A partial government shutdown refers to a situation where only part of the federal government is not operating due to a lack of funding. This means that certain agencies, departments or programs are closed and their employees are furloughed (placed on temporary leave without pay) until an agreement can be reached between Congress and the President to provide the necessary funds for them to resume operations. During this time, essential services such as national security, emergency management, and most health and safety programs continue to operate normally. However, other critical functions like processing tax returns or issuing passports may be delayed until funding is restored.