Featured Image Credit: Win McNamee/Getty Images
Topics: Donald Trump, Politics, Republicans, US News
Ellie Kemp
Topics: Donald Trump, Politics, Republicans, US News
The Democrats have been hit with a set of accusations as Donald Trump signed a bill to bring the longest government shutdown in history to an end.
The US president signed the bill Wednesday evening (November 12), accusing the Democrats of trying to 'extort our country'.
The record-breaking federal government deadlock began on October 1 and brought America to a standstill.
Most notably, federal worker salaries were stopped, benefits for millions of vulnerable people were halted and thousands of domestic flights were disrupted.
Advert
The 43-day shutdown kicked off when Republicans and Democrats failed to agree on a new bill to fund government services after the previous federal budget ran out.
The last shutdown, which rumbled on for 35 days between 2018 and 2019, also occurred under Donald Trump's government.
But it has finally been brought to an end following a week of votes.
On Monday (November 10), almost all Republicans and eight break-away Democrats agreed to pass the bill in a 60-40 vote.
The House of Representatives then voted on 222-209 Wednesday before President Trump signed it off.
The House Republican leadership released a statement after the bill was signed by Trump.
They said: "The Democrat shutdown is finally over thanks to House and Senate Republicans.
"There is absolutely no question now that Democrats are responsible for millions of American families going hungry, millions of travelers left stranded in airports, and our troops left wondering if they would receive their next paycheck."
The new deal extends federal government funding until January 30, while providing full-year funding for the Department of Agriculture, military construction and Congress.
All federal employees will be paid back for the shutdown period, while the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which helps one in eight Americans with food aid, is set to be funded through until next September.
The package includes an agreement to hold a vote in December on extending healthcare subsidies under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), also known as Obamacare, which are set to expire this year.
These ACA tax credits help tens of millions of Americans afford health insurance through the government marketplace - a key Democratic demand before agreeing to new government funding.
Democrats were left frustrated that the ACA subsidies weren’t extended immediately, leaving their future uncertain until the December vote.
Shortly before the House vote, Democratic Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries vowed to keep fighting for the subsidies’ extension.
"This fight is not over. We’re just getting started. Either Republicans finally decide to extend the Affordable Care Act tax credits this year, or the American people will throw Republicans out of their jobs next year and end the speakership of Donald J Trump once and for all," he said. "That’s how this fight ends.”