President Donald Trump signed a government funding bill into law Wednesday night, officially ending the longest shutdown in U.S. history.The legislation will fund the government through Jan. 30 and provide money for some agencies for the rest of the fiscal year.For federal workers waiting on paychecks and local food banks helping struggling families, the bill brings one shared feeling: relief.”We are incredibly relieved that the government is potentially reopening soon. This ends the immediate crisis,” said Elsy Cipriani, executive director of the New Hampshire Food Bank.The 43-day shutdown led to thousands of flight disruptions, uncertainty over food assistance, and federal employees working without pay.”Everybody’s just really, really doing the best they can, you know, with the situation that they’re given, but it would be, just a tremendous help for all of us to, you know, to kind of get the pay that we’ve already worked,” said Travis Cotton, a worker at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.With the end finally in sight, many affected by the shutdown are cautiously optimistic. >> Download the free WMUR app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google Play << Former Gov. Chris Sununu, who is in charge of Airlines for America, said the agreement is progress but not a permanent fix. “This isn’t a solution bill that they’re passing. This is still a temporary continuing resolution to, you know, likely somewhere in the end of January,” Sununu said. “So, is this going to happen again? Well, there are long term solutions. There are long term measures that can be taken to make sure that airlines, hotels, travel, the American public isn’t held hostage every time there’s a tough political debate in Washington.”Leaders at the New Hampshire Food Bank worry the shutdown’s effects will leave scars, especially on the nation’s most vulnerable. “We always had struggle with helping people to apply for a SNAP because there is a lot of stigma, because people are afraid of receiving this type of benefit. And after everything that we have gone through, the trust in this program probably is very damaged,” Cipriani said.Cotton is asking lawmakers to take action to ensure federal workers continue to be paid if another shutdown occurs.>> Subscribe to WMUR’s YouTube channel <<
President Donald Trump signed a government funding bill into law Wednesday night, officially ending the longest shutdown in U.S. history.
The legislation will fund the government through Jan. 30 and provide money for some agencies for the rest of the fiscal year.
For federal workers waiting on paychecks and local food banks helping struggling families, the bill brings one shared feeling: relief.
“We are incredibly relieved that the government is potentially reopening soon. This ends the immediate crisis,” said Elsy Cipriani, executive director of the New Hampshire Food Bank.
The 43-day shutdown led to thousands of flight disruptions, uncertainty over food assistance, and federal employees working without pay.
“Everybody’s just really, really doing the best they can, you know, with the situation that they’re given, but it would be, just a tremendous help for all of us to, you know, to kind of get the pay that we’ve already worked,” said Travis Cotton, a worker at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard.
With the end finally in sight, many affected by the shutdown are cautiously optimistic.
>> Download the free WMUR app to get updates on the go: Apple | Google Play <<
Former Gov. Chris Sununu, who is in charge of Airlines for America, said the agreement is progress but not a permanent fix.
“This isn’t a solution bill that they’re passing. This is still a temporary continuing resolution to, you know, likely somewhere in the end of January,” Sununu said. “So, is this going to happen again? Well, there are long term solutions. There are long term measures that can be taken to make sure that airlines, hotels, travel, the American public isn’t held hostage every time there’s a tough political debate in Washington.”
Leaders at the New Hampshire Food Bank worry the shutdown’s effects will leave scars, especially on the nation’s most vulnerable.
“We always had struggle with helping people to apply for a SNAP because there is a lot of stigma, because people are afraid of receiving this type of benefit. And after everything that we have gone through, the trust in this program probably is very damaged,” Cipriani said.
Cotton is asking lawmakers to take action to ensure federal workers continue to be paid if another shutdown occurs.
