government shutdown
Appropriations lapse chaos
A government shutdown occurs when a legislature fails to pass funding bills, forcing federal agencies to cease non-essential operations.
Employees are furloughed or work without pay until funding resumes.
In the United States, shutdowns result from budget impasses in Congress: The government shutdown lasted 35 days.
Essential services like military and air traffic control continue, but parks close and benefit payments may be delayed.
Authorized absence, no salary
- federal employeesGovernment-hired workforce
- civil servantsGovernment agency employees
- furloughedGranted mandatory unpaid leave
- back payOverdue salary owed
essential personnel · skeleton crew · contingency plan · administrative leave · workforce reduction · recall · reinstatement
Mutual blocking, no progress
- gridlockComplete mutual obstruction
- standoffUnresolved confrontation between opponents
- stalemateMutual obstruction preventing progress
- logjamObstruction halting flow
paralysis · negotiations · brinkmanship · partisan divide · obstruction · debt ceiling · reconciliation · filibuster
Serious sudden danger
- hardshipSuffering from difficult circumstances
- chaosComplete disorder and confusion
- fiscal crisisSevere government money shortage
- market volatilityRapid price fluctuation severity
Administering travel authorization requests
- federal courtsJudiciary handling nationwide cases
- small business loansCredit for modest enterprises
- permit delaysSlowdowns in official approvals
- tax refundsReturned excess withholdings
unpaid leave
Authorized absence, no salary
- federal employeesGovernment-hired workforce
- civil servantsGovernment agency employees
- furloughedGranted mandatory unpaid leave
back pay · essential personnel · skeleton crew · contingency plan · administrative leave · workforce reduction · recall · reinstatement
deadlock
Mutual blocking, no progress
- gridlockComplete mutual obstruction
- standoffUnresolved confrontation between opponents
- stalemateMutual obstruction preventing progress
logjam · paralysis · negotiations · brinkmanship · partisan divide · obstruction · debt ceiling · reconciliation · filibuster · cloture
emergency
Serious sudden danger
- hardshipSuffering from difficult circumstances
- chaosComplete disorder and confusion
- fiscal crisisSevere government money shortage
market volatility · credit rating · essential services · political fallout
visa processing
Administering travel authorization requests
- federal courtsJudiciary handling nationwide cases
- small business loansCredit for modest enterprises
- permit delaysSlowdowns in official approvals
- 1990sMonica Lewinsky, impeachment, NAFTA, Whitewater, Oklahoma City bombing
- 2013Boston Marathon bombing, Edward Snowden, NSA leaks, Harlem Shake, selfie
- fiscal crisesdebt crisis, budget crisis, fiscal crisis, fiscal emergency, budget deficit
- Obama EraBarack Obama, Michelle Obama, Joe Biden, Obamacare, Affordable Care Act
- political turmoilpolitical instability, power vacuum, coup d'etat, military coup, uprising
- fiscal policybudget deficit, deficit spending, national budget, budget surplus, budget deficits
government, shutdown, govern, governed, governing, governor, governors, governmental, governance