Overview
- The stoppage began in October after lawmakers failed to pass a new federal budget or a short‑term funding measure.
- Many federal employees have gone unpaid as agencies close or furlough staff, including the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
- Air travelers face long lines and people relying on food assistance report delays in services.
- The prior longest shutdown lasted 35 days in 2018–19 before ending in late January 2019.
- Parties remain deadlocked over spending and health policy, with Republicans holding both chambers yet still needing Democratic votes to end the funding blockade.