WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump signed the spending resolution to reopen the government until the end of January, officially ending the 43-day shutdown that has plagued the federal government and brought agencies across the country to a halt.
Trump enacted the funding package just hours after it passed the House in a 222-209 vote mostly along party lines, barely overcoming the 217-majority threshold needed to pass the lower chamber. The bill passed with mostly Republican support, but there were two defectors within the party who objected for different reasons.
At least one GOP “no”, Rep. Greg Steube of Florida, said he would not support the package because of a provision that was tucked in at the 11th hour that would allow senators to sue the federal government for seizing phone records without prior notice. That provision was specifically included for eight senators whose records were obtained by former special counsel Jack Smith during his investigation into the Jan. 6 riots.
But the language was inserted without the knowledge or approval of House Republicans, who were angry when they found out taxpayer dollars would go toward the impending legal action.
“I’m not voting to give Lindsey Graham half a million dollars,” Steube told reporters on Wednesday, referring to the South Carolina senator who already said he plans to sue to receive the payout.
That put House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., in a tough spot as he can only lose two Republicans on any piece of legislation before has to rely on Democratic support. Republican Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky also voted no on the bill.
However, six Democrats crossed party lines to support the bill, pushing it over the simply majority threshold needed to pass.
All four members of Utah’s House delegation voted in favor of the bill.
The spending framework will fund the entire government until Jan. 30 and includes the full-year appropriations bills for the legislative branch, the Agriculture Department, and military construction and veterans affairs for the rest of the 2026 fiscal year. That means certain programs such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program will be fully funded until the end of September.
The resolution also contains language to reinstate federal workers who were laid off by the Trump administration due to the shutdown and provide back pay for those removed from their positions. That provision was a key win for some moderate Democrats looking for policy wins in the shutdown fight.
The bill now heads to Trump for his signature, which he plans to sign later tonight. At that point, the shutdown will have lasted 43 days — an all-time record.