By Brianna Wallen
News Editor
President Donald Trump approved legislation that ended the 43-day government shutdown, the longest in U.S. history, on Nov. 12.
According to NPR, the House of Representatives voted 222 to 209 to restore federal food assistance, resume pay for hundreds of thousands of workers and stabilize the air-traffic control system.
“They paused food stamps, so people in need weren’t able to provide for their families,” communication disorders major Amahya Walker, a sophomore, said.
Walker sympathized with families who struggled during the shutdown. Due to the shutdown stretching across more than six weeks, it had a heavy impact on families, federal employees and economies nationwide.
Walker said it felt like leaders in Washington acted with no urgency to resolve the crisis.
“I think it took too long to come to an agreement,” Walker said. “It’s like they didn’t care about the repercussions.”
While food assistance programs were reinstated, Walker said that restoring food benefits for November felt incomplete after families were left without help for weeks.
“Giving back food stamps for the month of November felt like a way to stop complaints,” Walker said.
NPR also stated that the final funding bill passed only after six Democrats sided with Republicans. This allowed the government to reopen without the health care support Democrats had been pushing to add to the bill.
Although political leaders debated the long-term political outcomes, students were more focused on the shutdown’s immediate impact on vulnerable communities.
“It had a powerful effect on jobs and how the country flowed, and it made it harder for low-income families to thrive,” accounting major Jayden Newell-Kemp, a junior, said.
Newell-Kemp also highlighted that the shutdown revealed economic gaps that formerly went unnoticed.
“Economically, stocks rose during the government shutdown, but other than that, it did not help rural areas,” NewellKemp said.
The halt in federal operations disrupted more than just government offices. It rippled across job markets, small communities and families relying on consistent support. For this reason, Newell-Kemp emphasized the importance of staying informed during major national events.
Many students believed that the shutdown created unnecessary hardships that many Americans had to face.
Psychology major Jerome Lowery, a sophomore, said the uncertainty deepened stress for households already facing instability.
“I think that could be stressful because there’s parents and families in the world with needs and wants with food and stuff,” Lowery said. “They have insecurities with their home and food and shelter.”
Lowery said he was relieved when the shutdown finally ended but believed national leaders should face accountability for allowing it to last so long.
“I’m glad it ended, and the president should be held accountable for allowing it to go that long,” Lowery said.
For those watching the shutdown from campus, the event highlighted how national political decisions can impact everyday life, influencing everything from financial stability to public services and access to essential needs.
Newell-Kemp said his fellow young voters should pay attention to how political decisions affect their everyday life as well as others around them.
“I think knowing what’s going on helps with voting,” Newell-Kemp said. “A lot of misinformation is spewed nowadays with social media, so it’s important for us to be aware and seek out the correct information.”
