&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "US government enters partial shutdown after Congress misses budget deadline")
The US government early on Saturday (Jan 31) slipped into a partial shutdown after the US Congress failed to approve a full 2026 budget before the midnight deadline. The disruption is expected to be limited. Lawmakers in both parties say the House is likely to ratify a Senate-backed deal early next week, which would restore funding within days and avoid a prolonged crisis. For now, roughly three quarters of federal operations are technically affected, triggering shutdown procedures across multiple departments.
What caused the shutdown?
This latest funding lapse was driven less by fiscal math and more by uproar over the killing of civilians by federal agents deployed by US President Donald Trump. According to AFP, negotiations collapsed after Democrats walked away from talks over new funding for the Department of Homeland Security, following the killing of two protesters in Minneapolis by federal immigration agents.
Also read | Trump, Musk, Gates and more: Big names mentioned in DOJ's latest Epstein files release | In pictures
Senate Democratic Minority Whip Dick Durbin accused the administration of misusing federal resources. On X, he wrote, "Instead of going after drug smugglers, child predators, and human traffickers, the Trump Administration is wasting valuable resources targeting peaceful protestors in Chicago and Minneapolis."
"This Administration continues to make Americans less safe," he said.
Trending Stories
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
National Handloom Day 2026: From Alia Bhatt to Samantha Ruth Prabhu; Actresses who celebrated India's textile heritage as brides
)
The Royals enter the Doctor Who universe: King Charles and Queen Camilla beam into Commonwealth Games in TARDIS
)
Unitree Robotics targets $9 billion valuation in landmark IPO backed by DeepSeek and Tencent
)
India names 27 sites in Arunachal Pradesh
)
Bharat Bhhagya Viddhaata OTT: When will Kangana Ranaut's film stream online?
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
How many soldiers operate one S-400 battery?
)
Shakib Al Hasan ready to return to Bangladesh—under one condition
)
‘Fake news’: MEA rejects report claiming India sought defence pact with Israel after Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey deal
)
Rockstar to unveil GTA 6 extended look ahead of November launch
)
Russia forms Ukrainian Volunteer Spetsnaz Brigade to fight Ukraine
)
Drug-resistant fungus that hides in hair and enters bloodstream reported in 23 US states
)
Technology transfer deal boosts India's defence manufacturing ambitions
)
Border row erupts in Europe after Ceuta crossings, Spain imposes border controls on Italy
)
Morale plummets on USS Abraham Lincoln: Are US sailors reaching a breaking point? | GRAVITAS
)
'Security can't be bought with Pakistan, Turkey deal': Iran tells Saudi Arabia
)
Baba Vanga's 2026 prophecy: 2 predictions 'already came true', 3 terrifying ones remain. Details inside
)
Colombia’s new president Abelardo de la Espriella vows to ‘defeat narco-terrorists’, signals hardline shift
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
New Friday OTT releases (August 7, 2026): Operation Safed Sagar, Vadhandhi, Main Vaapis Aaunga- 6 movies and TV shows on Netflix, Prime Video and more
)
Squadron Leader Bhawana Kanth scripts history as Indian Air Force gets its first woman ‘Top Gun’ pilot
)
RSS says Gen Z protests reflect genuine distress
)
Trump says Iranian school bombing photos could be AI-generated - 'I don’t think...'
)
IAF officer held for sharing sensitive information in 'honey trap' case, booked under Official Secrets Act
)
Stray Kids under scrutiny? Fans react to Grammy submission silence after BTS boycott
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Why the Su-30MKI doesn't need external fuel tanks to fly vast distances
)
Jugal Hansraj reunites with Shekhar Kapur after 40 years for Masoom: The Next Generation
)
New speed limits, automatic challans: Big traffic change coming to Delhi-Meerut Expressway. All you need to know
)
India officially names 27 places in Arunachal to counter China's renaming claims
)
Trump calls White House ballroom ruling a 'national disgrace' as court says Congress approval needed
)
US sanctions Iran’s crypto network after Strait of Hormuz attacks, offers $15m bounty for intel on IRGC finance
&im=FitAndFill=(700,400))
Why the Su-30MKI is one of the heaviest fighters ever built
)
Uttarakhand young innovator builds India's own flying vehicle, conducts first test flight: WATCH
)
Chilling video shows students take cover as teen opens fire at Thai school
)
Reese Witherspoon's father hospitalised after poolside incident in Nashville: Report
What would the shutdown affect?
According to the report, roughly three-quarters of federal operations are set to be affected by the government shutdown. It can also potentially trigger shutdown procedures across a wide range of agencies and operations, from education and health to housing and defense. Federal departments were expected to begin implementing shutdown plans overnight, but congressional leaders in both parties said the Senate's action made a short disruption far more likely than a prolonged impasse.
How bad could this get
If the House passes the deal next week, the shutdown will likely be more symbolic than disruptive.
But if talks drag on, the consequences escalate quickly. Tens of thousands of federal workers could be furloughed or forced to work without pay. Contractors would face delayed payments. Services across education, housing, health and defence would be affected.
What is actually funded
Late Friday, the Senate passed a package clearing five outstanding funding bills that would keep most federal agencies running through September. It also approved a two-week stopgap measure for DHS, buying time for further negotiations over immigration policy. The House of Representatives, however, was out of session when the deadline hit and is not scheduled to return until Monday.
