- US President Donald Trump signed a government funding bill, ending the longest-ever shutdown
- Trump's signing ceremony came 2 hours after the House of Representatives signed the bill
- The bill would extend funding through January 30
United States President Donald Trump on Wednesday signed a government funding bill, which ended the record 43-day-long shutdown, which caused financial stress for federal workers who went without pay, stranded scores of travellers at airports, and also generated long queues at some food banks.
Before signing the bill, Trump said, "Today we are sending a clear message that we will never give in to extortion." Trump's remark led to applause from Republican lawmakers gathered around him in the Oval Office.
READ: US Faces Worst Flight Disruptions Of Shutdown: 10,000 Delays, 3,200 Cancellations
The signing ceremony came just two hours after the Republican-led House of Representatives passed the bill by a vote of 222-209. Trump's signature on the bill, which cleared the Senate earlier this week, will bring federal workers idled by the shutdown back to their jobs starting as early as Thursday, a report by the news agency Reuters said.
Bill To Extend Funding Through January
The bill would extend funding through January 30, leaving the federal government on a path to keep adding about $1.8 trillion a year to its $38 trillion in debt. The bill includes a reversal of the firing of federal workers by the Trump administration since the shutdown began on October 1.
It also protects federal workers against further layoffs through January and guarantees they are paid once the shutdown is over.
READ: 14 Failed Votes, $7 Billion Loss: Inside Longest US Shutdown In History
The bill for the Agriculture Department means people who rely on key food assistance programs will see those benefits funded without threat of interruption through the rest of the budget year, a report by the news agency Associated Press said. The package includes $203.5 million to boost security for lawmakers and an additional $28 million for the security of Supreme Court justices.
What Happens Next?
Reuters reported that the government shutdown's end offers some hope that services crucial to air travel in particular would have some time to recover with the Thanksgiving holiday just two weeks away.
The restoration of food aid to millions of citizens might make room in the household budgets for spending as the Christmas season approaches.
The end of the shutdown also means the restoration in coming days of the flow of data on the US economy from key statistical agencies.
(With inputs from agencies)
