What a Government Really Actually Means

What Is a Government Shutdown?

A government shutdown happens when Congress fails to pass a law that funds parts of the federal government. The U.S. government needs annual funding bills to pay federal workers and keep agencies running. When those bills aren’t passed on time, some government operations have to pause because there’s no legal authority to spend money.

This doesn’t mean the entire government stops functioning — only the parts that aren’t considered “essential” under federal law.

Why Do Government Shutdowns Happen?

Shutdowns usually happen because of disagreements in Congress over the federal budget. Lawmakers may disagree on how much money should be spent, what programs should be funded, or whether certain policy conditions should be attached to funding bills. When those disagreements aren’t resolved by the funding deadline, the government can’t legally keep paying for all its operations.

While shutdowns are often framed as political drama, they’re ultimately the result of unfinished budget decisions.

What Actually Shuts Down — and What Doesn’t

One of the biggest misconceptions about shutdowns is that everything stops. That’s not true.

Services that usually continue:

• The military and national defense

• Social Security and Medicare payments

• Emergency services and law enforcement

• Air traffic control and border protection

Services that may pause or slow:

• National parks and museums

• Some federal agencies and offices

• Research programs and federal grants

• Non-essential government work

The exact impact depends on how long the shutdown lasts and which agencies are affected.

What Happens to Federal Workers?

During a shutdown, many federal employees are either:

• Furloughed, meaning they are temporarily not allowed to work and don’t receive pay during the shutdown, or

• Required to work without immediate pay if their job is considered essential

Once the shutdown ends, furloughed workers are usually paid retroactively, but the delay can still cause financial stress and uncertainty.

Government Shutdowns in U.S. History

Government shutdowns in the United States didn’t happen until the modern budget process was set up in the 1970s. Since then, there have been about 23 funding gaps, and 11 of those led to shutdowns where federal employees were furloughed or forced to work without pay.

Before the 1980s, even when appropriations weren’t passed on time, government agencies generally kept operating. But after changes in budget rules, lapses in funding began to lead to real shutdowns that halted many non-essential services, furloughed workers, and closed national parks or museums.

Some notable shutdowns in U.S. history include:

• A 21-day shutdown in 1995–1996 under President Bill Clinton over budget disputes,

• A 16-day shutdown in 2013 related to disagreements about the Affordable Care Act,

• A 35-day shutdown in 2018–2019 under President Donald Trump over border security funding.

Shutdowns vary a lot in length and impact, but the pattern shows that political disagreements over budget priorities and spending rules are usually behind them.

The 2025 Shutdown: What Happened and How It Ended

The 2025 government shutdown — which lasted from October 1 to November 12, 2025 — became the longest federal government shutdown in U.S. history, lasting 43 days.

This shutdown began because Congress was unable to agree on passing the appropriations bills needed to fund the federal government for the 2026 fiscal year. A major point of disagreement was healthcare policy — specifically, whether to continue enhanced insurance subsidies under the Affordable Care Act (ACA) that were set to expire at the end of 2025. These subsidies help millions of people afford health insurance premiums. Democrats wanted the spending bill to extend these subsidies, while many Republicans opposed that extension, arguing it amounted to new or expanded federal spending that shouldn’t be part of a stopgap funding measure.

During this period:

• Roughly 900,000 federal employees were furloughed, and about 2 million worked without pay until funding was restored.

• Some agencies, like Medicare or the Department of Defense, continued operations because their funding is structured differently, while others were partially or fully shuttered.

The shutdown finally ended when Congress passed a revised appropriations bill that resolved the standoff, and President Donald Trump signed it into law on November 12, 2025, restoring funding and reopening most government operations.

How a Government Shutdown Affects Teens

Even if teens aren’t paying taxes or working federal jobs, shutdowns can still affect them in real ways:

• College financial aid delays: FAFSA processing and federal aid services can slow down.

• School programs and trips: Visits to national parks, museums, or federal sites may be canceled.

• Family finances: Teens with family members who work for the federal government may experience financial stress at home.

• Internships and research opportunities: Programs run by federal agencies can be paused or postponed.

Shutdowns show how government decisions don’t just affect politicians, but also affect everyday routines and future opportunities.

Sources

• Congressional Research Service (CRS): “Shutdown of the Federal Government: Causes, Processes, and Effects”

• USA.gov: Government Shutdown Information

• Office of Management and Budget (OMB): Agency Contingency Plans

• Government Accountability Office (GAO): Economic Effects of Government Shutdowns