On October 1st, 2025, Congress did not agree to pass a spending bill to fund government operations. 

Federal workers are dismissed without a job and without pay. Whereas essential workers (Border Patrol, TSA agents, and the military) are to work without pay.

Essential things such as the mail and social security checks will still go out. However, non-essential things such as national parks, passport offices, and research labs are shut down until the government is running again.

This government shutdown occurred because the Democratic party refused to sign a budget bill that will cause U.S. citizens to lose a ton of healthcare. The Democrats are not asking for more money, they are asking to keep it the same. If we lose the current budget on healthcare, then millions of citizens will be paying nearly double for their healthcare. 

The last government shutdown was in 2018 into 2019 under Trump’s first term. That was the longest shutdown we have seen in about 40 years and it lasted for 35 days.

When asked the question “Does what’s happening make you think differently about government or politics?” Mr. Zechman, one of the government teachers at LDHS said that it makes him “feel the same” and that the people “trust the government.” 

Mr. Klock was also asked the same question and said “Sadly, it is part of our government system. We would hope shutdowns never occur, but it has happened numerous times in the past 50 years and it is usually done as a ploy or as some type of way to negotiate. We wish it wouldn’t reach this level but, sadly, it has happened. Hopefully it gets resolved soon and we can move on.”