Congress Reopens Government After 40 Days — But Democrats Walk Away With Their Demands While America Pays the Price

WASHINGTON, D.C. — After more than 40 days of political brinkmanship, Congress has finally passed legislation to reopen the federal government — but conservatives are warning that the so-called “deal” exposes exactly why Washington is broken, bloated, and beholden to Democrat pressure campaigns.

The bill funds the government only until January 30, 2026, keeping America locked in yet another round of short-term spending chaos. While House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) pushed for a clean continuing resolution to give Republicans time to restore “regular order,” Democrats used the shutdown to force concessions and protect their sacred cow: Biden-era spending levels.

Republicans did secure full-year appropriations for the VA, FDA, and USDA through September 2026 — essential agencies that actually serve Americans, not Washington bureaucrats. The USDA portion ensures continued support for SNAP and WIC programs. But hidden in the fine print? A reversal of federal workforce cuts made during the shutdown — meaning Washington bureaucrats get their back pay, while taxpayers once again foot the bill.

Since January, Republicans have been fighting to roll back reckless Biden spending, but with the razor-thin margins in Congress, the GOP has been forced into continuing resolutions that maintain the bloated budgets Democrats rammed through before losing power.

The worst part of the deal? Democrats demanded — and got — a guaranteed vote in December on extending Obamacare subsidies, a last-minute hostage demand that stalled the government for days. These subsidies expire on December 31 and Democrats know they can’t survive without them. Thankfully, the vote is expected to fail, as Republicans are unlikely to help Democrats cross the 60-vote threshold in the Senate.

As Speaker Johnson put it, the goal now is simple: restore fiscal sanity, pass real appropriations bills, and returning Washington to the “regular order” Democrats destroyed years ago.

With the government reopened, Republicans now face a December showdown that will determine whether America continues down the Biden-era path of runaway spending — or whether conservatives reclaim control and finally rein in the D.C. machine.

One thing is clear: Democrats may have dragged the country through an unnecessary shutdown, but conservatives aren’t done fighting for America.