WASHINGTON (Gray DC) – Wednesday night, the U.S. House passed a bill to fund the government through the end of January, sending it to President Trump’s desk.
“The Democrat shutdown is finally over, thanks to House and Senate Republicans who stood together to get the job done,” said House Speaker Mike Johnson just after the chamber adjourned Wednesday evening. “Absolutely no question in anybody’s mind now that the Democrats were responsible for this.”
Even as the federal government shutdown came to an end after 43 days, blame continued across the aisle.
“Either Republicans finally decide to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits this year, or the American people will throw Republicans out of their jobs next year and in the speakership of Donald J. Trump once and for all,” House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said just before a vote on the funding bill Wednesday. “That’s how this fight ends.”
A few hours after the House approved the measure, President Trump signed it in the Oval Office.
“The Democrats tried to extort our country,” he said. “This cost the country $1.5 trillion, this little excursion that they took us on.”
Trump pointed the finger at Democrats, calling the shutdown a “short-term disaster,” and once again demanding the termination of the filibuster.
So what happens now that the government is back open?
When it comes to federal food aid, the USDA, which runs SNAP, says benefits could be available within 24 hours for most states, but it may take longer in other places.
For air travel, it’ll be a few days for operations to get back to normal. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy says flight cuts will remain until safety metrics improve and air traffic controller staffing levels stabilize.
Wednesday night, the White House’s Office of Management and Budget issued a memorandum instructing the more than 600,000 furloughed federal employees to return to work Thursday.
“Agencies should take all necessary steps to ensure that offices open in a prompt and orderly manner on November 13, 2025,” it said. “Employees who were on furlough due to the absence of appropriations should be directed to return to work on November 13.”
Copyright 2025 Gray DC. All rights reserved.
