Senate leaders agree to extend debt ceiling, avoid default

Senate leaders announced an agreement Thursday to extend the government’s borrowing authority into December, temporarily averting an unprecedented federal default that experts say would devastate the economy.

What happens when the government shuts down?

A government shutdown has occurred 20 times since Congress introduced the modern budget process in 1976. Here’s a look at what a shutdown means to you, as the potential for another one is on the horizon.