Shut 'em Down!

1976 Sep 30- Oct 11 President:Ford (R):Senate= Dem:House= Dem

Citing out of control spending, President Gerald Ford vetoed a funding bill for the United States Department of Labor and the United States Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (HEW), leading to a partial government shutdown. On October 1, the Democratically-controlled Congress overrode Ford's veto but it took until October 11 for a continuing resolution ending funding gaps for other parts of government to become law.

1977 Sep 30-Oct 13 President: Carter (D):Senate=Dem:House=Dem

The Democratically-controlled House continued to uphold the ban on using Medicaid dollars to pay for abortions, except in cases where the life of the mother was at stake. Meanwhile, the Democratic-controlled Senate pressed to loosen the ban to allow abortion funding in the case of rape or incest. A funding gap was created when disagreement over the issue between the houses had become tied to funding for the Departments of Labor and HEW, leading to a partial government shutdown. A temporary agreement was made to restore funding through October 31, 1977, allowing more time for Congress to resolve its dispute.

1977 Oct 31-Nov 9 President: Carter (D): Senate= Dem: House= Dem

The earlier temporary funding agreement expired. President Jimmy Carter signed a second funding agreement to allow for more time for negotiation.

1977 Nov 30-Dec 9 President:Carter (D):Senate=Dem:House=Dem

The second temporary funding agreement expired. The House held firm against the Senate in its effort to ban Medicaid paying for the abortions of victims of statutory rape. A deal was eventually struck which allowed Medicaid to pay for abortions in cases resulting from rape, incest, or in which the mother's health is at risk.

1978 Sep 30-Oct 18 President:Carter (D):Senate=Dem:House=Dem

Deeming them wasteful, President Carter vetoed a public works appropriations bill and a defense bill including funding for a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier. Spending for the Department of HEW was also delayed over additional disputes concerning Medicaid funding for abortion.

1979 Sep 30-Oct 12 President:Carter (D):Senate=Dem:House=Dem

Against the opposition of the Senate, the House pushed for a 5.5 percent pay increase for congress members and senior civil servants. The House also sought to restrict federal spending on abortion only to cases where the mother's life is in danger, while the Senate wanted to maintain funding for abortions in cases of rape and incest.

1981 Nov 20-Nov 23 President:Reagan(R):Seante=Rep:House=Dem

Reagan pledged that he would veto any spending bill that failed to include at least half of the $8.4 billion in domestic budget cuts that he proposed. Although the Republican controlled Senate passed a bill that met his specifications, the Democratically controlled House insisted on larger cuts to defense than Reagan wanted as well as pay raises for congress and senior civil servants. A compromise bill fell $2 billion short of the cuts Reagan wanted, so Reagan vetoed the bill and shut down the federal government. A temporary bill restored spending through December 15 and gave Congress the time to work out a more lasting deal.

1982 Sep 30-Oct 2 President:Reagan (R):Senate=Rep:House=Dem

Congress passed the required spending bills a day late.

1982 Dec 17-Dec 21 President:Reagan(R):Senate=Rep:House=Dem

The House and Senate wished to fund job programs, but Reagan vowed to veto any such legislation. The House also opposed plans to fund the MX missile. The shutdown ended after Congress abandoned their jobs plan, but Reagan was forced to yield on funding for both the MX and Pershing II missiles. He also accepted funding for the Legal Services Corporation, which he wanted abolished, in exchange for higher foreign aid to Israel.

1983 Nov 10-Nov 14 President:Reagan(R):Senate=Rep:House=Dem

The House increased education funding but cut defense and foreign aid spending, which led to a dispute with Reagan. Eventually, the House reduced their proposed education funding, and also accepted funding for the MX missile. However, the foreign aid and defense cuts remained, and oil and gas leasing was banned in federal wildlife refuges. Abortion was also prohibited from being paid for with government employee health insurance.

1984 Sep 30-Oct 3 President:Reagan(R):Senate=Rep:House=Dem

The House wished to link the budget to both a crime-fighting package President Reagan supported and a water projects package he did not. The Senate additionally tied the budget to a civil rights measure designed to overturn Grove City v. Bell. Reagan proposed a compromise where he abandoned his crime package in exchange for Congress dropping the water projects package. A deal was not struck, and a three-day spending extension was passed instead.

1984 Oct 3-Oct 5 President:Reagan(R):Senate=Rep:House=Dem

The October 3 spending extension expired, forcing a shutdown. Congress dropped its proposed water and civil rights packages, while President Reagan kept his crime package. Funding for aid to the Nicaraguan Contras was also passed.

1986 Oct 16-Oct 18 President:Reagan(R):Senate=Rep: House=Dem

Disputes over multiple issues between the House and President Reagan and the Republican Senate forced a shutdown. The House dropped many of their demands in exchange for a vote on their welfare package, and a concession of the sale of then-government-owned Conrail.

1987 Dec 18-Dec 20 President:Reagan(R):Senate=Dem: House= Dem

The House and Senate opposed funding for the Contras and wanted the Federal Communications Commission to renew enforcement of the "Fairness Doctrine". They yielded on the "Fairness Doctrine" issue in exchange for non-lethal aid to the Contras.

1990 Oct 5-Oct 9 President:George H.W. Bush(R):Senate=Dem: House=Dem

George H.W. Bush vowed to veto any continuing resolution that was not paired with a deficit reduction package, and did so when one reached his desk. The House failed to override his veto before a shutdown occurred. Congress then passed a continuing resolution with a deficit reduction package to end the shutdown.

1995 Nov 13-Nov 19 President:Clinton (D):Senate=Rep:House=Rep

Bill Clinton vetoed a continuing resolution passed by the Republican-controlled Congress. A deal was reached allowing for 75-percent funding for four weeks, and Clinton agreed to a seven-year timetable for a balanced budget.

1995–96' Dec 15-Jan 6 President:Clinton(D):Senate=Rep: House=Rep

The Republicans demanded that President Clinton propose a budget with the seven-year timetable using Congressional Budget Office numbers, rather than Clinton's Office of Management and Budget numbers. However, Clinton refused. Eventually, Congress and Clinton agreed to pass a compromise budget.

2013 Sep 30-Ongoing President:Obama(D):Senate=Dem:House=Rep

Due to disagreement regarding inclusion of language defunding or delaying the Affordable Care Act,the Government has not passed a substantial funding bill. Funding has been agreed to by the President and Congress for active military pay and back wages for furloughed employees. In addition, the House has offered very small funding measures for a few, high-profile functions, which the Senate and White House have rejected as "game-playing" while the Senate continues to offer bills that do not include language to defund or delay the Affordable Care Act, but the House has rejected them. The shutdown is currently in progress.