why did the government shutdown today

The government shutdown on October 1, 2025, occurred because Congress failed to pass appropriations legislation to fund the federal government for the 2026 fiscal year. Both Democratic and Republican proposals to continue funding were blocked in the Senate, primarily due to partisan disagreements over spending levels, Medicaid cuts, health care subsidies, and foreign aid rescissions. A Democratic-backed bill that would have extended health care subsidies and reversed Medicaid cuts failed, as did a Republican stopgap funding measure that aimed to keep the government funded for seven weeks. The Senate did not reach the 60 votes needed to overcome a filibuster to pass the Republican plan, and Democrats withheld votes over health care policy issues. Following the failed votes, the White House directed federal agencies to execute shutdown plans, leading to the furlough of about 900,000 federal employees and leaving 700,000 more working without pay. Essential services continued, but many government operations were suspended until funding is restored. The blame for the shutdown was exchanged between President Donald Trump and congressional Democrats, with each side attributing responsibility to the other for the impasse and the resulting shutdown.