A government shutdown happens when Congress cannot agree on funding. Federal agencies must pause work that is not considered essential. Many employees may be told to stay home without pay. Essential workers, like air traffic controllers, keep working during a shutdown.
Shutdowns have happened several times in United States history. Each time, lawmakers eventually agree on a new funding bill. Experts say shutdowns can cost the government money and slow services. That is one reason both parties often try to avoid them. This year, Congress avoided a shutdown by passing a stopgap bill.
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A government shutdown occurs when Congress fails to pass funding bills before a deadline. When that happens, federal agencies must stop many of their normal operations. Only essential functions, like national security and air traffic control, continue running. Employees doing nonessential work may be furloughed, meaning they are sent home without pay. Essential workers keep reporting to their jobs, though their paychecks may be delayed until the shutdown ends.
The United States has experienced several shutdowns throughout its history, some lasting only days and others lasting weeks. The longest shutdown in modern history stretched for more than a month a few years ago. Shutdowns can cost the government money, since some costs continue even while services pause. They can also disrupt everyday life for citizens who depend on federal offices for passports, loans, or other services. Because of these costs, lawmakers from both parties usually try to avoid a shutdown when possible.
Groups like the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget track these funding fights and explain them to the public. This year, Congress avoided a shutdown by passing a short-term spending bill known as a stopgap measure. That bill buys time for lawmakers to negotiate a full-year budget without disrupting government services right away. Still, the underlying disagreements that could cause a future shutdown have not been fully resolved.
Sources: Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget (https://www.crfb.org/papers/government-shutdowns-qa-everything-you-should-know); Wikipedia, '2026 United States federal government shutdowns' (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2026_United_States_federal_government_shutdowns)