NEW YORK — The end of the longest U.S. government shutdown in history is a relief for small businesses that depend on federal contracts or funding. For seven weeks, they've been reducing spending, weighing layoffs and looking for stable work while trying to reach shuttered government offices, according to several contractors. kAm~? (65?6D52J[ !C6D:56?E s@?2=5 %CF>A D:8?65 2 #6AF3=:42? 8@G6C?>6?E 7F?5:?8 3:== E92E ?2CC@H=J A2DD65 3@E9 9@FD6D @7 r@?8C6DD E@ 6?5 E96 D9FE5@H?]k^Am kAm$>2== 3FD:?6DD @H?6CD H:E9 8@G6C?>6?E 4@?EC24ED D2J E96 D9FE5@H? 42FD65 A2J>6?E 56=2JD 2?5 E96 42?46==2E:@? @7 D@>6 AC@;64ED[ 2?5 E96J H:== 36 H@C<:?8 E@ >2<6 FA 7@C =@DE E:>6 2?5 >@?6J]k^Am kAmy24<D@? s2=E@?[ @H?6C @7 q=24< q@I $276EJ[ 2 >2<6C @7 A6CD@?2= AC@E64E:G6 6BF:A>6?E[ H2D 2H2C565 2 S`]h >:==:@? 7656

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