After more than a month-long shutdown, the longest in U.S. history, the federal government reopened on Nov. 13. For 44 days, federal officials from Transportation Security Administration workers to National Reserve soldiers were left unpaid.
Shutdowns occur when the U.S. Congress fails to pass bills to fund their own government by Sept. 30 each year. Federal agencies must then cease non-essential operations, while essential employees continue working without pay.
“The postal service, Medicare, social security, air traffic control operations and federal law enforcement agencies stay open during a shutdown,” AP Government teacher Jeff Antoon said. “Things like national parks, federal buildings and museums close though.”
After the 2025 by-elections, in which the Democratic Party significantly outperformed expectations in New Jersey and Virginia races due to citizens’ frustration with the shutdown, President Trump pressured the U.S. Congress to end the shutdown.
“When Trump asked them to end the shutdown, Congress had to negotiate it by voting with at least 60 members to avoid a filibuster,” Antoon said. “Once it passes through that, the President then signs it into action, signaling the official end.”
While schools were not directly affected by the shutdown, since they are managed by state employees, not federal officials, students still felt the effects.
”I went to Miami during the shutdown and the TSA lines at the airport there were super long,” junior Rachelli Marcelin said. “I’ve never remembered them being so long.”
Not only were some students affected, but some parents who work with a federal organization, like the military, felt the effects firsthand.
“So my dad works for the National Army Reserve Duty, since he’s retired from active duty in the army,” senior Thomas Marrs said. “Over the shutdown, he thought it was going to end faster than it did so that he could go on reserve duty, but then the shutdown kept going and all his travel reservations no longer could be refunded,” said Marrs. “Because he can’t go on unreserved duty, he can’t be reimbursed by the Department of Defense, so it’s a really frustrating situation.”
Even though the shutdown may officially be over, the complications will take a little longer to resolve.
“For everything to get back to working as usual, it’ll likely take weeks and months for a lot of federal agencies,” Antoon said.
Though it’s not all up and running just yet, the end of the longest government shutdown in U.S. history is still a relief for federal officials, students and parents alike.
