Government shutdowns in the United States facts for kids

In the United States, a government shutdown happens when the money needed to run the federal government isn't approved in time. This means that special funding laws, called appropriations bills, are not passed before the new budget year begins. During a shutdown, the government has to stop many of its activities and services. It sends home workers who are not essential, and only keeps employees who protect people's lives or property. Shutdowns can also affect state and local governments.

Since 1980, when a legal rule made them necessary, funding problems have led to shutdowns. This rule wasn't always followed in the 1980s. But since 1990, almost all funding gaps that lasted more than a few hours have caused shutdowns. As of November 2025, there have been 11 times when federal workers were sent home because of a shutdown.

Some of the biggest shutdowns include the one under Donald Trump's second presidency in 2025, which lasted 43 days. There was also a 35-day shutdown in 2018–2019 during his first presidency. This was due to disagreements about building more barriers on the U.S.–Mexico border. Another major shutdown was in 1995–1996, lasting 21 days, during the Bill Clinton administration. This happened because of disagreements over big spending cuts. The 2013 shutdown lasted 16 days under the Barack Obama administration. It was about a healthcare law called the Affordable Care Act. The other seven shutdowns lasted five days or less.

Shutdowns can stop many government services and programs. They close national parks and museums, reduce government income, and slow down the economy. For example, during the 2013 shutdown, experts said it cost the economy $24 billion. It also slowed down the country's economic growth.

How Government Funding Works

Congress and the Budget

The United States Constitution gives the United States Congress the sole power to decide how government money is spent. This process starts when Congress proposes an appropriation bill. This bill sets the spending limits for each federal department and program. Both the House of Representatives and the Senate must vote on the final bill. If it passes both, it goes to the President of the United States to sign into law.

A law called the Antideficiency Act makes it illegal for government officials to spend or promise to spend more money than Congress has approved. In 1980, the United States Department of Justice said this law meant the government had to shut down if funding ran out.

Why Shutdowns Happen

Government shutdowns usually happen when there's a disagreement about how to spend money before the current budget ends. The president can cause a disagreement by rejecting a spending bill. Or, one or both parts of Congress might disagree, often because of different political party views.

Sometimes, a shutdown can be avoided with a continuing resolution (CR). This is a temporary law that extends government funding for a short time. It gives lawmakers more time to agree on a full spending bill. However, if a CR cannot be passed by the House, Senate, or president, a shutdown will happen. In rare cases, Congress can try to overrule a president's rejection of a bill. This needs a two-thirds vote from both the House and Senate.

Before 1980, many federal agencies kept working during funding gaps. They believed Congress didn't want them to close while waiting for new funding. But after 1980, new legal opinions said agencies must stop most operations if funding runs out. They made an exception for functions that protect "human life or property." This rule decides which federal employees are "excepted" and must keep working without pay during a shutdown. Even after these rules, not all funding gaps led to shutdowns.

Some lawmakers from both parties have suggested ways to stop shutdowns from happening. One idea is to automatically continue funding at previous levels. Another idea would require Congress and budget officials to stay in Washington, D.C., until a new funding law is passed.

Experts often talk about "full" or "partial" shutdowns. In a full shutdown, none of the 12 yearly funding bills are approved, and most federal services stop. In a partial shutdown, some bills are passed, so only the departments without funding close down. For example, the 2018–19 shutdown was partial because 5 of the 12 bills had already passed.

What Happens During a Shutdown?

Surveys often show that people blame one political party more than another for government shutdowns.

National parks and other public places, like the National Mall, closed during the 2013 federal government shutdown.

A full federal government shutdown means many civilian federal employees are sent home without pay. These workers are often not allowed to even check their work emails.

Because the government employs so many people, shutdowns affect the country's economy. For example, during the 2013 shutdown, 800,000 employees were sent home. Payments were delayed for 1.3 million workers. This caused people to feel less confident about the job market. The country's economic growth also slowed down. The money lost was more than it would have cost to keep the government open. Similarly, the 2018–19 shutdown reduced economic growth by billions of dollars. Some of this money was never recovered.

It's often hard to know the full effects of a shutdown because some government offices that collect data are closed. Some effects can last a long time, like delays in scientific studies or important maintenance work. The 2018–2019 shutdown slowed down safety and law enforcement investigations. It caused air travel delays because essential workers stopped showing up. It also closed some facilities for Native Americans and tourists.

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) decides exactly which government functions stop during a shutdown.

