Government Shutdown Ends After Record 54-Day Absence

The House of Representatives adjourned for the remainder of the week after narrowly approving a stopgap funding bill to end the government shutdown, marking one full day in session after being out for 54 days. The Wednesday vote was the first time House members voted since House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., sent members home after the chamber passed its initial version of a continuing resolution in mid-September. House members reflected on the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, with some expressing relief that the impasse had finally been broken. "We were gone far too long," said Rep. Jamie Raskin, D-Md. "The American people deserve better than to have their government shut down for 54 days." Raskin's comments echoed those of other lawmakers who had grown frustrated with the prolonged shutdown. House Speaker Mike Johnson defended his decision to send members home, saying that the House had done its job by passing a continuing resolution. "The House will come back into session and do its work as soon as Senate Democrats agree to negotiate in good faith," Johnson said in a statement. However, Senate Democrats had accused Johnson of using the shutdown as a negotiating tactic, and some lawmakers questioned whether the House had done enough to address the underlying issues driving the shutdown. The shutdown had significant implications for the country, with thousands of federal employees furloughed and many government services disrupted. The shutdown also had a major impact on the economy, with some estimates suggesting that it had cost the country billions of dollars in lost economic activity. In the aftermath of the shutdown, lawmakers will now turn their attention to negotiating a longer-term funding bill. The Senate has already passed a bill that would fund the government through the end of the year, but it is unclear whether the House will agree to the measure. "We need to get back to work and pass a bill that will keep the government open for the long term," said Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y. "We can't keep shutting down the government and expecting everything to go back to normal." The shutdown marked a significant turning point in the relationship between the House and Senate, with some lawmakers questioning whether the two chambers can work together effectively. "We need to find a way to work together and pass legislation that will benefit the American people," said Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif. "The shutdown was a reminder that we need to do better."