Late appropriations and government shutdowns: Frequency, causes, consequences, and remedies

Abstract

This article reviews the history of government shutdowns and evaluates their effects. It first discusses the frequency of late appropriation bills, especially since the passage of the Congressional Budget Act in 1974. Then it examines the commonly suspected causes and the resulting consequences (the most extreme being government shutdowns). Remedies are suggested to alleviate financial, managerial and political costs of government shutdowns. © 1997 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.