Government Shutdown Ends as Trump Signs reopening Bill
WASHINGTON – The 35-day partial government shutdown concluded Thursday after President Donald Trump signed a bill passed by the House of Representatives to reopen federal agencies, averting further disruption to hundreds of thousands of federal employees and a wide range of government services. The House voted 248-177 to approve the measure, sending it to the President for his signature.
The shutdown, the longest in U.S. history, began December 22nd over a dispute regarding funding for a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border.Approximately 800,000 federal workers were furloughed or worked without pay during the impasse, impacting services from national parks and tax refunds to air travel security and food inspections. While an agreement to fund the wall remains unresolved, the reopening provides immediate relief to affected employees and restores critical government functions.
Delta Airlines expressed gratitude for the federal employees who maintained aviation safety and security “without a paycheck,” stating, “We look forward to bringing our operation back to full capacity over the next few days and delivering the premium experience our customers expect as we look ahead to the holiday season.”
American Airlines similarly welcomed the resolution, noting the reopening means “our hardworking government aviation safety and security professionals will be paid, and the flying public will have deserved travel predictability.”
The immediate impact of the bill’s passage is the resumption of services at closed national parks, the restart of processing of tax returns, and the full staffing of vital security agencies. Negotiations regarding border security funding are expected to continue, with a February 15th deadline looming to potentially trigger another shutdown if a compromise isn’t reached.
