For the first time in six years, the federal government is officially shut down. Congressional Democrats, Republicans, and President Donald Trump and his administration are in a standoff over how federal government spending for the next fiscal year should be allocated.
Threats of mass layoffs are looming, with President Donald Trump saying that “vast numbers” of federal workers could be terminated, according to USA TODAY on Oct. 1.
“The White House Office of Management and Budget said in a recent email that workers whose activities are ‘not consistent with the President’s priorities’ are a target,” USA TODAY says.
Here’s a quick breakdown of why the federal government shut down this week, when the last government shutdown was, how long it lasted and how the shutdown could impact Floridians.
Are we in a government shutdown right now?
Yes. The federal government ran out of money at the end of the fiscal year, which ended at 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 1.
Congressional leaders weren’t able to overcome their differences on how funds should be allocated before the deadline. As a result, the federal government is now partially shut down until an agreement can be reached. Federal agencies are pausing all non-essential discretionary functions until new funding legislation is passed and signed into law.
The main argument over how to allocate funding centers on cuts to healthcare programs that GOP leaders want to impose. This includes cuts to health programs that benefit millions of Americans, like Medicaid and lapsing Obamacare premium subsidies.
Lawmakers are expected to vote again on funding legislation on Wednesday, Oct. 1.
How long was the longest government shutdown? When was the last government shutdown?
The most recent and longest government shutdown, which lasted from December 2018 through January 2019, was the longest in U.S. history, spanned 35 days and cost the economy around $3 billion.
That shutdown was due to disagreements between the first Trump administration and Congress over funding for a U.S.-Mexico border wall, and closely followed a temporary shutdown in 2018 that lasted only a few hours.
Here’s a timeline from USA TODAY of the 21 government shutdowns that have occurred in the last five decades:
How long do government shutdowns last?
A government shutdown can last anywhere from a few hours to several weeks or even months.
The length of a government shutdown depends on how long it takes both sides of the political aisle in Congress to reach an agreement on how federal funds should be allocated in the next fiscal year. There is no legal or Constitutional limit to how long a government shutdown can last.
How many federal employees are there in Florida?
According to the Office of Management and Budget’s latest data, as of Sept. 2024 there were 95,167 federal employees in all agencies in Florida, about 1 in 20 of all federal employees nationwide.
In its first months the Trump administration worked to slash federal jobs and freeze federal funding through the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), which resulted in thousands of firings, layoffs and early resignation acceptances. Exact numbers are difficult to determine because some people fired were still on provisionary status and some of Trump’s attempts at workforce reduction have been blocked or reversed by lower courts.
What happens in a government shutdown? Do government workers get paid during a shutdown?
Government shutdowns happen when Congress fails to agree on and pass appropriations bills, which fund the government’s operations for the upcoming fiscal year. Federal agencies classify workers as either “essential” or “nonessential.”
Essential workers continue to work, but may not receive immediate payment. Nonessential workers are furloughed, meaning they are unable to work or receive pay until the government reopens.
The failure to pass a funding bill could lead to furloughs for thousands of federal workers and a reduction in federal services. During the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, USA TODAY reported that approximately 800,000 federal employees went without pay for 35 days.
Most of the government-funded agencies and entities that are hardest hit by the shutdown have some funding and contingency plans to keep their most essential operations going for the time being.
Here are some of the government-funded entities that are affected by the shutdown:
Does USPS work during a government shutdown?
Mail carriers deliver post in snow, rain, extreme heat … and government shutdowns.
The U.S. Postal Service is not affected because it does not depend on Congressional funding.
Here are some other services that are among those least affected in a shutdown:
Contributing: C. A. Bridges, USA TODAY NETWORK-Florida; Terry Moseley, USA TODAY
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: How long, when was the last government shutdown? See list of past shutdowns, who’s affected
Reporting by Lianna Norman and Samantha Neely, USA TODAY NETWORK – Florida / Treasure Coast Newspapers
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
