The US government has shut down over a funding crisis – but what does it actually mean, and what could happen next?

Federal government shutdowns are a quirk of the US political system, in which the different branches of government have to formally agree on how much to spend and on what before it becomes law.

In most countries, when politicians can’t agree on the budget, it often turns into a vote of confidence in the government itself. But because the US has equal and often divided branches of government, that doesn’t happen.

What does the federal government do?

Like Australia, the US federal government provides a wide range of essential services, including national defence, social security and healthcare, veterans’ affairs, infrastructure development of highways and public buildings,

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