what does it mean that the government shuts down

A government shutdown means that the federal government temporarily stops all non-essential operations because Congress fails to pass funding legislation to finance government activities for the new fiscal year. During a shutdown, many government services freeze, non-essential federal workers are furloughed without pay, and only critical services related to safety and national security continue to operate. Essential functions such as social security payments, Medicare, air traffic control, and border security usually remain active, but many programs including national parks, museums, immigration hearings, and some public health services may be suspended or delayed until funding is restored. Workers furloughed in a shutdown often receive back pay once the government reopens, but contract workers typically do not get compensated for the downtime. This situation arises from political disagreements preventing agreement on a budget or stopgap funding measure in Congress.