Congressional appropriators are continuing to negotiate on legislation to fund the government in Fiscal 2015, which began Oct. 1. Since then a stop-gap measure has kept the government open by largely continuing funding at Fiscal 2014 levels.
But that measure, also known as a continuing resolution, expires Dec. 11. So Congress needs to move forward quickly on a permanent plan for the rest of Fiscal 2015.
Some GOP lawmakers favor another continuing resolution that would leave final 2015 funding decisions to the new Congress.
Continuing resolutions, however, waste money by failing to take into account changing circumstances and priorities while leaving federal agencies unable to plan effectively for the coming year. In addition, the new Congress will need to quickly start focusing on the Fiscal 2016 budget.
There is also speculation that if President Obama orders immigration changes on his own, Republicans might respond by shutting down the government when the current continuing resolution expires. Shutdowns, however, are also big money-wasters, in part because federal employees are eventually paid for days they do not work.
Last week Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell ruled out a shut-down. House Speaker John Boehner, however, said: “All of the options are on the table.”
External links:
What’s a Continuing Resolution? (Concord Coalition)
