Record Shutdown Ends
Last night, the historic 43-day government shutdown finally ended. The final tally was 222 to 209. The House passed legislation that reopens the federal government and funds several agencies but excludes an extension of the enhanced Affordable Care Act (ACA) premium tax credits. The bill also reinstates federal workers laid off during the shutdown, guarantees back pay for furloughed employees, and prevents further layoffs through the holiday season.
This shutdown was historic not only for its length but also for its widespread disruptions: major delays in air travel, the cessation of SNAP benefits for 42 million low-income Americans, and far-reaching effects from federal worker layoffs. The impasse was driven by disagreements over the ACA premium tax credits. While the bill does not address those credits, Senate Majority Leader John Thune has promised a vote on the subsidies in the coming weeks, likely at the start of December. However, there are no guarantees on their future beyond December 31. The interim spending package funds most of the government through Jan. 30, raising the prospected of another shutdown fight at that time. Food stamp benefits wouldn’t be at risk next time because the stopgap funds that program through Sept. 30. The Agriculture Department, Veterans Affairs department, Food and Drug Administration, military construction projects and Congress itself are also funded through Sept. 30.
The White House said Trump will sign the spending package Wednesday night, formally ending the shutdown.
While this is an incredible feat, things won't bounce back to normal just yet. Food aid won’t immediately snap back — states say they need as long as a week to update their beneficiary files and load debit cards. And with only two major card vendors, there could be bottlenecks as every state looks to replenish benefits all at once.
What’s Next
Congress now faces a very tight year-end timeline to clear the legislative decks. Key items include:
Funding the rest of the government not covered by this “minibus.”
Negotiations over ACA premium tax credits.
Passage of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA).
Consideration of renewed momentum to release the Jeffrey Epstein files following the swearing-in of Adelita Grijalva.