The United States Government Shutdowns and Emergency Declarations

A government shutdown occurs when Congress does not approve of or the President rejects the federal budget for the upcoming fiscal year. Since the 1990s, Congress has often failed to pass the twelve to thirteen appropriation bills that set government-wide spending. In their stead they pass "continuing resolutions (CR)" to extend the existing spending law at or near current levels, and "omnibus" bills that combine many appropriations bills into one. The National Emergencies Act (NEA) of 1976 allo