Although the Shutdown is Over, Citizens Will Remain Affected

The longest government shutdown in U.S. history has officially ended as of Nov. 12. The reopening comes after the House of Representatives voted 222 to 209, with the Republicans slipping through, holding the small majority in the House. Following this, President Donald Trump signed the bill into effect, all the while blaming Democrats for the shutdown. 

"This was an easy extension but they didn't want to do it the easy way," Trump said on the Democrats' disagreements over the Republican push to end enhanced premium tax credits. "They wanted to do it the hard way."

The shutdown was fueled by a partisan battle over health-care subsidies, specifically the enhanced premium tax credits Democrats insisted were essential. These subsidies, expanded during the pandemic, have kept insurance affordable for millions, especially low-income households and young adults purchasing plans on the individual marketplace. Without renewal, premiums were projected to spike dramatically starting in January, a possibility Democrats said was unacceptable.

“Democrats are fighting to prevent insurance premiums from doubling,” said Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren. “We are fighting to help American families hang onto their health insurance — because no one should go bankrupt because they got sick and needed to see a doctor.” 

Additionally, as the government shutdown unravelled, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as SNAP, was cut off. This left the roughly 42 million Americans who rely on the food stamp program scrambling for ways to make up the gap.

Federal agencies slowed to a crawl, food banks reported unprecedented demand and millions of families reliant on SNAP were grasping at straws to cover grocery costs. The impacts were felt nationwide. Community organizations noted sharp increases in emergency food requests, especially among students, part-time workers and families already stretched thin by rising living expenses.

Though the shutdown has ended, many of its ripple effects will linger. Agencies now face weeks of backlogged work, while families depending on SNAP or subsidized insurance remain uncertain about the long-term stability of these programs. With another funding deadline expected early next year, lawmakers appear poised for another confrontation unless a longer-term agreement can be reached.

For millions of Americans, the relief of reopening has been dampened by the possibility that these political battles are far from resolved.