After an unprecedented 43-day standoff, the House is set to cast a decisive vote Wednesday evening on legislation to reopen the federal government and bring an end to the longest shutdown in American history.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., recalled lawmakers for the first time since Sept. 19, ending what had become an unusually long and unscheduled recess. Standing before reporters, Johnson apologized to the nation for the turmoil caused by the shutdown, citing widespread flight delays, unpaid workers, and families struggling to make ends meet. He laid blame squarely on Democrats for repeated funding roadblocks.
“They have a lot to answer for, and I just want to say that we’re very optimistic about the vote tally tonight. We think this is going to happen, and we’re sorry that it took this long,” Johnson said Wednesday.
The legislation up for consideration mirrors the Senate-passed bill from Monday, which advanced after eight Democrats joined Republicans to break a filibuster. A procedural vote in the House is expected late Wednesday afternoon, followed by a final vote in the evening. If passed, the bill will head to President Donald Trump’s desk to be signed into law, restoring federal operations and unlocking frozen funds.
The package contains a “minibus” of three full-year appropriations bills that will run through next September, while maintaining current spending levels for the remainder of the government until Jan. 30. Among its provisions is full funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), ensuring benefits continue through September for the more than 40 million Americans who rely on it. The shutdown had pushed some households into food insecurity, with partial benefits issued only after a judge’s order as the Trump administration fought in court to limit additional funding.
The bill also offers relief for federal workers, reinstating thousands who were laid off and guaranteeing back pay for those furloughed or working without compensation. It halts further reductions in force, or RIFs, through the end of January — a measure meant to stabilize the federal workforce that has been under strain since the start of Trump’s term.
However, in a significant concession from Democrats, the legislation excludes an extension of enhanced Affordable Care Act (ACA) subsidies. With Republicans holding firm against continuing the subsidies beyond this year, roughly 20 million Americans could see higher health insurance premiums next year. Democratic lawmakers voiced sharp frustration, warning that failure to secure ACA funding could undermine the party’s health care agenda.
Republicans on the House Rules Committee on Tuesday rejected Democratic motions to guarantee a floor vote on the ACA subsidy extension, as well as an amendment from Rep. Steven Horsford, D-Nev., proposing to redirect Trump’s $40 billion “bailout” to Argentina toward healthcare funding. “I guess MAGA stands for MAKE ARGENTINA GREAT AGAIN,” Rep. Teresa Leger Fernández, D-N.M., remarked in response.
Despite Democratic opposition, momentum appears to be on the Republicans’ side. The House Freedom Caucus, often a source of internal rebellion, distributed internal talking points praising the bill as a “responsible CR” that funds the government through 2026 while avoiding what they described as a “bloated omnibus” deal. The group emphasized that spending either remained flat or increased only modestly.
A controversial addition to the bill allows senators — but not House members — to sue the federal government if their phone records were obtained without notice during the Jan. 6, 2021, investigation. The provision appears to specifically cover eight GOP senators and has drawn criticism from both parties.
Still, Democrats see a broader message emerging from the ordeal. Party leaders say the drawn-out standoff highlighted their commitment to affordability and health care, themes that they believe resonated with voters in recent state elections. “That will be one of the defining contrasts of the midterms: Democrats working on behalf of the people to lower costs versus Republicans who have made life more expensive for everyday families,” Rep. Suzan DelBene, D-Wash., said in a statement.
The six-week shutdown left deep marks across the country. The Federal Aviation Administration was forced to scale back flights due to a shortage of air traffic controllers, resulting in thousands of delays and cancellations. The White House also threatened to suspend SNAP payments entirely until the government reopened, but a court ordered limited payments to continue.
As the final vote approaches, optimism is mixed with fatigue on Capitol Hill. Both parties acknowledge the toll the shutdown took on millions of Americans — and how its end could mark the beginning of another round of political battles over spending, healthcare, and the nation’s economic direction.