The U.S. House of Representatives has approved a short-term spending bill to reopen the federal government after the longest shutdown in American history.
The measure, backed by Republicans in both chambers, passed just two days after a narrow Senate vote and now awaits President Donald Trump’s signature.
The shutdown, which began on 1 October, left millions of Americans without access to food assistance, disrupted air travel as unpaid controllers called in sick, and caused widespread delays across essential government operations.
Trump, who has publicly criticised the shutdown, is expected to sign the bill late Wednesday, temporarily easing the strain that has crippled federal services for more than 40 days.
Under the deal, funding will only extend until 30 January, giving lawmakers a brief window to negotiate a longer-term solution. The deadlock stemmed largely from clashing demands over healthcare subsidies for low-income Americans: Democrats insisted these subsidies be included in any temporary funding plan, while Republicans pushed a simple continuing resolution.
A group of Senate Democrats ultimately broke the impasse after securing a promise of a December vote on healthcare subsidies, allowing the bill to move forward. House Democrats, frustrated by the compromise, failed to gather enough moderate Republican support to force their own vote on the subsidies. Meanwhile, Arizona Democrat Adelita Grijalva was sworn in just hours before the final vote, immediately becoming the decisive 218th signature on a petition to require the release of Epstein-related documents — prompting Speaker Mike Johnson to pledge a vote on the matter next week.
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