1981, 1984, and 1986 U.S. federal government shutdowns

none thumb|upright|During the Reagan Administration, government shutdowns were not uniformly enforced during funding gaps, but workers were furloughed on three occasions. issues Three government shutdowns in 1981, 1984, and 1986 involved federal employees being furloughed for brief periods. The shutdowns were generally used by President Ronald Reagan to pressure Congress about specific provisions in appropriations bills, or to encourage Congress to pass the bills more quickly. The first of them took place in November 1981. Reagan had vetoed a proposed appropriation bill that contained fewer spending cuts than he had proposed, the first veto of his administration. The second one took place in October 1984. Reagan had mounted opposition towards a water projects package and a civil rights measure that would have reversed the Supreme Court decision Grove City College v. Bell. Another point of contention with Congress was a ban on funding for covert operations in Nicaragua proposed by Senator Daniel Inouye. The third and last one took place in October 1986. Reagan wanted to pressure Congress to agree on a full-year omnibus appropriations bill more quickly. Fuerbringer Jonathan 1986-10-12 Reagan signs stopgap fund bill, averting a government shutdown en-US The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/1986/10/12/us/reagan-signs-stopgap-fund-bill-averting-a-government-shutdown.html 2023-09-30 0362-4331 Overview Prior to 1980, federal funding gaps caused by the expiration of appropriations legislation did not lead to government shutdowns.Cass Connie September 30, 2013 A Complete Guide To Every Government Shutdown In History en Business Insider http://www.businessinsider.com/a-history-of-us-government-shutdowns-2013-9 dead January 19, 2018 https://web.archive.org/web/20230206160703/https://www.businessinsider.com/a-history-of-us-government-shutdowns-2013-9 2023-02-06 However, in April 1980, Attorney General Benjamin Civiletti issued an opinion that the 1884 Antideficiency Act did require agencies to shut down during a funding gap. The 1980 federal government shutdown, during the Carter Administration, was the first.Barringer Felicity November 24, 1981 Behind the Shutdown, a Long-Dormant Law en-US Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/1981/11/24/behind-the-shutdown-a-long-dormant-law/43585d40-843b-4f2e-a8b3-0a74b2350fcc/ January 19, 2018 0190-8286 Shutdowns during the Reagan administration tended to be short and did not garner widespread notice. The Antideficiency Act was not uniformly enforced, and many funding gaps still did not lead to shutdowns at all.Brockell Gillian 2023-09-27 Which president had the most shutdowns? Reagan, with an asterisk. en-US Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/history/2023/09/23/most-government-shutdowns-president-reagan/ 2023-09-29 0190-8286 Examples include a brief funding gap in 1982 where nonessential workers were told to report to work but to cancel meetings and not perform their ordinary duties,Tolchin Martin October 1, 1982 Conferees Adopt Stopgap Fund Bill The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/1982/10/01/us/conferees-adopt-stopgap-fund-bill.html live May 15, 2017 https://web.archive.org/web/20171115083315/http://www.nytimes.com/1982/10/01/us/conferees-adopt-stopgap-fund-bill.html November 15, 2017 0362-4331 mdy-all and a three-day funding gap in November 1983 that did not disrupt government services.Tollestrup Jessica October 11, 2013 Federal Funding Gaps: A Brief Overview http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA590353 dead https://web.archive.org/web/20180109070300/http://www.dtic.mil/docs/citations/ADA590353 January 9, 2018 May 14, 2017 Congressional Research Service 4 en 1981 shutdown thumb|A recorded message used by the White House telephone switchboard during the 1981 shutdown Prior to the 1981 shutdown, only the Legislative Branch appropriations bill had been passed. Reagan vetoed a proposed appropriation bill that contained fewer spending cuts than he had proposed,Matthews Dylan September 25, 2013 Wonkblog: Here is every previous government shutdown, why they happened and how they ended The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/09/25/here-is-every-previous-government-shutdown-why-they-happened-and-how-they-ended/ live September 29, 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20131001033007/http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/09/25/here-is-every-previous-government-shutdown-why-they-happened-and-how-they-ended/ October 1, 2013 mdy-all the first veto of his administration. Funding lapsed on November 22, but since that day was a Saturday there was no effect.Molotsky Irvin 1981-11-22 Government, its spending unauthorized, grinds on and on en-US The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/1981/11/22/us/government-its-spending-unauthorized-grinds-on-and-on.html 2023-09-20 0362-4331 The next day, 241,000 federal employees were placed into furlough.Borkowski Monica 1995-11-11 Looking back: Previous Government Shutdowns