The U.S. House of Representatives passed a bipartisan compromise bill Wednesday evening, bringing an end to the longest and most contentious government shutdown in American history. The vote, called earlier in the day by Speaker Mike Johnson, was the final legislative hurdle needed to restore funding and reopen federal agencies after 43 days. The vote was 213 to 209.
The bill, which was advanced by the Senate earlier this week, now heads to the President’s desk to be signed into law, which is expected to happen immediately.
The passage of the bill means that hundreds of thousands of federal employees who were either furloughed or working without pay—including TSA agents, air traffic controllers, and crucial USDA staff—can finally return to work and will receive back pay.
The legislation is not a simple extension, but a hybrid package that was negotiated in the Senate. It provides full, year-long funding for three key appropriations bills:
- Agriculture (funding the USDA and securing SNAP benefits)
- Military Construction and Veterans Affairs (MilCon-VA)
- The Legislative Branch
The remaining nine government agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security, will be funded by a Continuing Resolution (CR), keeping them open until a new deadline of January 30.
The 43-day shutdown became a severe political crisis, with members from both parties expressing deep frustration over the impasse. Oklahoma’s Senator Markwayne Mullin and Congresswoman Stephanie Bice had both recently confirmed the framework of this deal, but the timeline remained uncertain due to procedural delays.
Speaker Johnson’s decision to bring the bill to the House floor signaled the final endgame, securing enough votes from both parties to overcome opposition from hardliners.
With the President’s signature imminent, the focus in Washington will immediately shift to the next fiscal deadline in January, as Congress must still negotiate and pass full-GET funding for the remaining nine agencies.
