President Donald Trump approved a government funding measure Wednesday evening, concluding a record 43-day shutdown which led to financial hardship for federal employees who didn't receive salaries, left numerous travelers delayed at airports, and resulted in extended queues at certain food distribution centers.
TL;DR
- President Donald Trump signed legislation ending the unprecedented 43-day government shutdown on November 12, 2025.
- The shutdown caused financial hardship for federal employees and delays at airports and food distribution centers.
- Democrats sought to extend Affordable Care Act tax credits, which Republicans opposed as a separate policy debate.
- The agreement funds government operations until January 30 and includes provisions for federal employee compensation and food aid.
The government closure intensified political rifts in Washington, with Trump resorting to extraordinary solo measures, such as halting initiatives and attempting to dismiss government employees, to compel Democrats to abandon their requests.
The Republican president blamed the situation on Democrats and suggested voters shouldn’t reward the party during next year’s midterm elections.
“So I just want to tell the American people, you should not forget this,” Trump said. “When we come up to midterms and other things, don’t forget what they’ve done to our country.”
The bill was signed into law shortly after the House approved it with a vote largely along party lines, 222 to 209. The Senate had previously approved the legislation on Monday.
Democrats sought to prolong an improved tax credit that expires by year's end, which reduces the expense of health insurance acquired via Affordable Care Act exchanges. They declined to approve a temporary spending measure lacking this key objective. However, Republicans contended this was a distinct policy debate for a later occasion.
“We told you 43 days ago from bitter experience that government shutdowns don’t work,” said Rep. Tom Cole, the Republican chairman of the House Appropriations Committee. “They never achieve the objective that you announce. And guess what? You haven’t achieved that objective yet, and you’re not going to.”
A bitter end after a long stalemate
The frustration and pressures generated by the shutdown was reflected when lawmakers debated the spending measure on the House floor.
Republicans said Democrats sought to use the pain generated by the shutdown to prevail in a policy dispute.
“They knew it would cause pain and they did it anyway,” House Speaker Mike Johnson said.
Democrats said Republicans raced to pass tax breaks earlier this year that they say mostly will benefit the wealthy. But the bill before the House Wednesday “leaves families twisting in the wind with zero guarantee there will ever, ever be a vote to extend tax credits to help everyday people pay for their health care,” said Rep. Jim McGovern, D-Mass.
Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said Democrats would not give up on the subsidy extension even if the vote did not go their way.
“This fight is not over,” Jeffries said. “We’re just getting started.”
The House had not convened for legislative business since September 19th, the date of a vote passed a short-term measure to ensure government operations continued as the new fiscal year commenced in October. Following that vote, Johnson adjourned the House and placed the responsibility for action on the Senate, asserting that House Republicans had fulfilled their duties.
What’s in the bill to end the shutdown
This law stems from an agreement made by eight senators who broke ranks with Democrats, following the realization that Republicans wouldn't compromise on attaching a government funding bill to an extension of health care tax credits.
The agreement finances three yearly appropriations measures and continues government funding until January 30. While Republicans pledged to schedule a vote by the middle of December on extending healthcare subsidies, success isn't assured.
The legislation proposes to undo actions taken by The Trump administration since the shutdown commenced, specifically concerning the firing of federal workers. Furthermore, it offers federal employees protection from additional dismissals until January and ensures their compensation once the shutdown concludes. The measure for The Agriculture Department signifies that individuals dependent on vital food aid initiatives will continue to receive their benefits, fully funded and without risk of disruption for the remainder of the fiscal year.
The package includes $203.5 million to boost security for lawmakers and an additional $28 million for the security of Supreme Court justices.
Democrats also condemned provisions within the bill that would enable senators to pursue legal action if a federal agency or employee accesses their electronic data without prior notification, potentially awarding them as much as $500,000 in damages for every instance of non-compliance.
The language appears designed to assist Republican senators in seeking compensation should their phone records be analyzed by the FBI during an inquiry into Trump's attempts to reverse his 2020 election loss. These provisions also faced backlash from Republicans. Johnson stated he was “very angry about it.”
“That was dropped in at the last minute, and I did not appreciate that, nor did most of the House members,” Johnson said, promising a vote on the matter as early as next week.
The most significant disagreement, however, concerned what would happen to the expiring enhanced tax credit, which helps lower the cost of health insurance via Affordable Care Act marketplaces.
“It’s a subsidy on top of a subsidy. Our friends added it during COVID,” Cole said. “COVID is over. They set a date certain that the subsidies would run out. They chose the date.”
Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said the enhanced tax credit was designed to give more people access to health care and no Republican voted for it.
“All they have done is try to eliminate access to health care in our country. The country is catching on to them,” Pelosi said.
Absent the improved tax credit, average premiums are expected to more than double for many millions of Americans. The Congressional Budget Office projected that over 2 million individuals would completely lose their health insurance next year.
Health care debate ahead
It remains uncertain if the involved parties will reach any agreement on healthcare prior to the Senate's vote scheduled for December. Johnson has indicated he won't commit to advancing it in his legislative body.
Certain Republicans have indicated a willingness to prolong the COVID-19 pandemic-era tax credits given the projected surge in costs for numerous individuals, though they also seek fresh restrictions on subsidy eligibility. A segment of these lawmakers contends that the public funds allocated for these programs ought to be channeled through individuals instead of being disbursed directly to insurance providers.
Senator Susan Collins, a Republican from Maine and the chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, stated on Monday that she would back an extension of the tax credits, provided certain modifications were made, including the implementation of new income limitations. A number of Democrats have indicated a potential willingness to consider this proposal.
House Democrats expressed great skepticism that the Senate effort would lead to a breakthrough.
According to Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut, the leading Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, Republicans have sought to dismantle the health reform law for the last decade and a half. “That’s where they’re trying to go,” she stated.
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Associated Press writer Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report.