As March 14 approaches, Congress is faced with a deadline to agree on a budget or pass another continuing resolution to keep the government running. On March 7, House Speaker Johnson introduced a continuing resolution to continue government funding through the remainder of fiscal year (FY) 2025. The bill seeks to boost defense and border security funding by $6 billion while reducing a slew of non-defense spending by $13 billion.
What happens if a Continuing Resolution (CR) is not passed?
Without a CR or final appropriations, the government shuts down. Over the past 28 years, lawmakers have passed 136 CRs. In the past, CRs have varied in length from one day to six months. Without funding through the regular budget process, the threat of government shutdown becomes the top priority. In a 2022 Government Accountability Office (GAO) report, agency officials stated that CRs create “administrative inefficiencies, limit hiring and travel, and day-to-day focus and planning.”
Encourage confidence to act