The U.S. government shutdown that began on October 1, 2025, happened because Congress failed to pass a funding bill to finance federal government operations for the new fiscal year. The shutdown resulted from a deadlock between the Republican-controlled Congress and the Democrats, who could not agree on a spending package. Republicans proposed a short-term funding bill to continue government operations until November, but Democrats opposed it, demanding protections for healthcare subsidies and reversal of Medicaid cuts. The Senate could not achieve the 60 votes required to overcome a filibuster on the Republican bill. As a result, government funding was cut off at midnight, leading to a shutdown that furloughed approximately 900,000 federal employees and forced another 700,000 to work without pay.
This shutdown reflects ongoing partisan disputes primarily about federal spending levels, healthcare subsidies, and foreign aid. The President and congressional leaders met in an attempt to avoid the shutdown but failed to reach a compromise. Critical services such as Medicare, Medicaid, and transportation security continue to operate, but many other agencies face partial or full suspension until funding is restored.
