WASHINGTON —
President Donald Trump signed a government funding bill Wednesday night, concluding a historic 43-day partial government shutdown that inflicted financial hardship on federal workers, caused significant airport delays, and overwhelmed food banks.
The lengthy stalemate deepened partisan divides, with President Trump taking unprecedented unilateral actions—including canceling projects and attempting to fire federal workers—to pressure Democrats into abandoning their key policy demand.
A Political Blame Game
The Republican president placed the blame squarely on Democrats, suggesting voters should remember this during the next election cycle.
“So I just want to tell the American people, you should not forget this,” Trump said. “When we come up to midterms and other things, don’t forget what they’ve done to our country.”
The signing ceremony followed a House vote of 222-209, which largely fell along party lines. The Senate had passed the measure on Monday.
The core disagreement centered on an enhanced tax credit that lowers health insurance costs under the Affordable Care Act, which is set to expire at year’s end. Democrats refused to support any spending bill that did not extend this credit, while Republicans insisted it was a separate policy issue to be debated later.
“We told you 43 days ago from bitter experience that government shutdowns don’t work,” said Rep. Tom Cole (R-Okla.), Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee. “They never achieve the objective that you announce. And guess what? You haven’t achieved that objective yet, and you’re not going to.”
Frustration and a Bitter End
The frustration was palpable during the House floor debate. Republicans accused Democrats of leveraging the shutdown’s pain to win a political fight.
“They knew it would cause pain and they did it anyway,” said House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.).
Democrats countered by accusing Republicans of prioritizing tax breaks for the wealthy earlier in the year, while now abandoning working families.
The bill before the House Wednesday “leaves families twisting in the wind with zero guarantee there will ever, ever be a vote to extend tax credits to help everyday people pay for their health care,” said Rep. Jim McGovern (D-Mass.).
Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries vowed to continue the fight, stating, “This fight is not over. We’re just getting started.”
Key Provisions of the Bill
The legislation resulted from a compromise reached by eight Democratic senators who broke ranks, conceding that Republicans would not relent on the health care issue within the funding bill.
The compromise:
- Funds three annual spending bills and extends other government funding through Jan. 30.
- Reverses the firing of federal workers by the Trump administration during the shutdown.
- Protects federal workers from further layoffs through January and guarantees back pay.
- Fully funds key food assistance programs for the remainder of the budget year.
- Allocates $203.5 million for enhanced security for lawmakers and $28 million for Supreme Court justices’ security.
A contentious provision allows senators to sue for up to $500,000 in damages if a federal agency searches their electronic records without notification. This is seen as a response to the FBI’s investigation into the January 6th attack. Speaker Johnson expressed anger over this last-minute addition, promising a vote on the matter soon.
The Unresolved Healthcare Debate
The expiring health care tax credit remained the biggest point of contention. Republicans promised a vote on extending the subsidies by mid-December, but its passage is uncertain.
“It’s a subsidy on top of a subsidy. Our friends added it during COVID,” Cole said. “COVID is over. They set a date certain that the subsidies would run out. They chose the date.”
Democrats defended the credit as essential for expanding healthcare access. Without it, the Congressional Budget Office projects premiums will more than double for millions, and over two million people would lose coverage altogether.
The path forward is unclear. While some Republicans like Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) are open to an extension with modifications, House Democrats remain deeply skeptical of any breakthrough, citing the GOP’s long-standing opposition to the Affordable Care Act.
