WASHINGTON – The longest-ever government shutdown is finally over.
Congress doesn't have much time to avoid another.
The next funding deadline, Jan. 30, is fewer than three months away. And while it's not clear whether Democrats, divided over how the political mess ultimately resolved after 43 days, will be eager for another showdown then, the political temperature in Washington likely won't be any cooler.
A last-minute 'slush fund' snag: 4 other key shutdown-ending moments
Unless lawmakers take action prior to the end of the year, the Jan. 30 cutoff date will also land just weeks after the reality of Democrats' central shutdown demand hits millions of Americans. Their main ask was to extend health insurance subsidies that will expire after 2025, skyrocketing premiums across the country for enrollees in the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare.
