Changes

A '''"government shutdown"''' is a suspension of non-essential United States federal government services, including all [[NASA]] Centers and [[National Park]]s, the [[Smithsonian]] Museum and several [[Washington, D.C.]] services, among others.<ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/government-shutdown-potential-furloughs-for-800000-federal-workers-disruption-of-dc-services/2011/04/06/AFRItOqC_story.html/ Government shutdown: Potential furloughs for 800k federal workers, disruption of D.C. services, Washington Post, April 8, 2011]</ref>.  The military, government-owned hospitals, Congress, [[Social Security]] checks and all other essential services continue without interruption, although employees (including some military troops) may end up not receiving pay until funding is restored.<ref>[http://politics.blogs.foxnews.com/2011/04/06/administration-paints-picture-possible-government-shutdown Administration Paints Picture of Possible Government Shutdown, Fox News, April 8, 2011]</ref>

A '''partial government shutdown''' affects a handful of U.S. government agencies, idling up to 800,000 federal employees. [http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2011-04-07-q-and-a-shutdown_N.htm] Although some have called such a curtailment a  "government shutdown" - implying that the entire machinery of government grinds to a halt - the military, government-owned hospitals, Congress, [[Social Security]] checks and all other essential services continue without interruption.<ref>[http://politics.blogs.foxnews.com/2011/04/06/administration-paints-picture-possible-government-shutdown Administration Paints Picture of Possible Government Shutdown, Fox News, April 8, 2011]</ref> What happens is just a suspension of non-essential United States federal government services, such as [[NASA]] Centers and [[National Park]]s, the [[Smithsonian]] Museum and several [[Washington, D.C.]] services.<ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/government-shutdown-potential-furloughs-for-800000-federal-workers-disruption-of-dc-services/2011/04/06/AFRItOqC_story.html/ Government shutdown: Potential furloughs for 800k federal workers, disruption of D.C. services, Washington Post, April 8, 2011]</ref>.   

 

Military personnel may get only half pay temporarily, but then are given back pay.

 

==History ==

==History ==

Since 1981, the U.S. government has been shutdown five times<ref>[http://usgovinfo.about.com/od/federalbudgetprocess/a/Government-Shutdowns.htm Government Shutdowns, About.com, April 8,2011]</ref>:

Since 1981, the U.S. government has been partially shut down five times<ref>[http://usgovinfo.about.com/od/federalbudgetprocess/a/Government-Shutdowns.htm Government Shutdowns, About.com, April 8,2011]</ref>:

*In 1981, President [[Ronald Reagan]] vetoed a continuing resolution which shutdown the government for the remainder of the day.  Several hours after the veto, Reagan signed a new resolution and workers returned the next day.

*In 1981, President [[Ronald Reagan]] vetoed a continuing resolution which shutdown the government for the remainder of the day.  Several hours after the veto, Reagan signed a new resolution and workers returned the next day.