The Reopening of the Government — What Happens Next?
After weeks of uncertainty, halted services, disrupted paychecks, and mounting public frustration, the government has officially reopened. While this brings long-awaited relief to millions of Americans, the reopening is only the first step in a much longer process. The question now is: What happens next? To understand the road ahead, we have to look at what reopening really means, what work lies in front of Congress, and how this affects everyday citizens moving forward. 1. Federal Agencies Begin Restarting Operations When a shutdown ends, the government doesn’t simply flip a switch. The reopening process happens in phases: • Workers Return to Offices Hundreds of thousands of federal employees return to their posts—many of them unpaid for the duration of the shutdown. Agencies must reassess staffing gaps, backlogs, and any essential work that stalled. • Backlog Relief Begins Expect delays as agencies process: Passport applications Visas and immigration pap...
