Federal government shutdowns since 1980:
-Dec. 15, 1995-Jan. 6, 1996: Longest government shutdown. Some government benefit checks are delayed.
-Nov. 13-19, 1995: Partial government shutdown; nearly 800,000 workers furloughed.
-Oct. 5-9, 1990: Columbus Day weekend shutdown when conservative Republicans initially refuse to accept a budget compromise negotiated by President George H.W. Bush that raised taxes, in violation of his “no new taxes” campaign pledge.
-Dec. 18-20, 1987: Debate over Nicaragua’s Contra rebels ties up stopgap spending bills and results in a government shutdown. However, because the shutdown occurs over a weekend, there is little practical effect.
-Oct. 16-18, 1986: More than half a million federal workers go home early because there technically is no money to pay them.
-Oct. 3-5, 1984: About a half-million “non-essential” government workers, their jobs caught in temporary limbo by Congress’ failure to approve a spending bill, are sent home at midday. The shutdown follows a temporary halt earlier in the week.
-Nov. 10-14, 1983: Money technically runs out for a variety of agencies at midnight. But because much of the federal government is closed for Veterans Day, the lapse has little practical effect.
-Dec. 17-21, 1982: Some 300,000 government workers, their agencies technically out of money, stay on the job as Congress and President Ronald Reagan try to resolve a budget dispute.
– Sept. 30-Oct. 2, 1982: The government technically runs out of money when Congress fails to enact spending legislation before a Sept. 30 deadline, but no workers are furloughed before the measure is approved a day later.
-Nov. 20-23, 1981: The government shuts down and an estimated 400,000 employees are dismissed at midday, after President Ronald Reagan vetoes an emergency spending bill. Congress then passes a short-term spending measure.
