Trump ends longest US government shutdown

US President Donald Trump signed, on Nov. 13, a temporary funding bill after it was approved by both the House of Representatives and the Senate, ending the government shutdown that began on Oct. 1 and became the longest in the country’s history.

Trump’s signature came about three hours after the House passed the bill with 222 votes in favor, including six Democrats, while 209 members voted against it, among them two Republicans.

The Republican President blamed Democrats for the prolonged shutdown, saying voters should not reward them in next year’s midterm elections.

During the bill signing in the Oval Office, Trump told Americans that they should remember what Democrats did to the country when voting in the midterms.

Following the bill’s approval, federal employees resumed work on Nov. 13. However, it may take days or weeks for the government to return to full capacity and clear the backlog caused by the shutdown.

Government operations had been suspended since Oct. 1, and key economic reports on inflation and employment were delayed, as Senate Democrats repeatedly rejected funding proposals that did not extend tax credits under the Affordable Care Act.

Earlier, on Nov. 11, the US Senate passed the bill after negotiations with several Democratic members resulted in a compromise on temporary funding.

The bill, negotiated among senators, funds the government through the end of January, cancels layoffs of federal employees caused by the shutdown, and ensures payment of their delayed salaries.

It also includes a provision guaranteeing a December vote on a Democrat-backed bill to extend healthcare-related tax credits used by more than 20 million Americans.

Additionally, the agreement secures funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which provides food aid to 42 million Americans through food stamps, until next September.