Shutdown Starts: Congress Misses Funding Deadline, Key Departments Affected

The U.S. federal government has entered a partial shutdown after Congress failed to pass a full set of appropriations bills before the midnight funding deadline, triggering funding lapses for key departments and agencies.

Lawmakers had been negotiating a stopgap budget and a bipartisan spending package, including most federal departments, but continued disagreements — particularly over Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding and immigration enforcement reforms — prevented final approval in time.

Under the partial shutdown that began early Saturday, January 31, funding has expired for several major agencies, including Defense, State, Treasury, Health and Human Services, and Transportation, while those with previously passed funding continue operating.

The fallout stems from deep partisan divisions over DHS appropriations and policy conditions, despite Senate approval of most funding bills. Because the House could not vote on the revised package in time, shutdown procedures were triggered automatically when funding lapsed at midnight.

What This Means Now

Partial shutdown in effect: Some agencies and services will operate with limited funding or be temporarily paused.

Essential services continue: Critical functions like national security and emergency response typically remain active, though staffing and pay may be affected.

Negotiations continue: Lawmakers are expected to reconvene early next week to finalize outstanding funding and end the shutdown.