Why Does the US Government Keep Shutting Down?: QuickTake

Government shutdowns have become a recurring feature of US politics, the product of partisan standoffs over spending that force federal agencies to halt a wide range of services.

The last shutdown — the longest in history — ended in November. A dispute over President Donald Trump’s immigration enforcement activities could cause a new, partial shutdown beginning at midnight on Jan. 31.

Senate minority Democrats have said they would not vote to advance a six-part funding bill unless the portion that funds the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is stripped out or the bill is amended to include limits on ...