Introduction: Impacts Of A Government Shutdown

OVERVIEW

The United States Congress is responsible for appropriating funds for the government. This process begins through the creation of 12 appropriations bills-each determining spending levels for federal agencies and programs for that fiscal year. Those 12 bills need to pass the House of Representatives and Senate, either individually or in groups of bills, before going to the President's desk for his signature. Government shutdowns generally occur when there is a disagreement over budget allocations and amounts. A full government shutdown occurs when none of the 12 appropriations bills is able to be signed before the fiscal year expires. A partial government shutdown occurs when some but not all of the necessary bills are signed. A shutdown may be temporarily avoided through the enactment of a continuing resolution (CR), which extends funding for the government at existing levels for a specific amount of time – buying time for Congress to resolve any