The federal government has officially shut down after Congress failed to reach a funding agreement before the start of the new fiscal year, which began at midnight on Oct. 1.
The shutdown was prompted in large part by a disagreement between Democrats — who sought to include health care protections for millions of Americans who will see subsidies expire soon — and Republicans, who say the issue should be handled separately.
The shutdown will likely result in the disruption of some federal services and the furloughs of federal workers — and potentially even permanent layoffs.
Shutdowns, while historically rare, have become more frequent in recent decades. The most recent and longest shutdown, spurred by disagreements on immigration policy and the U.S.-Mexico border, lasted 34 full days and took place during Trump’s first term, in 2018–19. NBC News noted that prior to the current shutdown, the federal government had shut down a total of 20 times since 1976, three of which were after 2013.
Erum Salam is a breaking news reporter and producer for MS NOW. She previously was a breaking news reporter for The Guardian.
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