President Donald Trump announced Jan. 25 that he will sign a short-term spending bill to reopen the federal government through Feb. 15, ending the longest shutdown in U.S. history.
  • The three-week deal doesn't include funding for a border wall but gives more time for negotiations, while bringing federal employees back to work with back-pay.
  • While most big-ticket health care programs operated by HHS and CMS had already been funded, the shutdown affected the FDA and Indian Health Service.
  • The shutdown also had posted challenges for health care-related litigation involving the Department of Justice, including an appeal over the Affordable Care Act's constitutionality.
The announcement came as furloughed federal workers reached their second consecutive payday without a paycheck, putting a strain not only on their personal finances but also on the businesses that serve them.