Updated April 8, 2026
Government shutdown tracker: live updates, agency status, travel alerts, and help.
Follow federal shutdown coverage, understand which services may be affected, and quickly reach guidance for workers, travelers, families, contractors, and the public.
This homepage is organized around the main questions people search for during a shutdown: what is happening now, what is affected, what vote comes next, and where to find practical help.
Key pages
Get Help
Resources for workers, families, travelers, contractors, and anyone affected by a funding lapse.
Agency Tracker
See which agencies and services may be affected and where to look for official updates.
Travel Alerts
Check likely impacts to air travel, passports, parks, and other public-facing travel services.
Latest government shutdown news and live updates
This feed links to original reporting from outside publishers. GovernmentShutdown.net does not host or republish those articles.
Who has to register for Selective Service, and are there exceptions?
Automatic registration is expected to begin later this year - but are there exceptions?
Infants torn from mothers, testicles ripped off: Study describes vicious chimpanzee infighting
Chimpanzees that had once formed a cohesive community in Uganda split into factions and turned violent, according to a new study. Nearly 30 chimps were killed, including 19 infants.
Middle East crisis live: Israel ready ’to begin direct negotiations’ with Lebanon as Trump ‘optimistic’ about fragile ceasefire
Lebanese president says ceasefire must be in place before any talks; US president reportedly claims Iran’s leaders ‘talk much differently’ in private meetings Israel’s bombing of Lebanon after US-Iran ceasefire...
GOP blocks Democrats’ attempt to limit Trump’s Iran war powers
Democrats unsuccessfully attempted to pass a measure limiting President Trump’s ability to conduct military operations in Iran during a pro forma session of the House on Thursday. Rep. Glenn Ivey...
House Dem leaders open door to 25th Amendment after rank-and-file push for Trump's removal
Jeffries wrote that Democrats will 'unleash maximum pressure on Republicans' to 'join Democrats in stopping the madness'
Trump administration shifts focus of Title X program away from birth control
Health clinics have received Title X funding, following a delay. But the Trump administration will shift the program's focus away from providing hormonal birth control next year.
DOJ probing NFL over games on paid platforms, sources say
The NFL is being investigated for practices that allegedly harm consumers for licensing games to multiple platforms — paid streaming platforms, paid cable networks, and others, sources said.
DNC committee shoots down resolution condemning AIPAC
Scrutiny over the pro-Israel lobby grows amid the midterms.
House Democrats fail to pass symbolic war powers resolution after Republicans thwart effort – US politics live
Hakeem Jeffries, the House Democrat leader, said party was pushing for vote, accusing Trump of ‘unhinged behavior’Nato secretary general Mark Rutte has briefed some capitals that US president Donald Trump...
Florida officials investigate ChatGPT, OpenAI over alleged role in FSU shooting
Florida officials are opening an investigation into OpenAI and ChatGPT, its popular chatbot product, in part concerning its alleged assistance in helping plan a mass shooting at Florida State University...
Unity tested: Democrats face off over Israel and AIPAC dark money during DNC meeting
Resolutions on Palestinian statehood, arms limits, and AIPAC influence face debate at DNC spring meeting
As RFK Jr allies hailed Mississippi’s rollback of strict school vaccine rules, whooping cough surged and a baby died
The campaign to change the rules was years in the making, orchestrated in part by two men with close ties to US health secretary RFK JrWhen a federal judge in...
The Guardian view on Hungary’s election: a bellwether contest for the global far right | Editorial
Defeat for Viktor Orbán on Sunday would be celebrated in Brussels, mourned in Washington and Moscow, and would give his country its democracy backHungary has a population of less than...
Independence Arch, or "Arc de Trump," plans include taxpayer funds
The president says the arch will commemorate the nation's 250th anniversary.
California officials make arrests in LA hospice fraud crackdown
California's attorney general filed charges against 21 suspects, accusing the group of defrauding the state of $267 million. Arrests come after a CBS News investigation into hospice fraud.
Officer pulls alligator from pool in Florida
Officer pulls alligator from pool in Florida
Justice Department investigating NFL over subscription fees
Justice Department investigating NFL over subscription fees
Man causes pipe to burst after attempting a pullup
Man causes pipe to burst after attempting a pullup
Republicans block Democrats’ push to curb Trump’s war powers over Iran
Resolution was expected to fail but introduction signals unease on Capitol Hill about conflict with no clear endgameAn attempt by House Democrats to pass a long-shot resolution on Thursday curtailing...