What Stays Open and What Closes

• Emergency personnel keep working. This includes military members, federal police, doctors and nurses in federal hospitals, and air traffic controllers.
• Some agencies continue with minimal staff, like the National Weather Service and parts of NASA.
• Members of Congress still get paid.
• Mail delivery is not affected. The United States Postal Service pays for itself and doesn't rely on yearly funding from Congress.
• Some offices, like the Patent and Trademark Office, can use their own savings to stay open for a few months.
• The Washington, D.C. municipal government sometimes stays open. For example, in 2013, the city remained open because its mayor said all city workers were essential.
• The Congressional Budget Office continues to work. It helps Congress understand budget issues.

What is Shut Down

• For the Department of Defense, at least half of the civilian workers are sent home. Many National Guard members are also furloughed without pay.
• Programs funded by other laws, like Social Security, can also be affected. This happens if they rely on activities that need yearly funding from Congress.

Economic Costs of Shutdowns

Experts say that government shutdowns usually cost more money than they save. This is because of things like making emergency plans, losing fees, and paying furloughed employees later. The Congressional Budget Office estimated that the 2018–2019 shutdown reduced the country's total economic output by $11 billion. About $3 billion of that money was never recovered.

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) estimated that the 2013 shutdown cost $2.5 billion in pay and benefits for workers who didn't work. It also caused about $10 million in late payment fees and lost income.

History of Federal Shutdowns

This list includes only major funding gaps that led to federal employees being sent home. It does not include very short funding gaps that caused little disruption.

Major Shutdowns You Should Know

1980 Shutdown: First of its Kind

On May 1, 1980, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) closed for one day. This was during President Jimmy Carter's time. It was the first time a federal agency shut down because of a budget fight. About 1,600 federal workers were sent home. The shutdown ended quickly when President Carter pushed Congress to pass spending bills. It cost the government about $700,000.

1981, 1984, and 1986 Shutdowns: Reagan Years

During President Ronald Reagan's terms, there were three shutdowns. These happened in 1981, 1984, and 1986. They were caused by disagreements between Reagan and Congress over spending bills. The 1981 shutdown lasted one day and sent 241,000 workers home. The 1984 and 1986 shutdowns each lasted one day, affecting 500,000 workers. These short shutdowns cost taxpayers millions of dollars in lost work and back pay.

1990 Shutdown: Budget Battle

The 1990 shutdown happened during President George H. W. Bush's presidency. It was about his plans for tax increases and cuts to benefit programs like Medicare. The shutdown lasted three days, from October 6 to October 9. About 2,800 workers were furloughed. National parks and museums, like the Smithsonian, were closed. The shutdown cost the government about $2.57 million.

1995–1996 Shutdowns: Clinton vs. Congress

The U.S. had two shutdowns between 1995 and 1996 during President Bill Clinton's time. These happened because Clinton disagreed with spending bills proposed by Republicans in Congress. They wanted to cut government spending, but Clinton opposed cuts to education, the environment, and public health.

The first shutdown began on November 14, 1995, and lasted six days. About 800,000 federal workers were sent home. The second shutdown started on December 16, 1995, and lasted 21 days. About 284,000 workers were furloughed. These shutdowns caused problems for tourism and airlines. They also delayed passport processing and medical research.

2013 Shutdown: Healthcare Debate

The 2013 shutdown happened during President Obama's second term. It was due to disagreements over a healthcare law called the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Republicans in the House of Representatives wanted to delay funding for the ACA. But President Obama and Democrats in the Senate refused.

The shutdown began on October 1, 2013, and lasted 16 days. About 800,000 federal employees were sent home. Another 1.3 million workers had to work without knowing when they would get paid. This cost the government millions in back pay. Many government programs were disrupted, and national parks closed. The shutdown also slowed down the U.S. economy.

January 2018 Shutdown: Immigration Issues

The January 2018 shutdown was the first during President Donald Trump's first term. It was about immigration policy. Democrats wanted funding for a program that protected young immigrants. Republicans refused to pass bills that included this funding.

The shutdown started on January 20, 2018, and lasted three days. About 692,000 federal workers were sent home. Both sides eventually agreed to a temporary funding plan. This allowed for more talks on immigration. The impact of this shutdown was not as severe as some others. Most government departments continued to function.

December 2018–January 2019 Shutdown: Border Wall

The shutdown from December 2018 to January 2019 was the second during President Trump's first term. It was caused by disagreements over funding for a border wall. Trump wanted $5.7 billion for the wall, but Democrats opposed it.

