Ever had your paycheck suddenly stop without warning? Imagine that happening to hundreds of thousands of people at once—that’s exactly what goes down during a government shutdown. And the longest government shutdown in U.S. history was one for the record books. What Is a Government Shutdown, Anyway? Before we dive into the “longest ever,” let’s back up. A government shutdown happens when Congress and the President can’t agree on funding the federal government. Without that agreement, non-essential services are put on pause. Essential workers—think TSA agents, Coast Guard, and air traffic controllers—still have to show up. The catch? They often work without pay until the shutdown ends. Shutdowns have happened quite a few times since the 1970s, but one stands out above the rest. How Long Was the Longest Government Shutdown? The longest government shutdown in U.S. history lasted 35 days , from December 22, 2018, to January 25, 2019 . This standoff was between President Donald Trump...