Justice Department investigating NFL over subscription fee concerns
The Department of Justice is opening an investigation into whether the NFL is asking for people to pay too much in subscription fees in order to have access to games,...
GOP lawmaker introduces bill to strip asylum from fraudsters who vacation in countries they 'fled'
Hamideh Soleimani Afshar was arrested by ICE after reportedly returning to Iran at least four times since gaining asylum
Dem governor says 'something genuinely wrong with' Trump, urges removal from office for 'national security'
Illinois Gov JB Pritzker previously called for removing Trump via the 25th Amendment last year as well
AI has replaced work for 20% of full-time employees in the U.S., survey says
A nonprofit AI research center found that half of American adults used AI in the past week, either for personal or work use.
'Death cleaning' can unearth treasures | Brief letters
Sorting possessions | Doomsday loo roll | HMRC ‘support’ | Irony in the US | Spelling out surnamesA year on from my husband’s death, I am actually beginning to enjoy...
DOJ investigating NFL broadcasting deals: Report
The Wall Street Journal reports the investigation from Trump's DOJ focuses on whether the league engaged in anticompetitive tactics.
Republicans block Jeffries' gambit to curb Trump's Iran war powers
Hakeem Jeffries has demanded the House reconvene immediately to vote on ending the Iran conflict permanently
Republicans block effort to halt Trump's war with Iran after 'civilization' threat
WASHINGTON — House Democrats unsuccessfully attempted to pass a resolution to halt Donald Trump’s war with Iran on Thursday — a response to the president’s shocking threat two days earlier...
Rogue Dem bucks party on Trump war powers, calls Iran ‘47-year-old war crime’
Democrats have demanded Trump's removal over his ultimatum for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz
USPS halts contributions to pension plan after warning of "cash crisis"
The U.S. Postal Service, which lost $9 billion in 2025, recently warned that it could run out of money within 12 months.
Vulnerable Dem incumbent caught calling home state ‘stolen land’ in resurfaced video
Vasquez, a top GOP target, made the remarks while serving as a city councilmember before entering Congress
Oil prices rise above $100 again as doubts set in about the U.S.-Iran ceasefire
The price of oil rebounded Thursday as doubts grew about state of the Iran ceasefire announced just two days earlier by President Donald Trump.
Acting AG Todd Blanche gives go-ahead to pursue death penalty in MS-13 murder case
Blanche said the top federal prosecutor in California can seek the death penalty for three alleged MS-13 members charged with killing a victim who was cooperating with authorities, according to...
Disney is planning to lay off 1,000 workers
Disney is planning to lay off 1,000 workers
Government shutdown history timeline
- 1976–1977: Modern shutdown-era disputes begin to appear more regularly during appropriations lapses.
- 1980: Attorney General Benjamin Civiletti issues guidance that agencies generally must suspend non-excepted operations during funding gaps.
- 1995–1996: Two major shutdowns under President Bill Clinton make shutdown politics a central national issue.
- 2013: A 16-day shutdown disrupts services and broadens public awareness of agency-by-agency impacts.
- 2018–2019: A 35-day partial shutdown becomes the longest in U.S. history.
- 2020s: Repeated funding standoffs keep shutdown risk in the national political and economic conversation.
- April 8, 2026: Shutdown risk remains a recurring policy issue, and this site organizes news, guidance, and service-impact information in one place.
Government shutdown FAQ
What is a government shutdown?
A government shutdown happens when Congress does not approve funding in time for parts of the federal government to keep operating normally.
What services are usually affected during a shutdown?
Some functions continue because they are essential or funded differently, while others slow down, close, or pause new work.
Will federal employees and contractors be paid during a government shutdown?
Employees and contractors are often affected differently. Employees may be furloughed or required to work during a lapse, while contractors can face pauses or delayed work depending on contract terms.
Where can I check travel alerts and agency status?
Use the Agency Tracker for service-level questions, Get Help for practical guidance, Travel Alerts for transportation issues, and the Next Vote Date page for legislative timing.