What changed after a record-long government shutdown, briefly explained

This story appeared in The Logoff, a daily newsletter that helps you stay informed about the Trump administration without letting political news take over your life. Subscribe here. Welcome to The Logoff: After 43 days, the federal government shutdown is almost over. What’s happening? If everything goes to schedule, the House should pass a bill reopening the government later this evening (it already passed the Senate on Monday). Once President Donald Trump signs it into law, the government will resume normal operations. The funding bill largely extends funding until January 30 — after which we could be right back here all over again. What changed after 43 days? Not a whole lot. Democrats didn’t win an extension to key Affordable Care Act subsidies, which they staked the shutdown on. But there are a few things to note. - Layoffs announced during the shutdown, affecting around 4,000 federal employees, will not take place, and further layoffs will be banned through the end of January. - The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, will be fully funded through September 2026 (the end of the government fiscal year). - Federal workers who have been furloughed will receive their full back pay for the period of the shutdown, something which, though required by law, the Trump administration had previously suggested it might not do. Does this mean everything will go back to normal? Air travel, one of the most visible casualties of the shutdown, is likely to remain scrambled for several more days, after FAA-mandated flight reductions rose to 6 percent yesterday (the exact timeline is unclear). SNAP benefits, according to the USDA, are likely to return far more quickly. As the New York Times’s Tony Romm reported Wednesday, however, the unprecedented interruption to benefits, which the Trump administration actively sought, could result in longer-term damage to confidence in the program. What’s next? Without a subsidies extension, premiums for health care purchased on the ACA marketplace are set to rise by about 30 percent next year. And with that, it’s time to log off… If you, like me, completely missed the northern lights visible around the country last night, I have good news: They may be visible again tonight. The Washington Post has a good explanation here of why the lights are visible uncharacteristically far south right now and the factors that could determine whether we get to see them again (it’s a gift link). There’s also no shortage of stunning photos and video out there, including this timelapse from Shenandoah National Park. As always, thanks for reading, have a great evening, and we’ll see you back here tomorrow!