A Brief Look-Back on Government Shutdowns
Unless Congress passes a budget by midnight on October 1st, the U.S. government will face its fourth shutdown in ten years
As the October 1st deadline looms, the specter of yet another government shutdown hangs over Washington. With Congress failing to present a funding plan before the weekend break, federal agencies have been directed by the White House to prepare for a potential shutdown.
If Congress fails to reach an agreement, this would mark the fourth shutdown in ten years. What are shutdowns, and how frequently do they occur?
What is a Shutdown?
The United States Constitution mandates that the federal government's funding must be allocated through the appropriations process in the U.S. Congress. This task is entrusted to the Committee on Appropriations, which divides its responsibilities among 12 subcommittees. Since this committee is found in the House, the funding bill always originates in the House of Representatives and must subsequently receive approval from the Senate. This is an annual cycle, with each fiscal year commencing on October 1st. Failure to meet this deadline, resulting in a lack of allocated funds for government agencies and departments, triggers a government "shutdown." However, exceptions are made for employees classified as "essential" who continue to work during these periods of funding gaps.
Who’s to Blame?
In a recent tweet, Representative Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY 14th district) claimed that over the past three decades, government shutdowns have consistently coincided with Republican control of the House of Representatives. Her statement, while somewhat rounded for simplicity, holds true. Since 1995, every government shutdown has indeed taken place while Republicans were in charge of the House. These shutdowns, ranging from 2 to 34 days in duration, resulted in the furloughing of federal employees. On average, during this period, government shutdowns persisted for approximately 20 days.
During the decade spanning 1980-1990, the United States witnessed a notable decrease in the duration of government shutdowns, with an average length of just 2.4 days under Democratic leadership in the House. However, this was also the era when federal employees began to face furloughs as a result of these shutdowns. This trend continues into the 21st century when federal workers are expected to be furloughed as a result of a shutdown.
On average, Americans tend to attribute more blame to Republicans than Democrats when government shutdowns occur, although Democrats are not always absolved of responsibility. If the government were to face another shutdown, it is highly probable that Republicans would once again shoulder the lion's share of the blame. However, this doesn't necessarily imply that most Americans disapprove of such a strategy.
The perspective on shutdowns depends largely on individual beliefs and priorities. For instance, if a voter prioritizes spending cuts, they might view leveraging the debt ceiling as a legitimate strategy. This mirrors the situation with Democratic voters who, when Senate Democrats filibustered the GOP's spending bill for failing to address the status of DACA program immigrants, may have felt justified in their actions.
Despite the public's general disapproval, using the debt ceiling as a political bargaining chip has been a long-standing and likely enduring strategy. Although there has been some bipartisan support in the Senate for legislation to eliminate the possibility of shutdowns, the chances of such a proposal passing through the Senate remain slim. Moreover, the consequences of being blamed for a shutdown appear to have limited long-term effects. With the constant influx of news stories and pressing national issues, voters are often eager to shift their attention to more pertinent matters.