US President Donald Trump signed a sweeping $1.2 trillion
spending package into law Tuesday night, officially ending the week-long
partial government shutdown that had left numerous federal agencies without
funding. With the bill's enactment, most agencies resumed normal operations,
and the necessary resources to ensure the continuity of public services were
restored.
The budget bill was passed hours earlier by the House of Representatives
in a close vote of 217 to 214, reflecting the deep political divide over public
spending and legislative priorities. The initiative provides temporary funding
to keep key government departments running until September, aiming to prevent
further immediate disruptions to the federal administration.
However, the agreement left one of the most sensitive issues
on the political agenda unresolved: border security. Unlike other agencies, the
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) will only have funding until February 13,
imposing a limited timeframe for Republicans and Democrats to negotiate a final
agreement. Lawmakers have just ten days to reach a consensus on immigration and
border control policies before the funding expires again.
With the signing of the package, the White House managed to
temporarily alleviate administrative uncertainty, although the debate over
federal spending and immigration policy remains open and points to further
negotiations in the coming weeks.