A government shutdown occurs when the legislative branch does not pass key bills which fund or authorize the operations of the executive branch, resulting in the cessation of some or all operations of a government. Shutdowns of this type have occurred periodically in the United States since 1980, and are the result of failure to pass appropriations bills before the previous ones expire. Shutdowns cause the disruption of government services and programs, including the closure of national parks and institutions (in particular, due to shortages of federal employees) . A major loss of government revenue comes from lost labor from furloughed employees who are still paid, as well as loss of fees that would have been paid during the shutdown. Shutdowns also cause a significant reduction in economic growth, depending on the length of the shutdown. During the 2013 shutdown, Standard & Poors, the financial ratings agency, stated that the shutdown had "to date taken $24 billion out of the economy".

Here are some key points to know about government shutdowns:

• Cause: A government shutdown occurs when Congress fails to pass or the president refuses to sign a spending bill to fund the federal government’s operations.
• Impact: A shutdown primarily affects non-essential federal employees, as well as people and businesses that rely on government services. Many non-essential government employees are temporarily furloughed during a shutdown, while essential personnel whose funding is not dependent on annual appropriations bills – such as military service members, law enforcement agents, and air traffic controllers – continue to work without pay.
• Duration: Shutdowns are often resolved by Congress passing continuing resolutions, which provide short-term funding while negotiations for a long-term solution continue. Every shutdown since 1990 has been ended with a continuing resolution.
• Economic impact: A shutdown of a few days is unlikely to have a significant impact on the economy, but a prolonged shutdown can cause bigger problems. Goldman Sachs estimates that a shutdown would reduce GDP growth by about 0.2 percentage point each week it lasts, and that growth would rise by the same amount in the quarter following the shutdown...