42 days 4 what? I forgot who I was listening to, but they asked that very question. Democrats shut down the government for 42...well-now officially 43...days, and for what?

Read More: Montana Democrats and Their Food Stamp Flop

Either way, the federal government shutdown is now officially over. President Trump signing the temporary funding bill into law late Wednesday night after the US House of Representatives approved the measure. They were waiting on the US Senate, where a handful of Senate Democrats finally voted with Republicans to reopen the federal government.

Montana's US Senators Steve Daines (R-MT) and Tim Sheehy (R-MT) consistently voted to keep the government open. Montana's Representatives, Ryan Zinke (R-MT01) and Troy Downing (R-MT02) likewise voted to open the government Wednesday.

Rep. Zinke: “Shutdowns are bad for America and bad for Montana. I voted to prevent this shutdown in September, and I gladly voted to end it today. This package is a good, bipartisan, solution, and I fought to make sure it includes real wins for our state, from funding fire departments in Ronan and Powell County to providing certainty for rural communities that depend on reliable government services. Congress has come together, and I urge the President to sign this bill so we can keep our government open and get back to working for the American people.” 

Rep. Downing: “After more than 42 days, Congress has finally reopened the government. With the Senate’s amendments to our clean CR passed, Americans across the country who have been deprived of nutritional assistance, critical programs, or their paychecks will no longer face the hardship and uncertainty brought on by this shutdown. This is a good thing. If we want to prevent something like this from happening in the future, we cannot forget how we got here. Democrats voted for more than 6 weeks—that’s 42 days or 1008 hours—to keep our government closed while Americans suffered."

Zinke also released a list of the Montana wins he sees in the bill. Here's what his office sent out in a press release Wednesday night.

Montana Wins in the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2026

Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies

• Zinke’s request for Montana Community Projects
  • $554,969 for Powell County Volunteer Fire Department equipment.
  • $547,500 for a new Type 1 fire truck for the Ronan Volunteer Fire Department.
• Includes Zinke’s request for a $500,000 increase for grasshopper control and suppression efforts
• Expands research to combat invasive species, pests, and livestock diseases.
• $4.1 billion for programs supporting housing, utilities, and infrastructure in rural America.
• $37.84 billion for national school lunch, breakfast, and summer food programs.
• Strengthens oversight of foreign ownership of farmland by improving tracking and adding the Secretary of Agriculture to the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States to review agricultural transactions involving China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran.

Military Construction and Veterans Affairs

• Fully funds veterans’ health care, benefits, and VA programs.
• Supports President Trump’s initiative to combat veteran homelessness through the new National Center for Warrior Independence.
• Protects Second Amendment rights of veterans by requiring judicial consent before VA information is shared with the FBI.
• Provides $19.7 billion for Department of Defense military construction and family housing.
• Includes Zinke’s language to continue protecting Montana air ambulances.
• Includes Zinke’s bill to reinstate the “Flowers for Fallen Heroes” program.

Legislative Branch

• Requires unspent congressional office funds to go toward debt and deficit reduction.
• Prohibits the purchase of technology and telecommunications equipment from China and other adversaries.
• Increases funding for U.S. Capitol Police officers and civilian support staff.