Government Reopens After Record Shutdown. What Comes Next

November 13, 2025

The federal government has reopened after a historic 43-day shutdown when President Trump signed legislation funding agencies through January 30th. While hundreds of thousands of federal employees can return to work and receive back pay, the extended closure has caused lasting damage including depleted savings, mounting debt, and an estimated $11 billion in permanent economic losses. Critical programs like SNAP benefits for 42 million recipients and the National Flood Insurance Program are resuming operations, though significant backlogs remain.

Who is affected

Hundreds of thousands of federal workers who missed paychecks for over six weeks
Approximately 42 million people receiving SNAP benefits
Women, low-income families, and communities of color (identified as bearing disproportionate impact)
Air travelers affected by 20,000 canceled or delayed flights
Unpaid air traffic controllers
Small businesses facing economic pressures
Individuals seeking National Flood Insurance Program policies and Agriculture Department rural housing loans
Americans at risk of losing Affordable Care Act subsidies and affordable healthcare coverage

What action is being taken

Federal agencies are unwinding furloughs and restarting suspended grant programs and services
The Agriculture Department is resuming full operation of SNAP
The National Flood Insurance Program is resuming processing of new policies
The Agriculture Department is restarting rural housing loans
Federal and industry officials are working to reset staffing and flight schedules

Why it matters

This was the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, causing $11 billion in permanent economic losses and reducing fourth-quarter growth by up to one and a half percentage points. The shutdown threatened essential safety net programs serving tens of millions of Americans, disrupted critical economic data collection needed for Federal Reserve policy decisions, and imposed severe financial hardship on federal workers and vulnerable populations. The crisis exposed how government dysfunction disproportionately harms marginalized communities and demonstrated the fragility of programs millions depend on for basic needs like food assistance and healthcare.

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: The Washington Informer