Maybe you haven’t noticed, but we don’t exactly have a budget right now…At least a budget that has been approved by Congress. Essentially the government has been living on a string of continuing resolutions keeping it going while Congress and the President battle out budget concerns.
Continuing what?
A continuing resolution sounds like a New Year’s Resolution that never ends. (enter hysterical laughing here) Actually a continuing resolution comes when Congress has not signed an appropriations (spending) bill to fund the federal government agencies. Each government agency has to have a specific amount of money appropriated. The President must sign the appropriations (spending) bill into law. If and when Congress or the President can’t see things eye to eye and come up with a budget they both agree on a continuing resolution is issued. That keeps the government agencies going at current spending levels or less until the resolution expires or a bill is passed. A continuing resolution must be passed by Congress and signed into law by the President. The most recent continuing resolution passed September 30, 2010, then again on December 3, 2010, and yet again on December 22, 2010. The continuing resolution ends on March 4, 2011. In case you don’t have a calendar handy, that’s soon. Pair that with the fact that the House is not in session the last week of February and that makes it next week to get this squared away. What if it does not get squared away?
GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN!!
During the fall of 2010 a string of continuing resolutions made it so the government agencies could keep going without a spending bill. Currently the Tea Party freshmen and GOP are in a scuffle over $26 billion. The GOP wanted to slash the budget by $74 billion, but the Tea Party is hoping to make good on campaign promises and demanding more cuts to the tune of $100 million. During a shutdown nonessential government agencies would no longer be able to operate. A shutdown makes it all sound so permanent.
Has this ever happened before?
Yes! Most famously in 1995. Gingrich vs. Clinton. Clinton refused to accept the cuts to Medicare, Medicaid, education, and environmental controls. Gingrich refused to raise the debt limits. The Congress passed the funding bill. The President vetoed the bill. The government shutdown from November 14-November 19 until a temporary spending bill temporarily saved the day. However, once again the Clinton/Gingrich fight reared its ugly head and shut the government down again from December 16, 1995 until January 6, 1996. This budget drama cost an estimated $400 million. Spendy, spendy!
The Massively Condensed Version
Typically the President goes to Congress and says, “Here is my budget request. I hope you like it.”
Congress replies with either a, “Yes! Your budget request is terrific. We can’t wait to turn all of your awesome ideas into a spending bill! Let’s pass it fast.” Or “ummm…Not so hip on your budget. Let’s get rid of this, this, and this. Let’s add this, that, or that. Now, here is our new spending bill. Will you sign it into a spending law?”
If the Congress (House and Senate) cannot agree on a spending resolution or the President refuses to sign a spending bill then they can pass a continuing resolution until they get it all sorted out. Once Congress gets it together then the President signs the bill and everyone is happy! J Well sort of…
Stay tuned for more fantastic budget information. Check out http://thevotereffect.com/ for all of the information you need to be an informed voter.
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