President Donald Trump signed a bill Nov. 12 to reopen the federal government after a 43-day shutdown — the longest in U.S. history. The signing ceremony came just hours after the House voted 222-209 to pass the measure.
“It’s an honor now to sign this incredible bill and get our country working again,” Trump said from the Oval Office. He estimated the shutdown cost the nation $1.5 trillion.
“For the past 43 days, Democrats in Congress shut down the government of the United States in an attempt to extort American taxpayers for hundreds of billions of dollars for illegal aliens and people that came into our country illegally,” Trump said.
“Today,” he added, “we’re sending a clear message that we will never give in to extortion.”
Throughout the impasse, the White House maintained that Democrats repeatedly voted against a clean Republican funding bill because they demanded roughly $200 billion over the next decade to provide healthcare for illegal immigrants and other noncitizens.
During his remarks, Trump also called for eliminating the filibuster to prevent future shutdowns.
The legislation Trump signed to reopen the government combines three full-year spending measures with a short-term continuing resolution to fund the rest of the government through Jan. 30, 2026. It reverses mass federal layoffs triggered during the shutdown and blocks further firings while the stopgap remains in effect. Hundreds of thousands of federal workers furloughed or working without pay will receive back pay under the provisions of the bill.
The package also ensures full funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits through September 2026.
SNAP recipients who saw reduced payments in November should also receive back pay on their full food-aid benefits, Politico reported. U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) spokesperson Alec Varsamis said in a statement, according to Politico, that most states will receive the funds to distribute SNAP benefits “within 24 hours” of the government reopening. However, the Associated Press noted that the timing will vary by state and that the USDA did not immediately clarify whether the 24-hour estimate refers to when states receive the funds or when the money appears on beneficiaries’ prepaid debit cards.
The Senate had approved the same measure Nov. 10, with eight members of the Democratic caucus crossing party lines to join Republicans. As CatholicVote previously reported, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., secured Democratic support by agreeing to allow a vote on extending expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies, though the measure is widely expected to fail.
>> Senate passes deal to end record-long government shutdown <<
Before the House vote, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., apologized to Americans for the disruption caused by the shutdown. He blamed Democrats for flight delays and cancellations, missed paychecks, and how low-income families went without SNAP benefits.
“While the Democrats keep voting to shut their government down, Republicans are going to vote to open it back up,” Johnson said in a floor speech. “And with that, we’re going to get the American government running again and working for the people, as they deserve.”