(MENAFN) After a bipartisan Senate vote, the longest shutdown in US history is drawing to a close. Federal workers who had been furloughed are set to return to their jobs, and both them and those deemed essential will start receiving paychecks again, including back pay. Air travel will gradually stabilize, food assistance for low-income Americans will resume, and national parks will reopen.

Daily hardships caused by the shutdown will ease, though political consequences will linger.

Ultimately, a group of centrist and retiring Democrats broke ranks to allow Republicans to secure the support needed to reopen the government. Many lawmakers cited the hardships of the shutdown as a driving factor, while others resisted compromise due to principle. Senator Mark Warner of Virginia stated, "I cannot support a deal that still leaves millions of Americans wondering how they are going to pay for their health care or whether they will be able to afford to get sick."

The end of the shutdown exposes growing rifts between the party’s activist and left-wing base and its centrist establishment. Some Democrats remain frustrated over Republican-backed cuts and perceive Donald Trump’s actions as overstepping presidential authority. For many on the left, the compromise represents a missed opportunity to impose limits or extract major concessions from the White House.

Throughout the 40-day shutdown, Trump traveled internationally, visited personal properties, and hosted high-profile events, while avoiding pressure to compromise with Democrats.

Ultimately, the administration rolled back planned workforce cuts, and Senate Republicans pledged a vote on health-insurance subsidies—though a vote does not guarantee change.

Senate Democrats who broke with their party argued that further delays would only prolong the pain felt by Americans. Independent Angus King remarked, "It wasn't working," while Democratic Senator Jeanne Shaheen called the agreement "the only deal on the table," adding, "Waiting any longer will only prolong the pain Americans are feeling because of the shutdown."

Republicans maintained unity, leveraging their position to convince just enough Democrats to support reopening.

Although the immediate crisis has ended, the underlying political tensions remain. The compromise bill funds most government operations only through the end of January, leaving Congress susceptible to a similar standoff soon after. Democrats avoided major political fallout this time, even as Trump’s poll numbers declined during the shutdown and the party saw strong results in recent state elections.

Some on the left remain dissatisfied with the outcome, and only a few Congressional Democrats supported the compromise. With key concerns like low-income food aid secured through October, motivations for further shutdown brinkmanship remain high, particularly with next year’s midterm elections approaching. It had been nearly five years since the last government shutdown, but the next one could come much sooner.

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