A history of government shutdowns: The 14 other times funding has lapsed since 1980
A government shutdown occurs when Congress fails to approve funding for federal agencies. Before 1980, agencies largely continued operating during a lapse in funding with the assumption that Congress would act quickly. But in 1980 and 1981, then-Attorney General Benjamin Civiletti authored a series of legal opinions that found government agencies didn’t have the authority to continue running during a gap in funding.
President Ronald Reagan oversaw eight shutdowns during his time in office, the longest of which lasted three days. There were three funding gaps between 1990 and 1995, then none until 2013.
The longest shutdown occurred from late 2018 into early 2019, when funding lapsed for 34 days. The second-longest came in December 1995, at 21 days. The 2013 shutdown lasted for 16 full days, which the current shutdown has now eclipsed.
Read more about the history of shutdowns here.
Thune plans vote on bill to pay federal employees who work during shutdown
Thune’s office confirmed Thursday evening that the South Dakota Republican plans to bring up a bill next week that would pay “excepted” federal employees, including active-duty military, who are required to work during the shutdown.
Thune referred to the bill, from Republican Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, as the “pay everybody” bill.
Typically during a shutdown, some essential federal workers are expected to keep reporting to work, but they don’t get paid until after the government reopens.
Nikole Killion and Alan He
DHS officers — including at ICE — will get paid during shutdown, Noem says
Law enforcement officers from the Department of Homeland Security will be paid if they work during the government shutdown, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said on X on Thursday afternoon.
That includes “sworn law enforcement officers” from the Transportation Security Administration, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Customs and Border Protection and the Secret Service.
It’s not clear who at the TSA will be included in the policy. The agency employs tens of thousands of security officers who work at airport checkpoints, as well as law enforcement personnel like air marshals. CBS News has reached out to DHS and TSA for clarification.
Noem said law enforcement officers will get a “super check” by Oct. 22 that covers four days of lost pay, overtime and their pay for the next pay period.
Members of the military and FBI have also been promised pay during the shutdown. The legal authority to keep paying federal workers remains unsettled.
