why did the us government shutdown

The US government shutdown in October 2025 occurred because Republicans and Democrats failed to agree on a spending bill to fund the government for the new fiscal year. Key issues causing the impasse included disagreements over federal spending levels, foreign aid rescissions, and provisions related to health insurance subsidies. Democrats opposed the Republican-led bill because it involved cuts to Medicaid and eliminated tax credits that make health insurance more affordable. The Senate's filibuster rule, requiring 60 votes to pass funding legislation, allowed the minority Democrats to block bills despite Republicans holding the majority. This political deadlock led to a shutdown starting October 1, 2025, affecting about 900,000 federal employees furloughed and many services partially or fully suspended. Essential programs like Medicare and TSA continued but agencies like the CDC, NIH, and WIC faced disruptions. Additionally, this shutdown is notable as part of President Donald Trump's efforts to reduce the size of the federal government and included unprecedented threats of mass federal worker layoffs during the lapse in funding.