Update: The House passed a funding measure on Tuesday to end the brief shutdown. The original article follows below.
A partial government shutdown began this weekend after the Senate approved a deal Friday night to avoid a larger government shutdown just ahead of the upcoming deadline. The agreement allows most of the government to remain funded and operating while giving lawmakers additional time to work through disagreements over immigration enforcement and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) funding.
The Office of Management and Budget wrote in a January 30 memo, “As it is now clear that Congress will not complete its work before the expiration of appropriations, affected agencies should now execute plans for an orderly shutdown. Employees should report to work for their next regularly scheduled tour of duty to undertake orderly shutdown activities.”
The agreement still needs to be approved by the House. Reports now indicate it is likely to last until at least Tuesday after Democrats in the House indicated that they would not commit to providing the necessary votes to fast-track approval of a government funding package.
On Monday night, the House Rules Committee advanced legislation aimed at ending the partial government shutdown. This move sets the stage for a closely contested vote on the House floor.
The Office of Personnel Management updated its current operating status to read as follows:
Status: Due to a partial lapse in appropriations, Federal Government operations vary by agency.
Employees should refer to their home agency for guidance on reporting for duty.
(Posted on January 31, 2026 at 12:01 AM)
This is a summary of the impact of the current partial shutdown:
- Unapproved Appropriations: Six of the 12 annual appropriations bills that fund the federal government have not yet been enacted.
- Affected Agencies: Departments and functions that could be affected include Defense, Homeland Security, Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, State, Treasury, the federal judiciary, the General Services Administration and several executive-branch offices within the White House.
- Agencies Already Funded: Departments of Justice, Commerce, Agriculture, Interior and Veterans Affairs
According to CBS News, the agreement includes removing a bill to fund DHS from a larger package of six spending bills that cover other parts of the government. Additionally, the agreement extends DHS funding at its current levels for two weeks.
The five remaining bills will fund roughly 96% of the government for the remainder of fiscal year 2026.
The news outlet also stated, “The effects of a partial shutdown will be minimal if the House is able to finalize the plan early next week. There is little appetite in Washington for a prolonged shutdown like the one that lasted 43 days in the fall.”
Fox News reported that some objections to the agreement have been raised by some congressmen, potentially creating doubts around swift passage for the agreement if and when it is voted on by the House.
Adding to the complexity is a new report that some House Republicans are banding together to push for requiring the Safeguarding American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act to be added to the spending compromise as a condition of getting it through the House, a move that could further extend a shutdown. The SAVE Act would require proof of citizenship in the voter registration process.
In a post on Truth Social about the agreement, President Trump wrote:
America is setting Records in every way, and our Growth Numbers are among the best ever. The only thing that can slow our Country down is another long and damaging Government Shutdown. I am working hard with Congress to ensure that we are able to fully fund the Government, without delay. Republicans and Democrats in Congress have come together to get the vast majority of the Government funded until September, while at the same time providing an extension to the Department of Homeland Security (including the very important Coast Guard, which we are expanding and rebuilding like never before). Hopefully, both Republicans and Democrats will give a very much needed Bipartisan “YES” Vote. PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP
