United States (U.S) president Donald Trump has signed a government funding bill into law, bringing an end to the longest government shutdown in the nation’s history.
The legislation, which had earlier passed through both chambers of congress, was approved by the house of representatives on Wednesday, November 12, with a 222–209 vote, following its narrow passage in the senate two days earlier.
Trump hailed the legislation as a victory over democrats, saying, “They didn’t want to do it the easy way. They had to do it the hard way, and they look very bad.”
However, the short-term budget only funds the government through January 30, requiring lawmakers to revisit funding before that deadline.
The deal also schedules an early December senate vote on the expiring Obamacare subsidies, which were a central issue during the shutdown negotiations.
The legislation provides full-year funding for the department of agriculture, military construction, legislative agencies, and ensures that all federal workers are paid for the duration of the shutdown.
It also allocates funds to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which supports one in eight Americans with food aid.
The shutdown, which began in October, left many government services suspended and forced approximately 1.4 million federal employees to work without pay or stay on unpaid leave.
It also disrupted domestic air travel and delayed food aid programs, creating widespread challenges for Americans nationwide.
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