The United States House of Representatives has approved a spending bill intended to end the ongoing federal government shutdown, marking a decisive step toward restoring full government operations after weeks of disruption. The measure passed with a 222–209 vote following a contentious debate in Washington, where party leaders exchanged blame over the prolonged impasse. Six Democrats joined Republicans in supporting the legislation, giving the Republican-led chamber the margin it needed to send the bill to President Donald Trump. The president has said he plans to sign the measure tonight, which would officially bring the longest government shutdown in the nation’s history to a close.
The bill contains several provisions designed to stabilize federal operations and alleviate concerns among government employees who faced layoffs and pay interruptions during the shutdown. Among its key elements is the reinstatement of all federal workers who were furloughed, along with a guarantee of backpay for both furloughed and essential employees who continued working without compensation. The legislation also extends stopgap funding to keep the government running through January, allowing Congress a narrow window to negotiate longer-term budget agreements.
One issue that remains unresolved is the extension of health insurance subsidies that many Democrats had pushed to include in the spending bill. Instead of embedding renewed healthcare tax credits directly into this legislation, lawmakers have set the stage for a separate vote on the matter in mid-December. This omission became a central point of contention as both parties framed the shutdown’s consequences through competing narratives about healthcare costs and responsibility for stalled negotiations.
As the House prepared for the final vote, Speaker Mike Johnson used his remarks on the chamber floor to argue that Democrats repeatedly voted to allow the shutdown to continue. He described the bill as a clean measure offered in good faith by Republicans and emphasized the urgency of reopening federal services. Johnson maintained that the priority must be restoring stability for government employees and the public they serve.
Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries exercised the “magic minute,” a procedural allowance granting him unlimited time to speak. In his address, he criticized Republicans for refusing to extend healthcare tax credits that he argued would help reduce medical expenses for millions of Americans. Jeffries accused a faction of what he described as extremist lawmakers of undermining efforts to protect families from rising healthcare costs, asserting that their approach failed to reflect the needs of the American people.
The path forward now rests with the president, who plans to sign the bill later tonight. According to information released by the White House, the signing is scheduled for 21:45 local time, following a private dinner with business leaders. Once the president provides his approval, federal agencies will begin the process of reopening, employees will return to work, and delayed services across the country will resume.
The conclusion of this shutdown marks an important but temporary resolution to a prolonged standoff in Washington. While the spending bill restores governmental functions in the short term, lawmakers will face renewed pressure in the coming weeks to negotiate longer-term agreements on funding, healthcare subsidies, and other unresolved priorities that continue to divide Congress.
