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For the first time in six years, the federal government has officially shut down after Congress failed to pass a funding bill for fiscal year 2026. It’s unclear how long the shutdown will last, but we’ve seen this tense moment before. The most recent government shutdown lasted from Dec. 22, 2018, to Jan. 25, 2019 (35 days under the Trump administration), making it the longest in U.S. history. Here’s everything we know about the current shutdown and what could happen for Black Americans if both sides don’t reach an agreement soon.
What is a Government Shutdown?
A government shutdown means federal agencies must cease all “nonessential” operations until Congress approves a funding package. As we’ve previously reported, now that the Sept. 30 deadline has passed, the U.S. government has officially begun its new fiscal year, which means funding for all government operations from the previous year has expired.
These shutdowns can impact millions, especially Black people, who are disproportionately affected by disruptions to programs like SNAP, delayed federal worker paychecks, and stalled HBCU funding. Sadly, almost immediately after the deadline passed, Republicans and Democrats began pointing fingers.
Republicans argue that Democrats simply need to agree to extend current funding for another seven weeks, but that proposal has been met with aversion. Democrats are pushing for the funding bill to include an extension of enhanced Affordable Care Act premium subsidies and to reverse recent changes to Medicaid made earlier this year as part of Trump’s tax overhaul, according to CNN and 19thNews.
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