US Congress Votes to End Longest Government Shutdown in History

The United States Congress voted on Thursday to restore funding to key parts of the Department of Homeland Security, bringing an end to the longest partial government shutdown in U.S. history after more than two months of disruption.

The measure, which had already cleared the United States Senate, was approved by the United States House of Representatives and sent to Donald Trump for signature. Once enacted, the legislation will fund most Department of Homeland Security agencies through the end of the fiscal year on September 30.

The shutdown, which began on February 14, stretched for 75 days, halting operations across critical agencies and marking an unprecedented lapse in funding for the department.

The approved bill restores normal operations for several key entities, including the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the United States Coast Guard, the Transportation Security Administration, and the United States Secret Service.

However, the agreement excludes funding provisions for immigration enforcement bodies such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement and United States Border Patrol, underscoring continued divisions between lawmakers.

The legislation was passed by voice vote in the House just hours before a critical funding deadline, after warnings from Homeland Security officials that payroll resources were nearing exhaustion.

The prolonged shutdown exposed deep partisan disagreements over immigration policy. Patty Murray, a leading Democrat in the Senate, accused Republicans of stalling funding for months, while Republican lawmakers defended their stance against Democratic demands for stricter oversight of immigration enforcement.