The record-breaking 43-day federal government shutdown is finally over. But that does not mean that life will return to normal right away. Here is what you need to know about the government's plans to reopen for business in the wake of the historic shutdown.

What to Expect as the Government Reopens

The House of Representatives voted 222 to 209 to support the Senate's funding package to reopen the government during a Wednesday evening session. The bill was immediately sent to the desk of President Donald Trump for final approval, ending the shutdown that began on October 1. The new piece of legislation is only good through the end of January, meaning that Congress could be back in this same spot in a few months.

However, Democrats were able to ensure that key agencies that were shut down during the recent shutdown will remain funded through the end of fiscal year 2026. What is less certain is the future of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) enhanced subsidies. Senate Democrats were forced to compromise on this sticking point in order to pass the legislation. In exchange, the GOP leaders agreed to meet in December to negotiate the future of these subsidies.

The deal will also reverse the federal layoffs triggered by Trump during the shutdown. The White House’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued a memo after Trump signed the legislation, instructing furloughed federal employees to return to work on Thursday.

Despite the government being officially open, experts caution that it will be a slow transition to return to normal operations. Over a million federal workers went without a paycheck for over a month. The backpay will begin to hit these bank accounts over the next few days.

For example, congressional staffers will begin to receive paychecks on Friday. These staffers will see three paychecks in a period of one week to catch them up on the missing back pay. In addition, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced on Thursday that TSA employees who continued to show up for work every day during the shutdown will receive a bonus check in the amount of $10,000.

According to an email sent to employees of the Social Security Administration (SSA), staffers will only receive some of their paychecks in the days ahead. SSA employees will need to wait until the end of next week to be paid all of their retroactive compensation.

The takeaway from the news coming out of different agencies on Thursday is that every group has a different timeline for when backpay will be distributed. Federal workers are being advised to check with their specific employer for information specific to them.

Latest on SNAP Distributions

The agreement also resumes the distribution of vital food and nutrition services used by millions of Americans every day.  Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins confirmed on Thursday that her agency is already working on resuming the full distribution of November's Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Rollins said that most recipients should receive their benefits by Monday at the latest. She said that the rollout will be dependent on specific locations.

Almost 42 million Americans were left without SNAP benefits when the USDA did not issue the food stamps in November. The decision led to several lawsuits before the Supreme Court paused the lower court rulings to give full payments.  At least 19 states were able to issue full benefits using reserves.  

While SNAP benefits will resume shortly, it could be a different story for Americans who receive help in paying their heating and utility bills.  The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) grants are typically distributed in the middle of November. However, this year's distribution could take longer due to the massive staff layoffs in the spring.

Flight Disruptions Persist

While Thursday's day in the skies was slightly better than the peak of the disruptions over the weekend, there were still widespread delays and cancellations. According to tracking agency FlightAware, the day saw over 1,000 flight cancellations and more than 3,500 delays. The disruptions were blamed on air traffic controller staffing issues, as well as the ongoing mandated reduction in flights at 40 of the nation's busiest airports.

Despite the government reopening on Thursday, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said that the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will not bring flights back to full capacity until it is safe to do so. This will happen the more air traffic controllers return to the job. Aviation experts are hopeful that the nation's flight system will be back to normal operations prior to the start of the holiday rush.

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