The United States government went into a partial shutdown on Saturday after Congress did not pass the 2026 budget before the midnight deadline. Because of this delay, federal funding temporarily stopped.
Still, lawmakers indicated that the shutdown might not last long. The House of Representatives is expected to act early next week to approve a funding agreement that has already been supported by the Senate.
Why the US Entered a Partial Government Shutdown After Missing the Budget Deadline
The US government entered a partial shutdown because Congress failed to pass the 2026 budget before the midnight deadline, halting funding for several federal agencies after negotiations collapsed, though lawmakers expect to approve a deal soo
Talks Collapsed After Minneapolis Incident
The funding gap happened after negotiations broke down. The main reason was anger among Democrats over the killing of two protesters in Minneapolis by federal immigration agents. Officials familiar with the discussions, quoted by the AFP news agency, said this incident interrupted talks about new funding for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Non-Essential Services to Pause
Since no deal was reached before the deadline, several non-essential government operations are expected to stop temporarily. These services will remain paused until Congress approves either a short-term funding bill or a full-year budget.
Congressional leaders are still trying to gather enough votes so the House can pass the Senate-supported deal when lawmakers return.
Second Shutdown in a Year
This is the second government shutdown in the past year. It comes only 11 weeks after the last funding dispute ended. That earlier shutdown lasted 43 days, making it the longest government shutdown in US history.
Some Departments Remain Funded
This shutdown is more limited because some federal departments already have full funding through the fiscal year ending September 30. According to Bloomberg, these include:
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The Department of Agriculture, which means food stamp programmes will continue
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National parks
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Veterans’ services
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The Justice Department
Key Agencies Begin Shutdown Steps
However, a memo from the White House Office of Management and Budget, cited by Bloomberg, said several major agencies must start official shutdown procedures during the funding gap. These include:
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Treasury Department
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Defense Department
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Homeland Security
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Transportation Department
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Health and Human Services
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Labor Department
Operations Could Restart Soon
An administration official said normal government work could start again as soon as Monday, if the House passes the funding bill early in the day.
