The ongoing government shutdown persists, but is it the longest the nation has seen? These are longest shutdowns in U.S. history.

The last shutdown in the U.S., in 2018, was also the longest in the nation's history. It started on Dec. 22, 2018, and lasted for 35 days, until Jan. 15, 2019. The topic at issue during Trump's first administration was the border wall between the U.S. and Mexico.

The Trump administration is looking for alternative ways to ensure federal law enforcement officers are paid as the government shutdown enters its third week. With Democrats and Republicans locked in a stalemate over the shutdown,