The 2023 U.S. government shutdown began at 12:01 a.m. Eastern Time on October 1, 2023, when Congress failed to pass the necessary funding bills or a continuing resolution to keep the government funded. The shutdown resulted from disagreements primarily in the House of Representatives over spending levels and other legislative provisions. It caused many federal agencies to cease non-essential operations and furloughed numerous federal employees until funding was restored through temporary stop-gap funding measures later in November 2023.
More specifically, the initial shutdown started right at the beginning of the new fiscal year on October 1, 2023, after September 30 marked the expiration of the previous fiscal year's funding. Subsequent efforts by Congress led to temporary continuing resolutions to temporarily reopen the government, such as the one extending funding until November 17, 2023.
In summary, the 2023 government shutdown started exactly at midnight on October 1, 2023, when funding lapsed, triggering the shutdown until Congress acted to pass temporary funding legislation.
