U.S. President Donald Trump signed a funding bill Wednesday night that immediately ended a historic 43-day federal government shutdown — the longest in U.S. history. The closure left federal workers unpaid, caused major disruptions at airports, and led to rising demand at food banks.
Throughout the standoff, partisan tensions intensified as Trump took unusual steps — including canceling federal projects and attempting to fire government employees — in an effort to pressure Democrats into accepting his demands. Trump placed the blame squarely on Democrats and urged voters to remember the shutdown during next year’s midterm elections.
The bill reached Trump’s desk after passing the House earlier Wednesday in a narrow 222–209 vote. The Senate had approved it two days earlier. The core dispute centered on Democrats’ push to extend an enhanced Affordable Care Act tax credit that helps lower health insurance costs. Democrats refused to support any temporary funding bill that excluded it, while Republicans insisted the issue belonged in a separate policy debate.
On the House floor, frustration was evident. Republicans accused Democrats of intentionally using the shutdown’s hardships as leverage, while Democrats argued that Republicans prioritized tax cuts for the wealthy earlier in the year but would not guarantee support for healthcare subsidies that millions of Americans rely on.
The final agreement was crafted by eight Democratic senators who broke ranks, concluding that Republicans would not yield on tying health-care subsidies to the funding bill. The compromise funds three appropriations bills and keeps the rest of the government operating through Jan. 30. Republicans pledged to hold a vote on the health-care tax credit by mid-December, though no outcome is assured.
Key provisions of the bill include reinstating federal workers who were fired during the shutdown, shielding them from further job losses through January, and ensuring back pay. It also secures continued funding for food assistance programs, boosts security spending for lawmakers and Supreme Court justices, and introduces a controversial clause allowing senators to sue federal agencies for unauthorized searches of their electronic records.
Democrats condemned that clause as a political maneuver tied to investigations of Trump’s attempts to overturn the 2020 election, while some Republicans, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, said they were angered by its last-minute inclusion.
The most contentious unresolved issue remains the expiring enhanced ACA tax credit. Without it, premiums are projected to more than double for many Americans, and over two million people could lose coverage entirely, according to the Congressional Budget Office.
As the December vote approaches, both parties remain divided. Some Republicans have signaled openness to extending the tax credits with restrictions such as income limits, while many Democrats doubt a meaningful compromise will emerge.
