BUDGET ISSUES

Continuing Resolutions and Other Budget Uncertainties Present Management Challenges

Congress annually faces difficult decisions on what to fund among competing priorities and interests, and often postpones final funding decisions to allow additional time for deliberations. In all but four of the last 40 years, Congress has passed CRs to keep government services in operation until agreement is reached on final appropriations. In some years, including the current fiscal year, when new appropriations or a CR have not been enacted on time, this lapse in appropriations—or funding gap—caused the government to partially shut down, which halted some activities at federal agencies until appropriations were passed. Operating under a CR or the possibility of a shutdown, or both, creates uncertainty, complicates agency operations, and leads to inefficiencies...