September 18, 2007

Continuing Resolution Imminent

With FY 2007 coming to a close September 30, Congress is likely to take up a six-week continuing resolution to keep the government running after October 1. A continuing resolution (CR) is enacted by both houses of Congress when the new fiscal year is about to begin (or has begun) and regular appropriations have not yet been enacted. The CR provides budget authority for federal agencies and programs to sustain operations until spending bills are enacted.

None of the 12 regular FY 2008 spending bills has been signed into law. And, while the House has passed all of its bills, the Senate has passed only four, and no conference committees have met on those. The appropriations process ground to a halt earlier this year, when President Bush vowed to veto any bills that exceeded his budget request.

For more information on the funding levels contained in the Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations bill, please visit our funding chart. Questions? Please e-mail Emily Holubowich, Director of Government Relations.