Government shutdown

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A government shutdown occurs when a government discontinues providing services that are not considered "essential". Typically, essential services include police, fire fighting, armed forces, and corrections.

A shutdown can occur when a legislative body (including the legislative power of veto by the executive) cannot agree on financing its government programs for a pending fiscal year. In the absence of appropriated funds, the government discontinues providing non-essential services at the beginning of the affected fiscal year. Government employees who provide essential services, often referred to as "essential employees", are required to continue working.

[edit] Notable government shutdowns in the United States

Note that in the list of "essential" services above, police and firefighting are largely state and/or locally funded, so are not an issue in federal shutdowns.

• U.S. government shutdown, November 14 – November 19, 1995
• U.S. government shutdown, December 16, 1995 – January 6, 1996
• 2005 Minnesota state shutdown, during the first two weeks of July 2005
• 2006 Puerto Rico budget crisis
• 2006 New Jersey State Government shutdown