What’s Hot: Historic Shutdown Ends, But Fiscal Fights Are Far From Over

November 13, 2025

After 43 days of political deadlock, the longest government shutdown in U.S. history has officially ended. On Nov. 12, President Donald Trump signed a bipartisan funding bill just hours after the House passed it in a 222-209 vote, narrowly crossing party lines with six Democrats in favour and two Republicans opposed. The Senate had advanced the measure two days earlier.

The shutdown, triggered by a bitter dispute over Republican-backed cuts to Affordable Care Act subsidies, left a deep mark on the economy and millions of Americans. According to estimates, the stoppage caused $7 billion in economic damage, furloughed 670,000 federal employees, and disrupted food assistance for 42 million people. Programs like SNAP and WIC were suspended, and energy-related agencies faced looming layoffs.

What’s in the Deal?

The legislation includes a “mini” omnibus appropriations package funding the Departments of Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, the FDA, and the Legislative Branch through fiscal year 2026. Other agencies are funded only through Jan. 30, setting up another potential showdown early next year. Federal workers will receive full back pay, and critical programs will resume immediately.

Notably, the bill omits controversial provisions from a prior House GOP proposal that sought to slash the Government Accountability Office’s budget by half and block its ability to sue the executive branch over impoundment—a major concern for Democrats.

What’s Next?

Congress isn’t out of the woods. After Thanksgiving, lawmakers will return to tackle another mini omnibus for Energy and Water programs, where proposed cuts to renewable energy, grid modernization, and EPA funding remain flashpoints. The House GOP’s July spending blueprint called for a 23% reduction in EPA’s budget and steep cuts to clean energy initiatives.

Meanwhile, attention is shifting to permitting reform. A bipartisan bill led by Rep. Bruce Westerman (R-Ark.) and retiring Rep. Jared Golden (D-Maine) aims to streamline reviews under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) by imposing time limits on appeals and raising standards for legal challenges. However, Democrats warn that the bill’s technology-neutral approach could undermine wind, solar, and transmission development—an area where the Trump administration has already slowed progress.

 

Big Picture

The shutdown may be over, but the fiscal and policy battles are far from settled. With government funding set to expire for most agencies in January and partisan divides deepening over energy policy and healthcare, Washington is bracing for another round of high-stakes negotiations.

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2025-11-13T08:43:31-05:00