In the United States, so-called government shutdowns occur when Congress fails to pass federal government funding in time before the start of the new fiscal year. In such cases, federal agencies restrict activities, non-essential employees are placed on unpaid furlough, and only personnel related to protecting life and property continue working. The impacts extend to state and local levels, causing delays and disruptions in programs and services.
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This framework was established in 1980, when Attorney General Benjamin Civiletti issued an opinion requiring the suspension of agency operations in case of funding gaps. While it wasn’t always strictly enforced in the 1980s, from 1990 onwards, every gap lasting more than a few hours led to a shutdown. By February 2024, ten funding gaps had resulted in government shutdowns, leaving thousands of federal employees without pay.
The longest shutdowns in America
- 2018–2019 (35 days): the longest in history, during Donald Trump’s first term, caused by the dispute over building a wall on the US-Mexico border.
- 1995–1996 (21 days): under Bill Clinton, due to conflict with Congress over spending.
- 2013 (16 days): under Barack Obama, because of opposition over implementing Obamacare.
- The remaining seven cases lasted five or fewer days.
Economic and social consequences
Shutdowns directly affect daily life: national parks and museums close, public services slow down, payments are delayed, government revenue decreases, and the economy suffers. In 2013, for example, Standard & Poor’s estimated that the shutdown cost $24 billion and reduced GDP by 0.6% in the last quarter of that year. The 2018–2019 shutdown had even broader consequences: disruptions to security screenings and immigration hearings, problems with air travel, restrictions on services for indigenous populations and tourists, and delays in regulatory approvals. The US Constitution gives Congress exclusive authority to allocate funds. If the budget isn’t approved, the government can continue temporarily through a Continuing Resolution (CR), but if no agreement is reached, then a shutdown is inevitable. Civiletti’s strict interpretation of the Anti-Deficiency Act in the 1980s established that only functions directly related to safety or property can continue without funding. Shutdowns of this type are almost non-existent in parliamentary systems, such as in Europe and Asia, where failure to pass a budget is connected to government collapse and elections, not suspension of state functions.
Arguments for and against
Critics believe that shutdowns demonstrate structural problems in the American system of separation of powers. Others see them as a “political weapon” that forces society to confront its deep divisions. In 2019, it was argued that they constitute a form of pressure and defense of popular sovereignty, while in 2024 they were characterized as “political acrobatics.” In 2025, Ezra Klein spoke of shutdowns as acts of resistance against a corrupt government, even if the results remain uncertain.
