LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) - A partial government shutdown could go into effect if the U.S. House and Senate are unable to reach a budget deal tonight by the October 1 deadline.

What is a government shutdown?

Government shutdowns happen when Congress fails to pass funding for some or all federal agencies. Those agencies cannot spend money that lawmakers have not approved, which results in them having to lessen or pause operations temporarily.

Since 1980, the U.S. government has shut down 14 times. Most recently, in 2018, the government shut down for 35 days, marking the longest shutdown in U.S. history.

What happens during a government shutdown?

During a shutdown, the federal government must stop all non-essential functions until Congress approves funding and the president signs it into la

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