Lagatar24 Desk
Washington, D.C.: After the longest government shutdown in American history, President Donald Trump signed a funding bill late Wednesday evening to reopen federal operations. The shutdown, which halted pay for over 1 million government workers and caused the delay or cancellation of 20,000 flights, ended after weeks of political deadlock.
Trump Signs Funding Bill, Attacks Democrats
At the signing ceremony in the Oval Office, Trump condemned what he called the “Democrats’ shutdown,” blaming them for “massive harm” to the economy and federal employees. “They caused 20,000 flights to be cancelled or delayed and deprived over 1 million government workers of their paychecks,” Trump said, adding that food assistance programs for millions were disrupted.
He further declared, “Today we are sending a clear message that we will never give in to extortion,” as Republican lawmakers applauded. The president warned that the full impact of the shutdown could take “weeks, or even months, to calculate,” citing “serious harm to families, small businesses, and the economy.”
Federal Agencies Begin Restart, Recovery To Take Days
Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stated that restoring full government operations could take several days. Airport flight restrictions and delays, which crippled major travel hubs, are expected to ease within a week. The shutdown had left hundreds of thousands of air traffic controllers and security staff working without pay, severely disrupting travel across the country.
Inside The Funding Bill
The funding bill includes provisions to reinstate federal employees who were dismissed during the shutdown and protects them from layoffs until January. It also ensures back pay for both furloughed and active employees who went unpaid, including 60,000 airport staff and contractors. Approximately 670,000 workers are now expected to return to their posts as operations resume.
