The United States House of Representatives passed legislation on 12 November to reopen the federal government and end what became the longest shutdown in US history, lasting 43 days. The vote came after Speaker Mike Johnson reconvened the chamber for the first time since 19 September. Lawmakers approved the bill in a 222–209 vote, sending the measure to President Donald Trump’s desk, who signed and finalised it shortly after.
The Senate had already advanced the same legislation on Monday with a 60–40 vote, after eight Democrats crossed party lines to join Republicans in breaking a filibuster and clearing the 60-vote threshold. The passage of the measure by both chambers paves the way for the government to fully resume operations.
The shutdown began after Democrats and Republicans failed to agree on government funding, forcing hundreds of thousands of federal employees to stay home or work without pay. According to a State Department official, the shutdown had stalled over $5 billion in weapons sales for NATO allies and Ukraine, delaying both government-to-government transfers and export licences for private defence firms.
