Breaking News Live Updates as US House Votes to Conclude Historic Longest Government Shutdown

The U.S. government has officially reopened following a historic 43-day shutdown. This closure is noted as one of the longest in the nation’s history, leaving significant impacts on federal operations and public services.

Government Workers Resuming Duties

As the government reopens, numerous federal employees and contractors are set to return to work. Many will resume their duties as early as Thursday morning. The Bipartisan Policy Center reported that during the shutdown, 670,000 federal workers were furloughed, while an additional 730,000 were required to work without pay. These workers are now anticipating their overdue paychecks.

Reopening of National Parks and Federal Properties

National Parks, forests, and various federally managed landmarks are also slated to reopen to the public. Staff members are expected to return to perform their usual responsibilities soon. However, the exact timelines for these facilities’ reopening remain uncertain. For comparison, it took four days for the Smithsonian museums to reopen after the previous shutdown.

Immediate Impact on Public Assistance Programs

Food assistance programs, such as Snap (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), are anticipated to become fully operational right away. This reinstatement will provide crucial food aid to approximately 42 million individuals. However, certain federal programs will require additional time to regain full functionality.

• Liheap (Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program), which supports around 6 million low-income households, will not resume for several weeks.
• Head Start, an initiative focused on early childhood education, may similarly take time to resume its operations.

Air Travel and Airport Operations

U.S. airports are gradually resuming normal operations following the shutdown. However, this may take some time, especially as the Federal Aviation Administration had implemented a reduction in flights across 40 major airports. This decision was taken after several air traffic controllers opted not to work without compensation.

In conclusion, while the government shutdown has ended, its effects are expected to linger for weeks. Federal services and assistance programs are in the process of normalization, impacting millions of Americans.