what does government shut down mean

A government shutdown means the federal government stops all non-essential functions and services because Congress has not approved funding for its operations. Non-essential government employees are furloughed (temporarily sent home without pay), while essential services like national security, air traffic control, and veterans' healthcare continue to operate. Social security payments and the U.S. Postal Service also keep running during a shutdown. Shutdowns happen when lawmakers fail to pass a budget or temporary funding, forcing agencies to freeze activities until an agreement is reached. This can disrupt many services, cause delays, and affect hundreds of thousands of federal workers who may be paid retroactively once the government reopens.