This shutdown began on December 22, 2018, and lasted 35 days. It became the longest government shutdown in U.S. history at that time. About 380,000 federal workers were sent home, and 420,000 more worked without pay. This caused major problems, including delays in tax refunds and airport closures due to staff shortages. The shutdown ended when Congress approved a plan to reopen the government for three weeks to allow for more talks. It cost the government about $5 billion.

2025 Shutdown: Ongoing Disagreements

In late September 2025, President Donald Trump and Democratic leaders met to try and prevent a shutdown. They did not reach an agreement.

On October 1, 2025, the U.S. government shut down for the first time in six years. It has remained shut down for 44 days. This is because Senate Democrats and Senate Republicans have blocked a temporary funding bill 14 times. The Republican-controlled House of Representatives passed this bill. Democrats voted against it because it did not include an extension of healthcare subsidies.

Food and Healthcare Worries

By October 20, 2025, the shutdown became the third-longest in U.S. history. A major problem arose with the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which helps people buy food. The USDA warned that about 42 million Americans might lose food assistance in November. SNAP only had enough emergency money until the end of October. Many states announced they could not give out November SNAP benefits because the shutdown continued.

This food assistance crisis happened at the same time as new rules for SNAP began on November 1. These rules were expected to cause millions more Americans to lose benefits. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins confirmed the urgent situation regarding funding.

Impact on Workers and Travel

During the 2025 shutdown, President Donald Trump had planned to fire about 4,100 new federal employees. However, a federal judge temporarily stopped these layoffs. This decision came after worker groups argued the firings were unlawful.

On October 17, 2025, federal workers missed their first full paycheck. By October 20, about 750,000 workers were sent home without pay each day. Another 1.4 million essential workers continued working without paychecks. By October 31, the Congressional Budget Office estimated the shutdown had caused about $7 billion in economic losses. More than 4,000 federal workers faced permanent job losses.

Military members almost missed their October 15 paycheck. The Pentagon used other funds at the last minute to pay them. However, defense officials said they could not do this again, putting the November 1 military payday at risk.

Starting October 20, 2025, all federal courts no longer had enough money for full operations. This caused delays in trials and furloughs for court staff.

In November 2025, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy stated that large-scale flight disruptions were likely as the federal government shutdown continued. He warned that parts of U.S. airspace might need to close due to staff shortages. Airports across the U.S. faced significant delays and cancellations. This was due to many air traffic controllers being absent. Over one weekend, more than 16,700 flights were delayed, and 2,282 flights were canceled.

Legislative Impasse

As of October 20, 2025, the Senate had voted 11 times on the same Republican funding bill. All votes failed to get enough support. The House of Representatives had not held a vote since September 19. Speaker Mike Johnson had sent House members home, saying they would not return until the Senate passed legislation.

The political disagreement was mainly about healthcare. Republicans wanted to pass a temporary funding bill and discuss healthcare separately. Democrats insisted that any funding bill must include an extension of enhanced healthcare subsidies. They also wanted to reverse cuts in government healthcare funding. They argued that many Americans could lose health insurance or see costs increase when current subsidies expire on December 31, 2025.

Shutdowns in States and Counties

Government shutdowns can also happen at the state and county levels.

Year	Start date	End date	Total days	Location
1991	Jul 1	Jul 17	17	Maine
1991	Jul 1	Aug 23	54	Connecticut
1991	Jul 2	Aug 3	34	Pennsylvania
1992	Jul 1	Sep 1	63	California
2002	Jul 1	Jul 3	3	Tennessee
2005	Jul 1	Jul 9	9	Minnesota
2006	May 1	May 13	13	Puerto Rico
2006	Jul 1	Jul 8	8	New Jersey
2007	Oct 1	Oct 1	1 (approx. 4 hrs)	Michigan
2007	Jul 11	Jul 12	1 (approx. 6 hrs)	Pennsylvania
2009	Oct 1	Oct 1	1 (approx. 6 hrs)	Michigan
2011	Jul 1	Jul 20	20	Minnesota
2015	Jul 1	Jul 6	6	Illinois
2017	Jul 1	Jul 4	3	New Jersey
2017	Jul 1	Jul 4	4	Maine

See also

In Spanish: Cierre del Gobierno de los Estados Unidos para niños

• Loss of supply
• Budget crisis
• Deficit spending
• Cabinet crisis
• Constitutional crisis
• Gridlock (politics)
• Fiscal policy