Amid tense budget negotiations, Congress will often utilize a continuing resolution to avert a government shutdown.

Emma Stoltzfus Video Editor

Continuing resolution: Congress’ way of kicking the can down the road

Feb 15, 2022

Emma Stoltzfus Video Editor

Amid tense budget negotiations, Congress often turns to continuing resolutions to avert a government shutdown. Every year Congress is supposed to approve twelve different appropriations bills by the start of the fiscal year, October 1. But that hasn’t happened since 1997. From that time until the end of 2021, Congress turned to continuing resolutions 126 times.

A continuing resolution allows Congress to continue to fund the government for a short period, when it can’t agree to a full year budget. For that reason, it is often called ‘stop gap funding,’ because it fills in the gap between approved budgets.

In September, Congress passed a continuing resolution, funding the government through December. When the end date of that resolution came, Congress still hadn’t passed or even come to an agreement on a full budget, so it passed another resolution.

“While this short-term measure is needed to avoid a government shutdown, we must use this additional time to enact a bipartisan, bicameral omnibus appropriations bill, which is the only way to provide certainty and support to working families, small businesses, veterans, and our military,” House Appropriations Chair Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) said. “With a new deadline of February 18, there is ample time for Republicans to join us for bipartisan, bicameral appropriations negotiations.”

Have an idea for another DC Dictionary? Leave it in the comments below.

Annie Andersen: CONTINUING RESOLUTIONS- THEY’VE BECOME A WAY OF LIFE in congress.

TAKE SOT- Chuck SCHUMER (D-NY) Majority Leader

<<”I reached an agreement with Leader McConnell BUTT TO on a continuing resolution that will keep the federal government funded through mid-February of next year.”>>

Annie: AND THEY’VE BEEN TURNING TO THEM FAIRLY FREQUENTLY OVER THE PAST FEW DECADES.

TAKE SOT- Mitch MCCONNELL

“<<I’ll introduce a continuing resolution that will ensure continuous funding for the federal government.”>>

TAKE SOT– REP. DAVID CICILLINE (D-RI)

<<”A continuing resolution is not the way to proceed.”>>

Annie Andersen: SO WHAT EXACTLY IS A CONTINUING RESOLUTION?

FOR THAT.. LETS CRACK OPEN OUR DC DICTIONARY.

IN SHORT- A CONTINUING RESOLUTION.. OR A CR.. IS A WAY TO KICK THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD.

ARGUING OVER WHAT GOES IN A DEFENSE SPENDING BILL? TURN TO A CR.

AVERT A SHUTDOWN WITHOUT DEALING WITH THE BUDGET? ONCE AGAIN.. IT’S A CR TO THE RESCUE.

YOU MIGHT ALSO HEAR IT CALLED STOP GAP FUNDING.. BECAUSE IT FILLS IN THE GAP BETWEEN APPROVED BUDGETS.

FEDERAL AGENCIES ARE FUNDED ON AN ANNUAL BASIS.

SO EACH YEAR CONGRESS HAS TO APPROVE their BUDGET… OR they can PASS A C-R.

THAT INCLUDES THESE 12 APPROPRIATIONS.. OR discretionary SPENDING BILLS.

And IF THEY Don’t…

TAKE SOT- Sen. James Lankford (R-OK)

<<”GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN”>>

Annie Andersen: THERE ARE GENERALLY 6 PARTS TO A CONTINUING RESOLUTION.

ONE- FORMAT- WHAT’S EXACTLY COVERED.

TWO- Time- CRs cover a specific amount of time. THEY CAN GO AS SHORT AS A DAY OR AS LONG AS SEVERAL MONTHS.

next- money.. MOST OFTEN CRS FUND THE GOVERNMENT AT ITS CURRENT LEVEL.. SO WHATEVER rate YOU HAD BEFORE, will continue. But funding can increase or decrease for specific activities.

FOUR- NEW SPENDING. THAT’S A NO-GO FOR A C-R.

If IT WASN’T APPROVED IN THE PREVIOUS BUDGET, IT ISN’T HAPPENING.

FIVE- ABNORMALITIES- THINK OF THIS AS YOUR RAINY DAY FUND OR YOUR ‘WHAT IF’ MONEY

FINALLY- POLICY RIDERS: THIS IS SUPPOSED TO DEAL WITH THINGS LIKE EXTENDING A TAX PROVISION..

BUT IT’S ALSO WHERE MEMBERS CAN STICK IN their own PET projects.

Fall and WINTER are GENERALLY CR SEASON,

BECAUSE too often Congress doesn’t pass their spending bills by the OCTOBER 1st deadline.

In fact, THAT HASN’T HAPPENED SINCE 1997!

FROM 97 UNTIL 20-21, Congress passed 126 CONTINUING RESOLUTIONS.

Now that you know what a c-r is, WANT ANOTHER PHRASE BROKEN DOWN for OUR next DC DICTIONARY. LET ME KNO W!