43-day shutdown ends as Trump signs funding bill after historic standoff

Trump signed the funding bill late on Nov. 12, 2025, ending a 43-day shutdown that began Oct. 1 — the longest in U.S. history, surpassing the previous record of 35 days from the 2018–2019 Trump shutdown. The legislation failed 14 times before finally passing, with the Senate voting 68–32 to end debate and the House passing it 222–209.

Six Democrats crossed party lines to pass the House bill. Senate Democrats who agreed to the deal took criticism from their own caucus.

Sen. AOAlexandria Ocasio-Cortez called it 'cowardice.' Senate Minority Leader CSChuck Schumer had demanded an extension of ACA subsidies as the price of Democratic cooperation; he did not get it.

The deal funds most agencies at current levels through Jan. 30, 2026 — a 10-week stopgap. It provides full-year funding for the VA ($133.2 billion), Agriculture, military construction ($153 billion combined), and Congress. The SNAP food assistance program is fully funded through September 2026, ending the legal standoff over November benefits.

Roughly 670,000 federal workers were furloughed during the shutdown; another 730,000 worked without pay. The deal guarantees back pay for all of them and requires 4,000 workers laid off during the shutdown to be rehired. It also bars OMB from imposing mass layoffs on federal workers until Jan. 30.

The ACA enhanced premium tax credits — the central Democratic demand — are not in the bill

Thune pledged a December Senate vote, but the credits still need to pass the House, which Speaker Johnson has not committed to

The credits expire Dec. 31 An estimated 22 million Americans face potential premium spikes of up to 114% in 2026 if they lapse.

The shutdown cost the U.S. economy billions. Trump's top economist Kevin Hassett estimated the shutdown caused the loss of 60,000 private-sector jobs. The October jobs report — normally a key economic data point — was released without an unemployment rate because the required survey wasn't conducted during the shutdown.

National parks were left open but unprotected throughout the 43 days. The National Park Service, already down 25% of permanent staff from prior cuts, couldn't collect entrance fees during the shutdown — delaying construction projects and depleting nonprofit budgets that had stepped in to help parks stay operational.

Trump signed the bill and called for eliminating the Senate filibuster, saying it was the only reason shutdowns happen. 'If we had the filibuster terminated, this would never happen again,' he told reporters.

Republicans currently hold 53 Senate seats — not enough for cloture without Democratic votes. Ending the filibuster would require 51 votes and a rule change.