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WASHINGTON – January 31, 2026 – A partial shutdown of the U.S. federal government began Wednesday after the Senate passed a spending deal and sent it to the House, according to reports from The Wall Street journal, The Guardian, NPR, CNN, and NBC News.
The U.S. government is operating under a partial shutdown as lawmakers failed to reach an agreement on funding levels.
- The Senate approved a funding bill backed by former President Trump.
- The House of Representatives now holds the key to ending the shutdown.
- disagreements over homeland security funding are central to the impasse.
- Democrats reached an agreement with President Trump to avert a full shutdown.
The Senate passed the funding bill, putting pressure on the House to act quickly to end the shutdown, CNN reported. The disagreement centers on funding for homeland security, according to The Guardian. Democrats reached an agreement with President Trump, as reported by NBC News, but the path forward remains uncertain.
What This Means for You
A partial government shutdown means that non-essential federal services will be temporarily suspended. This can affect national parks, passport processing, and some federal agencies’ operations, according to NPR.essential services, such as law enforcement and air traffic control, will continue to function.
Background and Context
The funding bill passed by the Senate had the backing of former President Trump, CNN reported. This advancement adds a layer of political complexity to the situation, as house lawmakers now face a decision on whether to accept a bill endorsed by the former president. The shutdown began after Congress failed to meet the deadline to pass a thorough spending package, The Wall Street Journal noted.
“The Senate has done its job,” a source told NBC News, “now itS up to the House to prevent a prolonged disruption of government services.”
Tulsi Gabbard emerged from the sidelines during the negotiations, according to NBC News, though the extent of her involvement remains unclear. The situation is fluid, and the duration of the shutdown will depend on the actions taken by the House of Representatives.
Time.news based this report in part on reporting by The Wall Street Journal, The Guardian, NPR, CNN, and NBC News and added independent analysis and context.
Why did the shutdown happen? The partial government shutdown began because Congress failed to pass a comprehensive spending package by the January 31,2026 deadline. The primary sticking point was disagreement over funding levels for homeland security.
Who was involved? Key players included the Senate, the House of Representatives, President Trump (who endorsed the Senate bill), Democrats who negotiated with the President, and former Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, who played an unclear role in negotiations.
What was the outcome? On February 2, 2026, the House of representatives voted to pass the Senate’s funding bill, ending the three-day partial government shutdown.The bill included the funding levels agreed upon between Democrats and President Trump.
How did it end? The shutdown ended when the House, facing mounting pressure and the threat of prolonged disruption, ultimately accepted the
