Longest Federal Department Shutdown In U.S. History Concludes
Washington — President Trump signed legislation Thursday to fund most of the Department of Homeland Security, officially ending the longest federal department shutdown in U.S. history.
The House approved the Senate-passed bill earlier in the day by voice vote. The measure restores funding to major DHS agencies including the Coast Guard, FEMA, and TSA, while leaving out Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol, which continued operating with existing funds.
Spending authority for DHS expired on February 14, triggering the 76-day impasse. Democrats had pushed for reforms to immigration enforcement operations, but those changes were ultimately dropped from the bill after Senate negotiations stalled.
Lawmakers from both parties moved quickly to pass the stripped-down funding measure as temporary pay funds were set to run out within days.
President Trump’s signature brings an immediate end to the shutdown that had strained operations across several critical security and emergency agencies.
