The budget trick Congress uses to keep the government open

One of the main duties of Congress is to fund the federal government. It alone has the "power of the purse."

And yet, Congress is really, really bad at it.

Enter the continuing resolution (CR). Instead of hammering out a year long agreement (like they are supposed to), more often than not Congress relies on a CR—a short term bill that essentially uses the funding levels from a previous agreement and continues them forward.

Sure, it prevents a government shutdown, but it also means no long-term planning, tons of deadline drama, and a lot of uncertainty for federal agencies. You’ll hear lawmakers complaining that CRs just “kick the can down the road.”

And guess what? They’re telling the truth.