U.S. President Donald Trump has signed legislation to end the country’s longest-ever government shutdown, about two hours after the House of Representatives voted to restore food assistance, pay federal workers, and revive air traffic control operations.
The measure, which had earlier cleared the Senate with broad bipartisan support, funds the federal government through Jan. 30, bringing an end to a 42-day partial closure that disrupted key services and strained hundreds of thousands of families.
The shutdown, triggered by a budget impasse between the White House and Congress, halted food aid programmes, delayed pay for nearly 800,000 government employees, and caused widespread air travel disruptions.
Also Read:US Senate Passes Bill to End Government Shutdown
“This agreement reflects our shared commitment to reopening our government and supporting American workers,” Trump said during the signing ceremony at the White House.
Transportation officials said air traffic operations would gradually return to normal by the weekend as staffing levels improved. Analysts estimate that the shutdown cost the U.S. economy billions of dollars in lost productivity and consumer spending.
The deal ends weeks of political deadlock but sets up fresh budget negotiations in the coming months over federal spending priorities.
