As the US heads toward a potential government shutdown on October 1, the nation faces a familiar crisis: political gridlock in Washington. This time, the standoff centers on healthcare funding, with Republicans pushing for deep cuts and Democrats demanding an extension of Affordable Care Act insurance subsidies. The deadlock threatens to pause pay for hundreds of thousands of federal workers—or even lead to permanent layoffs—and could delay essential services.
These developments highlight the recurring nature of government shutdowns in American history. Since the first shutdown in 1976, there have been 21 federal shutdowns, including the longest in 2019, as political disagreements repeatedly brought the federal government to a standstill.
In this gallery, we explore past government shutdowns, what caused them, and how they affected Americans.