The country is currently operating under a continuing resolution (CR) through December 20, 2024. Federal Managers Association (FMA) National President Craig Carter, who urged all members of Congress earlier in the month to craft a solution, expressed relief and frustration that Congress once again relied on a continuing resolution to punt the debate on providing full year appropriations for federal agencies.

“The Federal Managers Association is relieved Congress approved this continuing resolution to prevent a harmful government shutdown,” Carter wrote. “It will keep America’s hard working federal employees on the job, ensuring Americans will continue to receive the vital services they provide into December. While we supported this short-term Band-Aid, CRs hinder the ability of the government and military to plan for the fiscal year ahead. They reduce government’s buying power and increase costs to taxpayers. The result of a CR is the loss of billions of dollars. We are disappointed Congress has once again relied on a CR to keep the government running.”

“We continue to urge both chambers of Congress to return to regular order and fully fund Fiscal Year 2025 as soon as possible” he continued. “Providing regular appropriations should be the number one priority of Congress, and is critical to enabling federal workers and agencies to carry out their crucial missions on behalf of the American people,” Carter concluded.

Given the CR will only keep the federal government operating through December 20, Congress will have a lot of unfinished business when it returns next week. The House has passed five of the twelve appropriations bills, while the Senate has not yet passed one. The November 5 election results – including the re-election of Donald Trump to the White House and Republicans retaking the Senate for the 119th Congress – will help shape what happens with Fiscal Year 2025 appropriations in the coming lame duck session of the 118th Congress. Majority control of the U.S. House of Representatives has not been determined at the time of publishing this article.

As we have noted previously, one thing not to expect, according to House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) is another omnibus appropriations bill in December. “I want to assure everyone . . . we are not going to return to a Christmas omnibus spending tradition, and that’s significant,” Johnson said. Instead, the Speaker is interested in punting FY2025 appropriations bills into the new year – and the 119th Congress – with another CR stopgap into March 2025. Stay tuned for updates on FY2025 appropriations as negotiations continue.