More often than not, Congress votes on a temporary stop-gap measure to keep funds flowing at the same level as the year prior. The process has regularly broken down since 1977, when the current budget appropriations process began, leading to funding gaps. The government has shut down for longer than one day — often leading to the furlough of government workers — eight times since 1981.

Source: Los Angeles Times September 12, 2018 20:48 UTC