By Con Charalambous
The longest lockup of public finances in American history ended late last night (early hours Cyprus time) with Donald Trump signing the relevant budget legislation at the Oval Office after 43 days of federal paralysis that grounded thousands of flights, affected critical public services and left more than a million employees wthout pay.
'We're sending the clear message that we never back down to blackmail,', the US president said, in a meaningful note across the aisleat his Democrat opponents, being cheered on by republican MPs following the signature.
.@POTUS: "For the past 43 days, Democrats in Congress shut down the government of the United States in an attempt to extort American taxpayers for hundreds of billions of dollars for illegal aliens... Today, we’re sending a clear message that we will NEVER give in to extortion." pic.twitter.com/kMKncQPsiL
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) November 13, 2025
The release of several funds was a welcome development for millions affected by the protracted dispute which threatened to kill lives too, as many were left without assistance.
The American government infrastructure, a massive wheel at that, is now back in session as money flow returns to federal services. The package budget went through parliament by 222 votes to 209, following Senate approval, paving the way for the reopening of the civil services, paralysed since October 1st.
Trump signed the bill at the Oval Office's historic Resolute desk, without taking questions, to the huge surprise of all present. A number of US sources are connecting the end of the shutdown, with the release of thousands of Jefferey Epstein case documents a few hours earlier, with the Trump name featuring prominently, but without any accusations levelled against him.
President Trump Signs Senate Amendment to H.R. 5371 https://t.co/YvF1x3E8yz
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) November 13, 2025
The Bill
The 328 document releases funding to most federal services until January 30th and secures further appropriations for:
- The food support Snap system,
- The Agriculture Ministry,
- Congress,
- Veteran services, until September 2025.
All federal services employees will be paid retrospectively and thousands laid off due to the shutdown will be rehired.
New aspects of the bill
Releasing MPs and Congresspeople phone records by federal judges without warning is now illegal and carries compensation of up to half a million dollars for each violation. The law is enforced retrospectively, going back to 2022 and thus allowing certain Republican Congresspeople to seek compensation for phone record release during an investigation on the Capital storming in January 2021.
In addition, hemp is now again illegal, after being brought to the fold in 2018 as part of an agriculture bill, subsequently forging a billion dollar empire of low dose THC products, including foodstuffs and beverages.
The extension of health insurance subsidies is also not included, as the Democrats wanted. It affects 24 million Americans. The issue will be put to a new vote next month.
The shutdown is estimated to have cost close to 2 trillion dollars, with Trump noting its negative impact to the American economy and accusing the Democrats of blackmail during negotiations.
HUGE: Congress passes bill to END THE DEMOCRAT SHUTDOWN.
Now en route to President Trump's desk. 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/og0SGFmKks
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) November 13, 2025
Political battles lay ahead
Despite the government wheel turning again, the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) a divisive use of high octane exchanges, remains pending and will return to the Senate in mid-December, with conflict across the aisle expected after temporary funding ends in 2026.
Source: iefimerida.gr