The United States House of Representatives approved this Wednesday (12) the bill that ends the longest shutdown in the country’s history, after 43 days of government shutdown. The measure guarantees federal funding until the end of the 2026 fiscal year and now goes to President Donald Trump for approval, who is expected to sign the text today.
The project received 222 votes in favor — including six from Democrats — and 209 against, with two Republicans among them. The approval represents a rare bipartisan agreement amid weeks of impasse over the federal budget.
With the text, resources for sectors such as agriculture, military construction, programs for veterans and the functioning of Congress are guaranteed. Agencies such as the Department of Agriculture, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Department of Veterans Affairs will also be guaranteed funding through the end of the fiscal year.
In other cases, the budget was temporarily extended, which means that a new debate on public spending must take place by January 30th.
The project also provides for the retroactive payment of salaries to federal employees who were left without pay during the shutdown. Furthermore, it prohibits personnel cuts until the end of January and revokes reductions already applied since the start of the strike, on October 1st.
The White House reported that Trump intends to sign the text this Wednesday. According to spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt, the president “considers it essential to restore the full functioning of the government and guarantee stability for workers and federal agencies.”
During the weeks of shutdown, the effects were felt across the country. The FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) reported a lack of controllers in at least four centers — Albuquerque, Jacksonville, Indianapolis and New York —, which caused flight delays and cancellations. Bodies responsible for publishing economic statistics also stopped publishing official data.
The main point of contention between Republicans and Democrats was the budget allocated to the Affordable Care Act. While the government base defended cuts, the opposition resisted, stating that the reduction would harm millions of Americans.