The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/1995/11/11/us/looking-back-previous-government-shutdowns.html live 2017-04-24 https://web.archive.org/web/20170519042055/http://www.nytimes.com/1995/11/11/us/looking-back-previous-government-shutdowns.html May 19, 2017 0362-4331 mdy-all However, many government departments furloughed few or no people as they were present for activities to initiate the shutdown. More employees would have been furloughed if the shutdown had extended to an additional day. December 10, 1981 Cost of the Recent Partial Shutdown of Government Offices http://www.gao.gov/products/PAD-82-24 live U.S. General Accounting Office PAD-82-24 https://web.archive.org/web/20170429190637/http://www.gao.gov/products/PAD-82-24 April 29, 2017 May 15, 2017 mdy-all Economists of the time believed that it cost taxpayers an estimated $80–90 million in back pay and other expenses. 1984 shutdown The second shutdown occurred on the afternoon of October 4, 1984, after Reagan mounted opposition towards a water projects package and a civil rights measure that would have reversed the Supreme Court decision Grove City College v. Bell. Another point of contention was a ban on funding for covert operations in Nicaragua proposed by Senator Daniel Inouye.Pear Robert 1984-10-04 Senate works past deadline on catchall government spending bill en-US The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/1984/10/04/us/senate-works-past-deadline-on-catchall-government-spending-bill.html 2023-09-20 0362-4331 500,000 federal employees were placed on furlough for the afternoon. The shutdown covered nine of the 13 appropriations bills. Bills had already been passed for the Legislative and Judicial Branches; the Departments of State, Justice, Commerce, and Housing and Urban Development; and independent agencies, so these were not subject to the shutdown.Appropriations Acts for FY1985 https://www.congress.gov/search?q=%7B%22source%22%3A%22legislation%22%2C%22search%22%3A%22%5C%22Appropriations+Act%2C+1985%5C%22%22%2C%22congress%22%3A%2298%22%2C%22bill-status%22%3A%22law%22%7D&pageSort=latestAction%3Aasc 2023-09-29 U.S. Congress Congress removed the water projects, civil rights, and covert operations measures of the appropriations bill, ending the shutdown.Matthews Dylan September 25, 2013 Wonkblog: Here is every previous government shutdown, why they happened and how they ended The Washington Post https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/09/25/here-is-every-previous-government-shutdown-why-they-happened-and-how-they-ended/ live September 29, 2013 https://web.archive.org/web/20131001033007/http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/09/25/here-is-every-previous-government-shutdown-why-they-happened-and-how-they-ended/ October 1, 2013 mdy-all Economists estimated that the short period cost taxpayers an estimated $65 million in back pay. This was the first shutdown where Congress approved legislation providing back pay to federal employees. 1991-06-06 Government Shutdown: Permanent Funding Lapse Legislation Needed https://www.gao.gov/products/ggd-91-76 2023-09-28 U. S. Government Accountability Office en 1986 shutdown Reagan initially threatened to veto a continuing resolution and begin a government shutdown that would have begun on October 12, 1986, in order to pressure Congress to agree on a full-year omnibus appropriations bill more quickly. However, he relented and signed it that day due to progress in a compromise regarding the bill's arms control provisions. The bill had to be sent to Reykjavík in Iceland for Reagan to sign, as he was there for a meeting with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev.Fuerbringer Jonathan 1986-10-12 Reagan signs stopgap fund bill, averting a government shutdown en-US The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/1986/10/12/us/reagan-signs-stopgap-fund-bill-averting-a-government-shutdown.html 2023-09-30 0362-4331 However, after that continuing resolution expired, a shutdown occurred for an afternoon on October 17, 1986, in which 500,000 federal employees were furloughed. All government agencies were affected by this shutdown.Appropriations Legislation for Fiscal Year 1987 https://www.senate.gov/legislative/appropriations/1987.htm 2019-03-18 U.S. Senate It ended after Congress passed the omnibus appropriations bill later that day.Noble Kenneth B. 1986-10-18 Federal workers get unexpected holiday en-US The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/1986/10/18/us/federal-workers-get-unexpected-holiday.html 2023-09-30 0362-4331Fuerbringer Jonathan 1986-10-18 Congress approves 1987 spending bill in late flurry en-US The New York Times https://www.nytimes.com/1986/10/18/us/congress-approves-1987-spending-bill-in-late-flurry.html 2023-09-30 0362-4331 Economists estimated that this shutdown cost the U.S. government $62 million in lost work. References Category:1981 in American politics Category:November 1981 in the United States Category:1984 in American politics Category:October 1984 in the United States Category:1986 in American politics Category:October 1986 in the United States Category:Government shutdowns in the United States Category:Presidency of Ronald Reagan