‘It’s Over!’ Trump signs Bill, ending America’s longest shutdown after 43 days

Key Concepts:

• Government Shutdown
• Funding Lapse
• House of Representatives
• Senate
• Presidential Approval
• Bipartisan Vote
• Obamacare

End of Longest Government Shutdown in US History

The United States has officially ended its longest-ever government shutdown, which lasted for 43 days. This funding lapse concluded after the House of Representatives passed a bill to reopen the government, which was then sent to President Donald Trump for his approval.

Legislative Process and Voting Details

Lawmakers returned to Washington to vote on the funding measure.

• House of Representatives Vote: The bill was approved by a vote of 202 to 296. Notably, Democrats crossed party lines to support the Republican bill. Two Republicans, Thomas Massie of Kentucky and Greg Stub of Florida, voted against it. The transcript states, "In this vote, the A's are 222, the nays are 209. The bill is passed." (Note: There is a discrepancy in the vote counts provided in the transcript for the House vote. One instance states 202 to 296, while another states 222 to 209. The latter is presented as the final tally for passage.)
• Senate Vote: The Senate had cleared the bill earlier on Monday. The transcript states, "On this vote, the eyes are 60, the nays are 40. The bill as amended is passed."

Presidential Action and White House Statement

The White House announced that President Trump would sign the measure on camera from the Oval Office at 9:45 p.m. Eastern time.

• President Trump's Statement: At the signing ceremony, President Trump stated, "And we're going to forget this Obamacare madness." He also remarked, "So, with all of that, I just want to tell you the country has never been in better shape. We went through this uh short-term disaster with the Democrats because they thought it would be good politically, and it's an honor now to sign this incredible bill and get our country working again. Thank you. Okay. Thank you very much."

Attribution of Blame and Political Commentary

The transcript includes strong political commentary regarding the cause of the shutdown.

• Democratic Blame: The transcript asserts, "In other news, the Democrats dragged on the government shutdown for 43 days, the longest shutdown in US history. But tonight, thanks to Republicans, the White House is very hopeful that this shutdown is going to come to an end. The damage caused by the Democrats with this reckless government shutdown cannot be forgotten. It is entirely the fault of the Democrat party. Just look at the vote count."

Conclusion

The 43-day government shutdown, the longest in US history, has officially ended with President Donald Trump signing the funding bill. The legislative process involved votes in both the Senate and the House of Representatives, with a degree of bipartisan support in the House. The White House and President Trump attributed the shutdown's duration and its negative impact to the Democratic party.