U.S. Federal Government Restarts After 43 days of Shutdown

After 43 consecutive days in a “shutdown” state, the U.S. federal government is finally set to reopen.

At approximately 9:20 p.m. Eastern Time on November 12, the House of Representatives passed a temporary federal funding bill intended to end the shutdown. The White House said Trump would sign it at 9:45 p.m., formally marking the conclusion of the federal government closure.

The measure funds most federal agencies at existing levels through January 30, 2026, and provides full‑year appropriations for the Department of Agriculture, Department of Veterans Affairs, military construction, and congressional operations. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (commonly known as “food stamps”) will also receive full‑year funding.

The Senate’s inability to reach agreement had centered on Democrats’ insistence on extending enhanced Affordable Care Act subsidies and restoring certain healthcare benefits for legal immigrants. Late on November 9, after more than ten rounds of negotiations, the Senate voted to proceed to a formal vote on the short‑term funding bill.

It should be noted that Congress must pass 12 appropriations each year, and the Senate’s bill included only three annual appropriations. During the temporary funding period, the two parties will continue talks on the remaining annual budgets.

For more than a month, daily life—especially travel—has been affected. The travel association urged Congress to reopen the government ahead of the traditional holiday travel peak to avoid widespread aviation turmoil.

Earlier on November 12, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) again instructed 40 of the nation’s busiest airports to reduce flights by 6%. That day saw 890 cancellations and 750 delays.

Multiple airlines announced flight cuts and refunds for travelers. The FAA projected flight reductions would rise to 10% by November 14. Air traffic controllers have continued working without pay, with attendance showing improvement. Transportation Secretary Duffy warned that absent swift congressional action, disruptions would worsen before the holiday travel surge.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, a key part of the social safety net, ceased benefit payments on November 1 and has not fully resumed, intensifying hardship for low‑income groups.

At 12:00 a.m. on October 1, the federal government entered its first shutdown in nearly seven years. Non‑essential programs beyond core military functions were halted, affecting social security, tax services, visa processing, national parks, museums, and other federal public services.

Around 750,000 federal employees were forced into furlough daily, with consequences including the likely permanent absence of October’s inflation and employment reports. Wall Street, the Federal Reserve, and other economic policymakers rely on these data to gauge economic health.

Economists estimate each week of shutdown reduces GDP by 0.1 percentage point. Treasury Secretary Besant told media that if the shutdown persisted, fourth‑quarter U.S. economic growth would be “cut in half.”

This shutdown is the longest on record. Seven years ago, amid disputes over funding for Trump’s U.S.–Mexico border wall, the Senate adjourned without agreement, triggering another shutdown that ended only when Trump signed a three‑week temporary spending bill on January 25, 2019.