Government shutdowns in the United States do not have a fixed duration and can last from just a few hours to over a month, depending on how long it takes Congress to reach an agreement on funding. Historically, shutdowns have lasted anywhere from a few hours up to 35 days, which was the longest shutdown from December 22, 2018, to January 25, 2019. The average length of shutdowns over the past few decades is about eight days. The length of a shutdown depends primarily on political negotiations in Congress and the willingness of lawmakers to pass a funding bill to reopen the government. Essential services typically continue during a shutdown, but many federal operations stop or are severely affected until funding is restored.