House to vote on funding bill as government shutdown nears end

With a vote in the House expected today on a stopgap funding bill, the nation could soon see the end of the historic government shutdown

(CNN)- With a vote in the House expected today on a stopgap funding bill, the nation could soon see the end of the historic government shutdown — and many Americans are asking how long it will take for things to return to normal.

The Senate has already approved the measure, and President Trump has signaled he would sign it, setting the stage for federal operations to restart within days.

One of the most pressing concerns is food assistance. More than 40 million Americans rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which has been disrupted during the shutdown. North Carolina Governor Josh Stein said relief could come quickly if the bill passes.

“It appears that we’re on a glide path up in Washington where the SNAP benefits will be fully honored hopefully by the end of this week,” Stein said.

Recipients like Jeanne Nihart say the lapse has left families struggling to put food on the table.

“I’m trying to do my best to shield my daughter from how concerned I am, but at the same time, she is seeing the difference in our cupboards. She’s seeing the difference in her meals,” Nihart shared.

Air travel, however, may take longer to stabilize. The FAA continues to cancel flights amid staffing shortages, as air traffic controllers and TSA officers return from unpaid work or temporary jobs.

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said employees could receive 70% of their back pay within 48 hours of reopening but warned recovery will take time.“I’m concerned that we’re not going to have on day one controllers come back into the towers right away,” Duffy said.

He added that the FAA will rely on data to determine when to safely lift flight restrictions, emphasizing, “We’re trying to manage risk in the system to make sure people fly and fly safely.”