WASHINGTON — The House on Wednesday passed a funding bill to end the longest government shutdown in US history, sending the legislation to President Trump’s desk for the final step to end the 43-day standoff.

In a 222-209 vote, the House voted to pass the funding bill it received from the Senate — that will restart paychecks for federal workers, fund food assistance programs, and pay air traffic controllers.

The legislation finally “reopens the government, restores critical services, and puts an end to the needless hardship Democrats have inflicted on the country,” said GOP House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole of Oklahoma.

House Democrats lamented that their Senate Democratic colleagues caved with nothing to show for it on healthcare, their stated political reason for hol

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