing thousands of federal employees to work without pay, take unpaid leave, or face furlough.
Earlier, on Monday, the U.S. Senate (the upper house of Congress) had passed a proposal to end the shutdown and provide funding for the government. On Wednesday, the House of Representatives (the lower house) approved the same proposal.
After passing both chambers of Congress, the bill was sent to President Donald Trump for his approval. On Wednesday evening (local time in Washington, D.C.), Trump signed the proposal in the Oval Office, officially paving the way to end the longest government shutdown in U.S. history.
Trump signed the bill about two hours after it passed the House.
As a result, federal food assistance programs will resume, thousands of federal employees will receive their back pay, and the disrupted air traffic control system will begin returning to normal.
Following Trump’s signature, federal employees who had been on unpaid leave for 43 days will be able to return to work, with Reuters reporting that most are expected to do so as early as Thursday. However, it remains unclear how quickly all government services and operations will be fully restored.
