Looming deadlines on 19 January 2024 and 2 February 2024 for different government functions could mark the first federal shutdown since December 2018 to January 2019 (Congressional Research Service, USA Today). For the purposes of this question, a "shutdown of the US federal government" would mean a ceasing of operations due to a lack of funding appropriation. A partial shutdown would count (Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget). As a reminder, this question is, by default, governed by dates in the Pacific Time Zone.

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NOTE 23 March 2024: While funding appropriation lapsed at midnight ET, the question description states that "a 'shutdown of the US federal government' would mean a ceasing of operations due to a lack of funding appropriation." Per the White House,

"[The Office of Management and Budget] has ceased shutdown preparations because there is a high degree of confidence that Congress will imminently pass the relevant appropriations and the President will sign the bill on Saturday...Because obligations of federal funds are incurred and tracked on a daily basis, agencies will not shut down and may continue their normal operations." (emphasis added)

Therefore, since there was no "ceasing of operations," the question will remain open.

The question closed "No" with a closing date of 1 July 2024.

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