WASHINGTON — The longest-ever federal government shutdown, 43 days, finally began reaching a resolution on Nov. 12 with the U.S. House of Representatives by a 222 to 209 vote on the funding bill that will reopen the government. This was preceded by the U.S. Senate’s Nov. 10 vote, 60 to 40. The bill was quickly signed by President Donald Trump, and the process begins for services to return, including the USDA’s programs.
This spending bill reopens federal government funds until Jan. 30, 2026, but agencies such as USDA and Veterans Affairs are funded through the end of the fiscal year, which will be the end of September 2026.
It was also reported that between 670,000 and 750,000 federal employees were furloughed during the shutdown. These employees have been asked to immediately return. With holiday travel now upon the nation, and the U.S. Transportation Department and the Federal Aviation Administration have announced an emergency order to freeze the previously announced flight reduction at 6 percent as the departments assess when the systems can return to normal flight operations.
“The FAA safety team is encouraged to see our air traffic control staffing surge, and they feel comfortable with pausing the reduction schedule to give us time to review the airspace,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy said in an announcement. “The data is going to guide what we do because the safety of the American people comes first. If the FAA safety team determines the trend lines are moving in the right direction, we’ll put forward a path to resume normal operations.”
Among the USDA’s programs debated during the shutdown were the SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits. The department states that these food aid benefits should be distributed within a week, but that the process is complicated because it is filtered through all of the state governments for allocation. When the funding for the program stopped, federal courts stepped in and ordered the administration to pay the SNAP benefits, and the administration then went to the U.S. Supreme Court to seek a pause on the orders. This case has now been withdrawn as funding should now resume. This new federal bill is to provide full SNAP funding through September 2026.
U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) noted in his Nov. 10 remarks to the U.S. Senate, that “…year-long funding for SNAP, for WIC, for veterans, for essential farm programs, and for a number of other critical priorities will be met.”
Agriculture
U.S. agriculture groups noted their approval that essential national services for farmers would now be back on track.
“Farm Bureau applauds the House for its vote to end the government shutdown, swiftly following the Senate’s vote,” Zippy Duvall, American Farm Bureau Federation president said in a statement. “Farmers and ranchers rely on critical USDA services and disaster relief programs during these tough economic times, as do Americans who need access to food assistance programs and other services.”
“We urge President Trump to quickly sign the continuing resolution so Congress can return its focus to policies that will improve the farm economy and expand opportunities for America’s farm families,” Duvall added.
The National Farmers Union noted similar approval for the ending of the government shutdown, and voiced concern over current economic challenges.
“We are relieved to see Congress reach an agreement to reopen the federal government along with another extension of the farm bill,” Rob Larew, National Farmers Union president, said. “But this is the bare minimum.”
“We’ve already lost too much time,” Larew added in his comments. “The farm safety net is outdated and can’t keep up with today’s economic realities. Input costs remain high, trade relationships are uncertain, access to affordable healthcare is in danger, and the stress on rural communities continues to grow.”
