By Key Jones-Ford
After 43 days, the federal government of the United States reopened after shutting down due to disagreements in the Senate over funding.
The U.S. government spent over a month shut down due to a disagreement in the Senate on a bill that would fund the federal government through 2026. Senate Democrats by large wanted to extend tax credits on health insurance by another year, while Senate Republicans wanted to let the credits expire. Their disagreement led to the historical shutdown.
On Nov. 9, the Senate proposed a new funding bill. Eight senators–seven democrats and one independent–voted with Republicans on an agreement to fund the government and vote on the health insurance tax credit at a later date.
On Nov. 12, the U.S. House of Representatives approved the funding bill proposed. According to the BBC, the bill was approved with a vote of 222-209, with President Donald Trump signing the bill into law the same day. Six Democrats joined Republicans to vote yes.
The funding package, known as H.R.5371, extends money for most federal agencies until Jan. 30, 2026, and guarantees all federal workers who were laid off will be able to return to work. Those who were not laid off will receive back pay that was missed during the shutdown. It is not clear how quickly this back pay will be distributed.
The bill also extends funding to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Department of Agriculture, Congress, and Veterans Affairs through September 2026, when a new funding bill will be proposed and voted on.
Not included in the bill was an extension of the subsidies provided by the Affordable Care Act. These subsidies lower the cost of health insurance for several low-income citizens across America. Their expiration means that millions are at risk of losing their insurance.
As a compromise, the senators made a deal to hold another vote on the tax credits at a later date, reported by BBC to take place by the end of the second week in December.
Democrats, both on Capitol Hill and across the nation, have criticised the seven senators who voted on the bill. In particular, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer [D-NY] has come under fire for his perceived “ineffectiveness” as a leader for the Democratic Caucus, and several are now calling for his removal. Representative Seth Moulton [D-MA] wrote in a post on X, “Tonight is another example of why we need new leadership. If @ChuckSchumer were an effective leader, he would have united his caucus to vote ‘No’ tonight and hold the line on healthcare.”
“We had a responsibility to develop, to deliver on health care subsidies, and the Senate failed to do that,” said Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez [D-NY] in a press conference reported on by Politico.
Schumer has vowed to “keep fighting” in a post to his X account, mentioning that Democrats have fought “for months” to address the healthcare crisis in America.
Now that the shutdown is over, the damage it left must be dealt with.
During the shutdown, SNAP benefits, Smithsonian institutes, airlines, national parks, and federal workers were largely affected.
National parks and Smithsonian institutes are federally funded; during the shutdown, these institutes were closed to the public or operating with reduced staff. NPR reports that these parks were unable to collect any revenue from entrance or recreational fees and are feeling the strain in combination with their reduction in federal funding.
“For 43 days, many national parks were left open, vulnerable and unprotected,” Kristen Brengel, senior vice president of government affairs at The National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA), said to NPR. Brengel also revealed that they are unsure if they will be able to recover those missing funds in a timely manner.
Airlines saw a reduction in service due to the shutdown, and are not expected to make a full comeback from their reduced service.
CNN reports that the 6% reduction in flights from major airports will remain in effect until the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) deems it safe to return to full capacity. Airline traffic controllers are among those who will be returning to work after missing two paychecks from the month of October.
SNAP benefits are resuming; however, it remains to be seen how soon recipients will receive their benefits. In addition to being paused in some states, the program is facing several ongoing legal challenges and changes to the program written in the bill passed in the summer. The new policy requires recipients to work at least 20 hours per pay week, according to the USDA website.
While the shutdown was in effect, the House of Representatives was in recess, delaying the swearing in of recently elected representative Adelita Grijalva [D-AZ]. When the House reconvened to vote on H.R.5371, Grijalva was also sworn in on Nov. 12, according to PBS. Grijalva takes the place of her late father, Raúl Grijalva. “We can and must do better. What is most concerning is not what this administration has done, but what the majority of this body has failed to do,” she said in her speech upon being sworn in.
The extension of the funding lasts only until Jan. 30, meaning if there is another disagreement, there could be another shutdown.