After Historic Shutdown, the Government Reopens

After the longest shutdown in U.S. history, the government is open once again.

Entities from a broad swath of the economic landscape are breathing a sigh of relief—and eager to get back to business.

In a message to members, the NLBMDA shared the update below.

Last night, the U.S. House of Representatives voted 222-209 to advance a Senate-passed funding bill extending government funding through January 30, 2026. The package includes full-year appropriations for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Department of Veterans Affairs, Food and Drug Administration, military construction projects, and Congress itself, representing roughly 10 percent of total federal discretionary spending. 

The shutdown, which began on October 1, marked the longest in U.S. history and stemmed from disagreements over how to resolve expiring Affordable Care Act premium tax credits, an issue that remains unsettled. Without a long-term solution, lawmakers face the possibility of another partial government shutdown in January. 

Impacts from the shutdown were felt across the economy. In the housing sector, the lapse in funding led to a pause in policy underwriting for the National Flood Insurance Program, which backs approximately 90 percent of all residential flood insurance policies. Other programs, including the Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program that supports homeownership in rural communities, will also resume normal operations having paused loan approvals during the shutdown.

With just 79 days until the next funding deadline, Congress will now turn to advancing the remaining full-year appropriations bills. Throughout the shutdown, NLBMDA continued to meet with congressional offices as votes were held on several NLBMDA-priority bills, including the Fix Our Forests Act and the ROAD to Housing Act, two measures NLBMDA continues to advocate for passage ahead of the next appropriations impasse.

In response to the news, NLBMDA President Jonathan Paine shared:

“The National Lumber and Building Material Dealers Association applauds lawmakers for reaching an agreement that reopens the government and restores stability to the economy. Throughout the shutdown, NLBMDA called on Congress to reach agreement on a spending package and return to focusing on solutions that strengthen housing supply and support small businesses. Lawmakers must now build on this progress by providing long-term funding certainty and continue to advance policies that address the housing crisis, reduce barriers to growth, and ensure LBM dealers can compete and thrive in the marketplace. NLBMDA looks forward to continuing to engage with Congress on working to achieve these shared goals.”

Associations speak out

The National Retail Federation welcomed the news of the government getting back to work, sharing:

“We support and encourage congressional efforts to successfully pass a measure to fund and reopen the federal government. Getting furloughed federal employees back to work and reinstating government services to millions of families across the country are crucial steps to restoring consumer confidence and spurring economic growth.

“With essential functions restored, the nation can now move forward, and Congress must sustain this spirit of cooperation to further address the broader challenges facing the constituents they represent.”

Meanwhile, the NAHB, which had been voicing concern that the lapse in National Flood Insurance Program funding would delay all new home sales and insurance renewals, shared: