US shutdown ends after a record 43 days; how did it shock Democrats?

News Topical, Digital Desk : The longest government shutdown in the US, lasting 43 days on record, has ended. President Donald Trump signed a bill providing temporary funding for federal operations into law on Wednesday night, ending the longest shutdown in the country's history.

The Senate approved the related bill, ending the ongoing deadlock between Republicans and Democrats. This is a blow to Democrats because their demand to increase subsidies for Obamacare, the health insurance program of former President Barack Obama's tenure, was not accepted. The temporary funding bill was stuck in the Senate until the budget was passed because the majority Republican Party did not have the 60 votes needed to vote.

Services will be restored gradually

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the White House Budget Office said that beneficiaries' accounts under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will be fully restored within hours of the federal government reopening. Normalcy will take a few more days to return. The shutdown is over, but it will take some time for people to recover from the consequences of programs and programs affected by the suspension of financial assistance. Some federal services will be restored gradually.

Concerns among employees about salaries

Thousands of government employees are uncertain about when they will receive their pending salaries. Industries like airlines and hospitality have felt the impact of the government spending cuts. They may need even more time to recover. The rest of the economy may also feel the impact for some time.

Transportation Secretary says 70 percent of back wages will be paid within 48 hours Federal law requires employees whose pay was withheld during the shutdown to receive their full wages. In the past, it has taken about a week for unpaid employees to receive their back wages, though the Office of Personnel Management said this varies by agency.

Transport Minister Sean Duffy has said air traffic controllers will receive 70 percent of their outstanding salaries within 24 to 48 hours of the shutdown ending, but it is unclear whether the same timetable will apply to other government departments.

What's the way forward for the airline industry regarding the restrictions? Airline industry representatives estimate that it will take about a week for air travel to return to normal after the shutdown. However, certain things need to happen to maintain this timeline. The Department of Transportation must ensure that sufficient numbers of air traffic controllers are returning to work to minimize the risk of delays caused by staff shortages.

Mandatory flight restrictions at 40 airports that began last Friday will have to be lifted. When the Senate voted on legislation to end the shutdown on Wednesday night, Duffy said the six percent flight restrictions at these airports would remain in place until further notice.

We will never let this happen again: Trump

Republican President Trump blamed Democrats for the situation and suggested voters should not 'reward' the party in next year's midterm elections.

"For the past 43 days, Democrats in Congress have paralyzed the United States government in an attempt to extort hundreds of billions of dollars from American taxpayers for illegal aliens. Today, we are sending a clear message: we will never bow to extortion. I just want to tell the American people, don't forget this. As we approach the midterm elections and other issues, don't forget what they (Democrats) have done to our country. We will never let this happen again. This is no way to run a country," Trump said.

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