The Brief

WASHINGTON - The government officially shut down overnight after Congress failed to pass a funding measure before the 12 a.m. Wednesday deadline.

A shutdown happens when lawmakers fail to pass budget bills or a short-term funding measure, known as a continuing resolution, to keep agencies running. When that happens, many federal services pause, federal workers are furloughed, and Americans may feel ripple effects across daily life.

What closes during a government shutdown

Why you should care:

The most visible closures are national parks, monuments and museums. Previous shutdowns forced tourists away from destinations like the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone and the Smithsonian museums.

By the numbers:

Hundreds of thousands of federal employees deemed "nonessential" are furloug

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