Trump’s previous govt shutdown was longest on record: How long can this last?

The US government officially shut down on Wednesday, making it the first time in six years that such an event has occurred, the second in Trump’s presidency, however.

The 55-45 vote on Tuesday on the bill to extend federal funding for seven weeks fell short of the 60 votes needed to end a filibuster and pass the legislation. The failure to reach a consensus came as Democrats pushed for their healthcare demand and threatened to close the government if President Donald Trump did not respond.

While government shutdowns are rare, the US has seen such an occurrence more often than not in recent decades. The funding for the federal government expired at 12:00 am local time, with the Trump administration ordering agencies to set in motion the shutdown protocols.

Congress has come close to triggering a government shutdown several times in recent years, most notably in March, when the Senate approved a funding bill just hours before the deadline. Although funding technically lapsed for a few hours until President Donald Trump signed the bill into law, government operations continued without significant disruption.

When was the longest shutdown?

This was not the first time the US government has shut down under Trump’s presidency. In fact, the last shutdown America saw was the longest one in the country’s history was also under the Republican leader’s rule.

The shutdown that began in December 2018 was a partial one, as Congress had approved annual funding for some agencies, allowing them to remain operational while others were forced to shut down.

According to the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), around 800,000 people were employed by the affected federal agencies at the time, with approximately 300,000 furloughed, meaning they were not paid and were instructed not to report to work.

How long will this one last?

To end a government shutdown, Congress must pass appropriations bills to fund the affected departments and agencies, and the President must sign them into law. The President cannot end a shutdown on their own. These funding bills go through the standard legislative process, requiring approval from both the House and the Senate before reaching the President’s desk.

After Tuesday’s Senate debacle, a vote on the same GOP funding plan will be held again on Wednesday (local time).