Shutdown Ends After 43 Days but SNAP Restoration Uneven Across States

Trump signed legislation ending the 43-day federal government shutdown on November 12, 2025, surpassing the 2018-2019 record to become the longest shutdown in US history. The reopening bill explicitly funded SNAP through September 30, 2026, but immediate benefit restoration was uneven: states with contingency funds restored full benefits within days while Mississippi and Alabama left recipients without November assistance for additional days. Food Bank of East Alabama executive director Martha Henk described the situation as chaotic, with calls from families and volunteers spiking sharply.