Trump signs bill to end longest shutdown in US history; America set for slow return to normal

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday night signed a bill to reopen the federal government, ending the longest shutdown in American history.

Speaking at the White House, Trump said, “I just want to tell you, the country has never been in better shape.” He added that the temporary funding lapse occurred because Democrats believed it would benefit them politically. “It’s an honour now to sign this incredible bill and get our country working again,” he said during the signing ceremony.

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Earlier in the week, the US Senate approved legislation to end the shutdown and restore funding to federal agencies. On Wednesday, the bill passed the House of Representatives in a 222–209 vote, with six Democrats joining Republicans in support. Trump signed it into law shortly after the House vote.

The shutdown lasted 43 days, during which hundreds of thousands of federal employees were furloughed, worked without pay, or faced layoffs. Several federal agencies, departments and programmes were either closed or operating at limited capacity due to lapsed funding.

With the government now reopening, many federal employees and contractors are expected to return to work as early as Thursday morning. However, officials warn that the impact of the six-week closure will likely be felt across the country for weeks.

According to the Bipartisan Policy Center, 670,000 government employees were furloughed during the shutdown, while another 730,000 continued to work without pay. Now that operations have resumed, employees should begin receiving their delayed pay cheques soon, and those furloughed are expected to return to their posts.