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There seems to be no finish in sight to the present authorities shutdown, with Democrats and Republicans nonetheless removed from putting a federal spending deal practically a month into fiscal yr (FY) 2026.
A whole lot of 1000’s of federal employees have been furloughed and 1000’s have been laid off. Sure federal providers have additionally paused attributable to lack of funding.
It’s not the primary time such a standoff has paused all or some authorities operations. Under is an inventory of the highest 5 longest authorities shutdowns in U.S. historical past, and the way they had been resolved.
BATTLEGROUND REPUBLICANS HOLD THE LINE AS JOHNSON PRESSURES DEMS ON SHUTDOWN
Presidents Donald Trump, Invoice Clinton and Jimmy Carter presided over the 4 longest authorities shutdowns in historical past, respectively. (Kevin Dietsch/Getty Photos; Luke Frazza/AFP by way of Getty Photos; Bettman Archive by way of Getty Photos)
December 2018–January 2019: 35 Days
The longest authorities shutdown in historical past occurred in the course of the first Trump administration and lasted 5 weeks.
Funding for President Donald Trump’s border wall was on the coronary heart of that dispute. Trump had refused to signal a federal spending deal that didn’t embrace cash for the mission, and a standalone invoice with $5.7 billion was blocked by a Senate Democrat-led filibuster.
Trump finally backed a short-term federal funding measure to reopen the federal government on Jan. 25, 2019, and some weeks later, Congress accepted $1.375 billion for 55 miles of border fencing between the U.S. and Mexico.
It was a partial shutdown, which means lawmakers managed to strike a deal on 5 of 12 appropriations payments earlier than their clock ran out.
Oct. 1, 2025–present: 26 Days and Counting
The present authorities shutdown is now the second-longest in historical past, and the longest-ever full shutdown.
Meaning Congress was unable to strike a federal funding deal on any appropriations payments earlier than the top of FY 2025 on Sept. 30.
Republicans, who management the Home and Senate, had provided a seven-week extension of FY 2025 spending ranges to present lawmakers extra time to hash out subsequent fiscal yr’s numbers.
It handed the Home on Sept. 19, with help from one Democrat, however has stalled within the Senate 12 separate instances.
SCREAMING MATCH ERUPTS BETWEEN HAKEEM JEFFRIES, MIKE LAWLER AS GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN CHAOS CONTINUES
Democrats are demanding that any federal funding plan additionally embrace an extension of COVID-19 pandemic-era enhanced Obamacare subsidies, that are set to run out on the finish of this yr with out congressional motion.
As of the newest tally, no less than 5 extra Senate Democrats are wanted to beat a filibuster and go the measure within the Senate.
Republican leaders have proven no indicators of giving in, nonetheless, accusing Democrats of making an attempt to jam an unrelated subject into the yearly funding course of.
The federal government is in a shutdown after Congress failed to achieve an settlement on federal funding. (Getty Photos)
December 1995–January 1996: 21 Days
The second of two authorities shutdowns beneath former President Invoice Clinton lasted three weeks, breaking a report on the time for the longest shutdown in U.S. historical past.
Republicans had taken management of each the Home and Senate within the 1994 midterm elections, main Clinton on a collision course with then-Home Speaker Newt Gingrich, R-Ga.
Gingrich pursued vital cuts to the federal finances after being emboldened by the 1994 purple wave within the Home following his “Contract with America.”
Clinton, who additionally pushed for a balanced finances, disagreed with the spending cuts sought by Republicans in Congress.
That was additionally a partial shutdown, with the departments of power, protection, and agriculture amongst these funded earlier than the deadlock started.
Republicans moved to finish that shutdown amid mounting unfavorable public polling for the GOP, NPR reported.
Sept. 30, 1978–Oct. 18, 1978: 18 Days
The longest shutdown of former President Jimmy Carter’s four-year time period within the White Home lasted 18 days, at a time when Democrats managed all levers of energy in Washington.
Carter had vetoed Congress’ payments on protection spending and public works that he thought wasted federal {dollars}, in line with the Washington Submit. That included funding for a nuclear-powered plane provider that Carter opposed.
There was additionally a dispute over abortion within the funding invoice for the now-defunct Division of Well being, Schooling, and Welfare.
Congress wound up stripping the funding that Carter opposed from the protection and public works payments, whereas a compromise was reached on the latter subject.
Former President Barack Obama presided over the second-longest full shutdown in historical past, and the fifth-longest general. (Alex Wong/Getty Photos)
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Oct. 1, 2013–Oct. 17, 2013: 16 Days
Very like the present standoff, the 2013 authorities shutdown additionally centered round Obamacare — often known as the Reasonably priced Care Act (ACA).
It’s the second-longest full shutdown in historical past behind right this moment’s. On the time, Republicans managed the Home whereas Democrats held the Senate.
The GOP had insisted on spending payments that rolled again vital parts of Obamacare, then solely about 3 years previous.
Senate Democrats rejected such measures handed by the Republican-controlled Home, nonetheless.
Congress finally agreed to a short-term spending patch to finish the shutdown, and Republicans relented on pushing funding payments with Obamacare cuts.
