how often does a government shutdown happen

Government shutdowns in the U.S. have occurred 20 times since 1976, resulting in 10 actual shutdowns when federal employees were furloughed. These shutdowns happen when Congress fails to pass funding legislation before the fiscal year starts or by a deadline, which typically is October 1. Shutdowns are relatively infrequent but have become more common in recent decades, with only six occurring since 1990. Notably, there were no shutdowns between 1995 and 2013, but three have taken place in the 12 years after that period. Shutdowns can last from a few hours to over a month, with the longest one lasting 35 days from December 2018 to January 2019. Shutdown frequency depends on political gridlock and budget negotiations, and while the government can come close to shutdown multiple times, prolonged shutdowns are less common.