Money & budgets
continuing resolution
A stopgap law funding the government at existing levels when the annual appropriations bills are not done by October 1.
In full
The federal fiscal year starts October 1. When the twelve appropriations acts are not enacted in time, which is nearly every year, Congress passes a continuing resolution (CR) extending current funding for weeks or months. Long-term CRs freeze agencies in the prior year's priorities; a failure to pass even a CR triggers a shutdown.
Also written as: cr, stopgap
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A plain-language explanation for civic education, not legal advice. When in doubt, the official source named above controls.