U.S. Federal Government Status
Is the Government
Shut Down?
Partial shutdown — DHS affected
The easiest way to see whether the U.S. government is shut down.
Yes
Day 163 · Since Feb 14
163days
:15hrs
:36min
:02sec
What's happening now (2026 DHS partial shutdown)
Partial shutdown: DHS funding lapse (per Congress.gov). OPM DC status: Open
Bill actions below sync from Congress.gov; summary blends Congress.gov lapse signals with OPM status language.
- 01Partial shutdown: DHS funding lapse (per Congress.gov).
Latest coverage
6 linksHeadlines from major outlets (RSS). Fallback links apply if the feed is unavailable.
House passes bill to fund the government until after midterm elections - The Washington Post
The Washington Post/4d ago
US to tighten visa regulations for foreign students, journalists - Reuters
Reuters/Jul 17
US House votes to halt Iran war, in another symbolic rebuke of Trump - Reuters
Reuters/3d ago
House passes temporary government funding bill months early - PBS
PBS/4d ago
US Education Department probes five medical schools over admissions practices - Reuters
Reuters/3d ago
House votes to extend government funding, aiming to avoid an election year shutdown - NPR
NPR/4d ago
Why shutdowns happen
- 01Every fiscal year, Congress needs to pass appropriations bills (or a stopgap "continuing resolution") to authorize government spending for agencies and programs.
- 02If those bills don't pass before the previous funding expires (usually September 30), there's a funding lapse — meaning no legal authority to spend on many operations.
- 03Under the Antideficiency Act, government agencies are prohibited from incurring obligations (i.e. spending money) without an appropriation. That law forces the government to shut down non-essential functions during a funding gap.
- 04Politically, shutdowns usually emerge when parties (or branches of government) clash over budget priorities — what gets cut, what gets expanded, how much to spend, etc. These fights often include policy demands tied to funding (so it isn't just dollars, it's also politics).
Frequently Asked Questions
What you need to know about government shutdowns.