On Wednesday, October 1, 2025, the U.S. government shut down after Congress failed to agree on a funding plan by the deadline. Lawmakers were split: Republicans wanted a short-term plan to keep funding steady until November 21, while Democrats demanded changes to health care policies, including undoing Medicaid cuts and extending tax credits for affordable health insurance. This disagreement has led to about 750,000 federal workers being furloughed, meaning they’re temporarily off work without pay, costing around $400 million daily. Essential services like Social Security, Medicare, veterans’ care, and the Postal Service continue, and workers like FBI agents and air traffic controllers stay on the job. All furloughed workers may get paid later, but for now, many government services may stop, and no one knows how long this shutdown will last.
