Imagine 43 days without pay, but still having to go to work every day, waiting for 535 people to agree and decide when or if you get paid again. This was the reality for almost 3 million federal workers this fall from Oct. 1 to Nov. 12 . The thirteenth and longest shutdown in American history, and the first post-Covid shutdown, left lasting impacts on the government, workers, and the citizens alike.
A government shutdown takes place when the federal government fails to pass funding legislation before the start of the next fiscal year, which—for the United States—is Oct. 1. When the government shutdown takes place, many areas of the federal government go without pay, like the Department of Defence, as well as smaller government jobs.
On Sept. 16 the first of 14 proposals to fund the government was introduced to the House, and it was sent to the Senate on the 19 of the same month. The bill was rejected the same day on a vote of 44 yay to 48 nay. The bill was reintroduced ten days later on Sept. 29, and was rejected again on Sept. 30 of a vote of 55 yay to 45 nay.
The next morning, Oct. 1 , the shutdown would begin, with no one knowing how long or influential the shutdown would be. The first effects would go in place the same day, with federal parks being shut down and federal workers beginning to see the effects. By the first week of the shutdown the bill was voted on four more times, all resulting in nothing and almost half of all IRS workers were furloughed.
After two weeks of shutdown there seemed to be no end to it, with eight failed attempts to pass the bill, and the shutdown becoming the fifteenth longest in U.S. history. On Nov. 4 the shutdown officially became the longest shutdown in American history, with millions being laid off or not being paid, and a total of fourteen attempts to pass the bill being denied. Then on Nov. 10 the senate passed the bill to end the shutdown, with Trump signing it into effect 2 days later.
On Nov. 10 the bill to end the shutdown was voted on multiple times, with a vote of 60 yays against 40 nays, officially sending it to the house to be voted on there. On Nov. 12 the matter would be discussed in the house for the first time since it was first introduced, the entire proceeding took under 2 hours, with a yay to nay vote of 222-209, the bill was signed and became a law on the same day.
But why did it take so long for the government to reopen? Well, it was because of the differing views between the Democrats and the Republicans of the Senate on what is needed to be funded in the country. Democrats focused on Medical benefits like Medicaid, including the Affordable Care Act, and SNAP benefits. On the other hand, Republicans supported less tax money going to medical benefits, like ones for illegal immigrants and cutting non-essential programs.
When the bill became a law, the Republicans came out on top, with medical benefits not being included in the bill. One of the demands lost in the law was the continued funding of Medicare, as well as no extension of tax credits that make health insurance more affordable, these programs are expected to end at the start of 2026–this will result in people’s premiums more than doubling. Fortunately, programs like SNAP were extended through September of next year.
This government shutdown was the most impactful shutdown in American history, and highlighted how divided the government has been over the past years. The fact that neither party wants to give in or lose what they want, even if that comes at the expense of the country's people, with millions being laid off, unpaid, and losing crucial food programs. The shutdown was devastating for the entire country, and has left a lasting impact on many government services that may never be fully repaired.
