Q: When was the last time Congress actually passed the official budget instead of a continuing resolution?
—Richard Criswell, Monroe
A: Last weekend's short government shutdown is a reminder that Congress often relies on continuing resolutions to fund certain government operations.
There is a difference, however, between Congress passing an official budget resolution — which it did for the 2018 fiscal year in October 2017 — and enacting appropriations, or spending, bills to fund that budget.
Under the 1974 Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act, the president submits a budget proposal and the House and Senate are expected to adopt their own budget resolution by April 15 each year. The budget acts as a guide in the appropriations process, which funds about 30 percent of all federal spending but does not cover mandatory spending including Social Security and Medicare.
According to the nonpartisan Pew Research Center, that April 15 deadline is frequently missed, putting Congress behind in enacting spending bills before the next fiscal year begins on Oct. 1.
“In the four decades since the current system for budgeting and spending tax dollars has been in effect, Congress has managed to pass all its required appropriations measures on time only four times: in fiscal 1977 (the first full fiscal year under the current system), 1989, 1995 and 1997,” the Pew Center writes.
When Congress fails to enact spending bills on time, it may pass continuing resolutions to temporarily maintain funding for the federal government’s discretionary spending programs, usually at the programs’ previous level of spending.
Fast Copy News Service wrote this column. Do you have a question? We’ll try to get the answer. Call 404-222-2002 or email q&a@ajc.com (include name, phone and city).
About the Author
