For much of 2023 and early 2024, Congress was focused on one issue: appropriations. Twelve bills to fund all parts of the federal government were supposed to be passed by Sept. 30. Yet, Congress missed that deadline and three subsequent extensions to pass the bills. To avoid a government shutdown, it instead passed continuing resolutions (CRs) to temporarily fund the government and give itself more time to act.
These CRs attracted intense criticism, and the first CR prompted the House of Representatives to remove its speaker, Kevin McCarthy, from office. The process was eventually completed on March 23, nearly six months later than required.
It appears that Congress may repeat itself this year, observers say….