Trump signs bill to end longest Govt shutdown in US history

New Delhi, Nov 13: US President Donald Trump has signed a bill to end the longest government shutdown in the nation’s history, reopening federal offices and bringing hundreds of thousands of furloughed workers back on the job after 43 days of closure.

The measure, passed by the House of Representatives in a 222-209 vote late Wednesday, with six Democrats joining Republicans in support, followed Senate approval earlier in the week. Trump signed the legislation in the Oval Office, calling it “a great day” for America. “The country has never been in better shape,” he said, as reporters were ushered out.

The shutdown, which began on October 1, had forced nearly 670,000 federal employees to stay home without pay, while another 730,000 were required to work without salaries. With the government now funded, pay cheques are expected to reach affected workers in the coming days. Federal agencies, departments, and national landmarks will gradually reopen, though officials warn that full recovery could take weeks. According to the Bipartisan Policy Centre, the 43-day closure disrupted a wide range of services, from food assistance for 42 million Americans to early childhood education and heating subsidies for low-income households, BBC reported.. While the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will resume immediately, programmes like Head Start and LIHEAP may take longer to restart. Airports, which faced delays after air traffic controllers began calling out of work, are also expected to return to normal operations soon. In remarks after signing the bill, Trump blamed Democrats for prolonging the impasse, urging voters to “remember this” in the November 2026 midterm elections. “Democrats were happy for millions of Americans to suffer,” he said, as he sought to rally Republican support in the closely divided House. The 43-day shutdown surpasses the previous record of 35 days, also set during Trump’s first term, underscoring the deep political divisions that continue to paralyse Washington.