President Donald Trump has signed a funding bill to end the longest government shutdown in US history, which lasted 42 days. The House of Representatives passed the measure by 222 votes to 209, with six Democrats crossing the aisle to support it and two Republicans voting against.
The compromise, negotiated by Republicans and a group of Democrat-aligned senators, will fund federal operations through January but leaves unresolved the issue of expiring tax credits for Affordable Care Act health plans. Democrats had demanded the subsidies be extended as part of any deal to reopen the government.
Speaking after signing the bill, President Trump said: 'We're sending a clear message that we will never give in to extortion, because that's what it was … the Democrats tried to extort our country.' House Republican leadership blamed Democrats for the shutdown, citing disruptions to air travel and the halting of the largest federal food aid programme.
Democratic minority leader Hakeem Jeffries vowed to continue the fight, stating: 'Either Republicans finally decide to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits this year, or the American people will throw Republicans out of their jobs next year.' The shutdown began on 1 October, leaving roughly 700,000 federal workers furloughed and hundreds of thousands more working without pay.
The spending standoff was the most significant clash between congressional Democrats and Republicans since President Trump returned to the White House. It resulted in unprecedented disruption, including cuts to commercial air travel and the first-ever halt to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programme, leading to increased demand at food banks.
