House Passes Bill to End Record-Breaking 43-Day Government Shutdown

The U.S. House of Representatives successfully passed a critical funding package on Wednesday, effectively bringing an end to the nation's longest government shutdown, which had lasted an unprecedented 43 days. The bipartisan measure, approved with a 222-209 vote, now heads to President Donald Trump's desk, who is expected to sign it into law imminently, as reported by CBS News.

This legislative action resolves a prolonged political stalemate that had severely impacted federal operations and furloughed hundreds of thousands of government employees since October 1, 2025, according to a report from Holland & Knight. The bill includes both short-term funding for most agencies and full-year appropriations for several key departments, as detailed by PBS News.

The funding package extends operations for the majority of federal agencies until January 30, 2026, providing a temporary reprieve from the fiscal impasse. Additionally, it secures full-year appropriations for the Departments of Agriculture, Military Construction-Veterans Affairs, and the Legislative Branch through September 30, 2026, as noted by Holland & Knight.

President Trump is anticipated to sign the legislation late Wednesday evening, a move that will officially reopen the federal government and ensure backpay for the approximately 900,000 federal workers who were furloughed or worked without compensation during the shutdown, CBS News confirmed. This provision addresses a major concern for federal employees and their families.

The passage in the House followed a similar approval in the Senate earlier this week, where a bipartisan coalition of senators advanced the measure. The Senate vote, 60-40, saw eight Democrats and one Independent joining Republicans to break the legislative deadlock, The Washington Post reported.

Despite its passage, the bill faced significant opposition from many House Democrats who expressed frustration that it did not include an extension of expiring Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries indicated that Democrats would continue to fight for these healthcare provisions, according to CBS News.

The agreement, however, does include a commitment from Senate Majority Leader John Thune to hold a separate vote on the ACA subsidies by mid-December, a concession that helped secure Democratic support in the upper chamber, The Guardian stated. This sets the stage for another potential legislative battle before the end of the year.

• Background and Historical Context: The 2025 government shutdown, which commenced on October 1, marked the longest in U.S. history, surpassing previous impasses. It originated from Congress's failure to pass appropriations legislation for the 2026 fiscal year, with a key point of contention being the extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies, as detailed by Wikipedia. The Republican-controlled House had advanced continuing resolutions that the Senate, largely due to Democratic opposition over the ACA subsidies, repeatedly rejected, leading to the prolonged closure of federal services and agencies.

• Key Stakeholders and Their Positions: Republicans, including President Trump, largely pushed for a funding package that did not initially include the ACA subsidy extensions, prioritizing other appropriations. House Speaker Mike Johnson reportedly kept the House in recess for over 50 days to pressure the Senate, according to The Guardian. Many Democrats, led by House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, vehemently opposed the bill's lack of ACA subsidy extensions, arguing it would harm millions of Americans, CBS News reported. However, a group of moderate Senate Democrats ultimately broke ranks to support the deal, citing the severe impact of the shutdown on federal workers and the public.

• Economic and Social Implications of the Shutdown: The 43-day shutdown had profound economic and social consequences. Approximately 900,000 federal employees were furloughed, and another two million worked without pay, causing significant financial strain for families, according to wikipedia. Essential government services were disrupted, impacting areas such as national parks, scientific research at NIH and CDC, and even air travel, with airlines anticipating flight cancellations due to FAA orders, CBS News noted. The agreement to provide backpay and reinstate laid-off workers is a crucial step in mitigating these impacts.

• The Bipartisan Agreement and Vote Breakdown: The breakthrough came when a group of eight Senate Democrats—including Senators Dick Durbin, John Fetterman, Maggie Hassan, Tim Kaine, Catherine Cortez Masto, Jacky Rosen, Jeanne Shaheen, and Independent Angus King—joined nearly all Republicans to pass the funding package in the Senate, as reported by The Washington Post. This 60-40 vote was critical for overcoming procedural hurdles. In the House, the final vote of 222-209 saw six Democrats voting with Republicans and two Republicans voting against the measure, highlighting the complex, cross-party dynamics of the resolution.

• Future Developments and Next Steps: While the immediate crisis of the shutdown is over, the legislative battle is far from concluded. The short-term funding for most agencies expires on January 30, 2026, setting the stage for another potential funding showdown early next year, CBS News indicated. Crucially, Senate Majority Leader John Thune has committed to holding a separate vote on the extension of ACA subsidies by mid-December, a key Democratic demand that was not included in the current bill, The Guardian confirmed. This upcoming vote will likely be another point of intense political negotiation.

• Impact on Federal Workers and Services: The resolution guarantees that all federal employees who were furloughed or worked without pay during the shutdown will receive their backpay, a measure that was a significant point of negotiation, according to Government Executive. The bill also reverses mass layoffs implemented by the Trump administration during the shutdown and prevents further layoffs until January 30, 2026, as reported by pbs News. This provides much-needed stability and relief for the federal workforce, ensuring that critical government functions can resume without immediate threat of further disruption.