The shutdown began Oct. 1, 2025, when Congress failed to pass either a full-year appropriations package or a continuing resolution to fund federal operations. It became the longest lapse in government funding ever recorded, surpassing the 35-day shutdown of 2018–19.
Trump signed the funding bill late Tuesday after both chambers of Congress approved it, the House by a 222–209 vote and the Senate earlier in the day. The stop-gap law funds most agencies through the end of January while extending certain “minibus” appropriations through September 2026.
Workers return, but recovery will take time
Roughly 670,000 federal workers were furloughed without pay, while an additional 730,000 were required to work through the shutdown without compensation. The new law guarantees back pay for all affected employees and reverses planned layoffs.
Essential agencies, including the Federal Aviation Administration and Transportation Security Administration, struggled with staffing shortages that caused widespread flight cancellations and delays. The FAA said air traffic operations will gradually return to normal, though reduced schedules at major airports could persist through the end of the month.
Cultural institutions are also reopening on a rolling basis. The Smithsonian announced that its museums and the National Zoo will reopen by Nov. 17. National parks and federal archives, closed for over six weeks, are similarly restoring visitor services.
Economic and social impacts
Analysts estimate the shutdown cost the U.S. economy between $7 billion and $11 billion in lost productivity and delayed spending. Low-income Americans bore the brunt of the stoppage: the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) temporarily cut benefit levels in several states, while housing vouchers and small business loans were paused.
In Minnesota and across the Midwest, furloughs affected thousands of federal workers, including employees at the Minneapolis VA, USDA field offices, and IRS centers. The temporary halt also delayed farm subsidy payments and food inspection programs.
What’s in the deal, and what’s next
While the funding measure restores federal operations, it omits several Democratic priorities, including a one-year extension of Affordable Care Act premium tax credits set to expire at the end of 2025. The omission sets up another potential clash when the short-term deal expires in late January.
Congress will now turn to full-year appropriations for the 2026 fiscal year, an effort lawmakers from both parties say must begin immediately to avoid another standoff.
The road ahead
The short-term funding deal provides breathing room but leaves unresolved disputes over health-care subsidies, immigration enforcement funding, and spending caps. Congressional leaders have set a Dec. 15 deadline to present a long-term framework before the next potential shutdown in early 2026.
For now, federal workers are returning to their jobs, government websites and services are back online, and the longest funding lapse in U.S. history is over, at least temporarily.
