Congress is expected to trigger a government shutdown on October 1, 2023, because it is not expected to pass the 12 appropriations bills that fund government operations before the start of the new fiscal year. The Antideficiency Act prohibits federal agencies from spending or obligating any money without an appropriation (or other approval) from Congress. When Congress fails to enact the 12 annual appropriation bills, federal agencies must cease all non-essential functions until Congress acts. This is known as a government shutdown. If Congress enacts some but not all of the 12 appropriations bills, only agencies without appropriations have to shut down; this is known as a partial shutdown.

The shutdown will affect non-essential U.S. government offices, and federal employees who provide essential services, such as air traffic control and law enforcement, will continue to work but won’t get paid until Congress takes action to end the shutdown. During shutdowns, many federal employees are told not to report for work, though under a 2019 law they get paid retroactively when the shutdown ends. Benefits such as Social Security and Medicare continue to flow because they are authorized by Congress in laws that do not need annual approval.

The reason for the government shutdown in 2023 is that Congress is not expected to pass the 12 appropriations bills that fund government operations before the start of the new fiscal year.