House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) announced during a news conference that Monday signifies the “beginning of the end” of the longest government shutdown in U.S. history.
He expressed gratitude for being able to welcome attendees to what seems to be a turning point in this extended government closure, which he termed embarrassing and not coincidental.
Johnson remarked, “This follows a 40-day stretch of uncertainty that has inflicted unnecessary hardship on the American public,” acknowledging that some Senate Democrats have finally stepped forward to help “put an end to the suffering.”
He indicated that “this morning, it finally feels like a prolonged national ordeal may be nearing its conclusion, and we’re appreciative of that. Some Democrats look to be ready to align with what the Republican Party, President Trump, and countless hard-working Americans have been advocating for weeks,” emphasizing that partisan politics should not hold the government hostage.
“It’s fundamentally wrong. A government shutdown yields no positive outcomes,” he added.
His comments came after Senate Democrats, on Sunday, decided to abandon their demand for government funding without gaining anything significant in return.
As noted previously:
On Sunday night, eight Senate Democrats joined forces with 52 Republicans to vote in favor of a procedural measure facilitating a continuing resolution (CR) for government operations.
This motion passed with a 60-40 vote, paving the way for a future vote on a clean continuing resolution lasting until January 30, 2026. It incorporates three generally non-controversial spending bills to be funded throughout the fiscal year: Agriculture, Military Construction and Veterans Affairs, and the Legislature.
Johnson reiterated that the Senate is “advancing an amended House of Commons CR Continuation Resolution to reopen the government until January 30th.”
He added that a provision has been included to ensure full funding for SNAP until the end of the next fiscal year (September 2026), guaranteeing back pay for all federal workers who have faced challenges during the past weeks. He expressed appreciation for the progress being made.
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