The highs and lows of US debt ceilings
Government shutdowns
Aside from making big news, government shutdowns are also the time when some government employees learn they are qualified as “non-essential workers,” meaning they get time off without pay during some shutdowns.
Since 1976, there have been 22 shutdowns of the federal government.
The January 2019 government shutdown was the longest of its kind in U.S. history, lasting 34 days before ending on Jan. 25.