A federal government shutdown in the United States occurs when Congress fails to pass funding legislation—specifically the 12 annual appropriation bills or a temporary measure called a continuing resolution (CR)—before the start of the new fiscal year (October 1st) or before existing funding expires.
Here's a breakdown of what happens:
* Cause: The primary cause is a political disagreement between the President and/or members of Congress (often across party lines) over budget allocations, spending levels, or specific policy issues attached to the funding bills.
* Mechanism: Under the Antideficiency Act, federal agencies cannot spend or obligate any money without an appropriation from Congress. When funding lapses, agencies must cease all "non-essential" functions.
* Essential vs. Non-essential:
* Essential/Excepted employees (those protecting human life or property, like air traffic controllers, certain law enforcement, or military) continue to work, but their pay is delayed until the shutdown ends.
* Non-essential/Furloughed employees are sent home without work and without pay (though they have historically received back pay after the shutdown ends).
* Effects:
* Disruption of Services: Non-essential government services halt or slow down. This can include:
* Closing national parks, museums, and monuments.
* Delays in processing applications for passports, small business loans, or tax refunds.
* Reduced government oversight, such as food-safety inspections.
* Economic Impact: Shutdowns hurt the U.S. economy. They can cause a loss of economic growth, reduce government revenue, and create financial hardship for federal workers and contractors.
* Mandatory Spending: Programs that rely on mandatory spending, such as Social Security and Medicare benefit checks, generally continue because they are authorized outside of the annual appropriations process.
Longest Shutdowns:
The longest federal government shutdown in U.S. history was a partial shutdown that lasted 35 days, from December 22, 2018, to January 25, 2019, primarily due to a dispute over border wall funding.
Other significant shutdowns include:
* 21 days in late 1995/early 1996.
* 16 days in 2013 over funding for the Af
fordable Care Act.
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